High-density mapping and follow-up studies on chromosomal regions 1, 3, 6, 12, 13 and 17 in 28 families with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

A subset of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) shows familial aggregation. Studies show an increased risk for CLL and other lymphoproliferative disease among first-degree relatives of affected individuals. A genome-wide scan of 18 CLL families in 2003 detected LOD or non-parametric linkage scores > or = 1.0 on chromosomes 1, 3, 6, 12, 13 and 17. Follow-up study with 28 families showed no evidence of linkage at 1p22.1-p21.2, 3q22.1, 3q26.2, 6q22.31-q23.2, 12q24.23, 14q32.13, 17p13.3. Chromosome 13q21.33 remains a region of interest with a P-value of 0.013 (marker D13S1291) and warrants additional molecular investigation as a susceptibility region for CLL.