The diagnosis of malignant lymphoma is a recognized difficult area in histopathology. Therefore, detection of clonality in a suspected lymphoproliferation is a valuable diagnostic criterion. We have developed primer sets for the detection of rearrangements in the B- and T-cell receptor genes as reliable tools for clonality assessment in lymphoproliferations suspected for lymphoma. In this issue of Leukemia, the participants of the BIOMED-2 Concerted Action CT98-3936 report on the validation of the newly developed clonality assays in various disease entities. Clonality was detected in 99% of all B-cell malignancies and in 94% of all T-cell malignancies, whereas the great majority of reactive lesions showed polyclonality. The combined BIOMED-2 results are summarized in a guideline, which can now be implemented in routine lymphoma diagnostics. The use of this standardized approach in patients with a suspect lymphoproliferation will result in improved diagnosis of malignant lymphoma.

doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2404467, hdl.handle.net/1765/36333
Leukemia
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

van Krieken, H., Langerak, A., Macintyre, E., Kneba, M., Hodges, E., Sanz, G., … van Dongen, J. (2007). Improved reliability of lymphoma diagnostics via PCR-based clonality testing: - Report of the BIOMED-2 Concerted Action BHM4-CT98-3936. Leukemia, 21(2), 201–206. doi:10.1038/sj.leu.2404467