Clinical significance of t(14; 18)-positive cells in the circulation of patients with stage III or IV follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during first remission.

Purpose: To evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis as a method for the detection of circulating lymphoma cells in patients with stage III and IV t(14; 18)-positive follicular Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in first remission in a longitudinal prospective study.

Patients And Methods: Peripheral blood or bone marrow from eight patients with stage III and IV t(14; 18)-positive NHL was studied using PCR to detect the presence of t(14; 18)-positive cells in the circulation at different times during first remission.

Results: In four of six patients with no clinical evidence of disease (NCED), t(14; 18)-positive cells were detectable in the circulation. In one of two patients with clinical evidence of disease (CED), no t(14; 18)-positive cells were found at the four different occasions tested during first remission. First-remission duration ranged from 17 to 81+ months. The duration from the first PCR determination in remission until first relapse or the end of the observation period ranged from 10 to 37+ months.

Conclusion: In patients with t(14; 18)-positive follicular NHL stage III and IV, treated with conventional remission induction therapy, the presence or absence of t(14; 18)-positive cells in the circulation shows no obvious correlation with the clinical remission status and the remission duration.