Cytogenetic manifestations of multiple myeloma heterogeneity.

To investigate the genetic basis of the great heterogeneity observed in the clinical behavior of multiple myeloma (MM), a combined approach of G-banding, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and multicolor FISH (M-FISH) was employed to analyze 70 samples from 53 patients with MM. G-banding revealed abnormal karyotypes in 77% of the cases. The origin of 31 chromosome markers was identified or revised by M-FISH.