Cytogenetic studies in the malignant lymphomas and related neoplasms. Results in twenty-seven cases

A technique of short-term in vitro culture without added phytohemagglutinin has been applied to the cytogenetic study of lymph nodes involved by malignant lymphoma. Chromosome studies have been performed on lymph node tissue from six cases of follicular lymphoma, four cases of lymphosarcoma, five cases of Hodgkin's disease, five cases of reticulum cell sarcoma and three cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Lymph node material from one case of primary macroglobulinemia and one case of acute granulocytic leukemia, bone marrow from one case of lymphosarcoma and the cells of a pleural effusion from one case of Hodgkin's disease were also studied. A high incidence of significant chromosomal anomaly was observed. Although no two cases were identical, patterns of cytogenetic change were discernible. The more anaplastic tumors tended to possess near-tetraploid chromosome numbers. Anomalies involving the chromosomes of the groups 17,18 and 21,22 occurred with unexpected frequency. An abnormal group 17,18 chromosome with deleted short arms was seen in one case of follicular lymphoma and two cases of Hodgkin's disease. In one case of reticulum cell sarcoma the tumor cells showed chromosomal anomalies closely resembling those seen in normal cells infected with SV40 virus.