Cytogenetics in the management of chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Guidelines from the Groupe Francophone de Cytogénétique Hématologique (GFCH).

Chromosomal abnormalities are frequent in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and most have prognostic value. In addition to the four well-known abnormalities (13q, 11q and 17p deletions, and trisomy 12), other recurrent aberrations have been linked to the disease outcome and/or drug resistance. Moreover, the complex karyotype has recently emerged as a prognostic marker for patients undergoing immunochemotherapy or targeted therapies.

Cytogenetics in the management of mature T-cell and NK-cell neoplasms: Guidelines from the Groupe Francophone de Cytogénétique Hématologique (GFCH).

Mature T-cell and natural killer (NK)-cell neoplasms (MTNKNs) are a highly heterogeneous group of lymphomas that represent 10-15 % of lymphoid neoplasms and have usually an aggressive behavior. Diagnosis can be challenging due to their overlapping clinical, histological and immunophenotypic features. Genetic data are not a routine component of the diagnostic algorithm for most MTNKNs.

Flow cytometry detection of CD138 expression continuum between monotypic B and plasma cells is associated with both high IgM peak levels and MYD88 mutation and contributes to diagnosis of Waldenström macroglobulinemia.

Background: Differential diagnosis of Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) with other indolent B-cell malignancies is still a challenge. Here, we propose an original and simple analysis of routine flow cytometry (FCM) unraveling the characteristic ongoing plasma cell (PC) differentiation of WM tumor B-cells.

Methods: FCM analysis of both B-cells and PC was performed on a series of 77 patients with IgM peak.

A reduced panel of eight genes (ATM, SF3B1, NOTCH1, BIRC3, XPO1, MYD88, TNFAIP3, and TP53) as an estimator of the tumor mutational burden in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Introduction: Mutational complexity or tumor mutational burden (TMB) influences the course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, this information is not routinely used because TMB is usually obtained from whole genome or exome, or from large gene panel high-throughput sequencing.

Methods: Here, we used the C-Harrel concordance index to determine the minimum panel of genes for which mutations predict treatment-free survival (TFS) as well as large resequencing panels.

CovCopCan: An efficient tool to detect Copy Number Variation from amplicon sequencing data in inherited diseases and cancer.

Molecular diagnosis is an essential step of patient care. An increasing number of Copy Number Variations (CNVs) have been identified that are involved in inherited and somatic diseases. However, there are few existing tools to identify them among amplicon sequencing data generated by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS).

Normal serum protein electrophoresis and mutated IGHV genes detect very slowly evolving chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients.

More than 35 years after the Binet classification, there is still a need for simple prognostic markers in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Here, we studied the treatment-free survival (TFS) impact of normal serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) at diagnosis. One hundred twelve patients with CLL were analyzed.

Analytical performances of SPAPLUS® turbidimeter for the quantification of albumin and IgG in serum and cerebrospinal fluid.

Objectives: The intrathecal production of IgG is part of the diagnosis criteria for Multiple Sclerosis. Its assessment requires both quantitative (quantification of IgG and albumin in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)) and qualitative assays (isoelectric focusing). We have evaluated the analytical performances of the SPAPLUS® immunoturbidimeter (The Binding Site®) for the quantification of IgG and albumin in serum and CSF.

[Analytical performances of SPAPLUS® turbidimeter for the dosage of immunoglobulins and beta-2 microglobulin in serum].

We evaluated the analytical performances of the SPAPLUS(®) immunoturbidimeter assays manufactured by The Binding Site(®) for the quantification of thirteen immunological parameters in serum: IgG, IgA, IgM and IgD immunoglobulins, IgG subclasses (1 to 4), IgA subclasses (1 and 2), beta-2 microglobulin, free light chains kappa and lambda. The within-day precision (repeatability) and the between-day precision (reproducibility) were obtained for two or three concentration levels depending of the parameter and were below the recommendations of the manufacturer, except for the repeatability of IgG1 (at a level of concentration of 6.7 g/L).

Homozygous deletion of an EGR2 enhancer in congenital amyelinating neuropathy.

The transcription factor EGR2 is expressed in Schwann cells, where it controls peripheral nerve myelination. Mutations of EGR2 have been found in patients with congenital hypomyelinating neuropathy or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1D. In a patient with congenital amyelinating neuropathy, we observed pathological abnormalities recapitulating the peripheral nervous system phenotype of homozygous Egr2-null mice.