A translocation involving a specific breakpoint (q35) on chromosome 5 is characteristic of anaplastic large cell lymphoma ('Ki-1 lymphoma').

Two cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are reported in which a chromosomal translocation was observed involving the same site (q35) on the long arm of chromosome 5. The other breakpoint involved in the translocation was chromosome 2 (p23) in one case and chromosome 3 (q12) in the other. Both cases were large cell lymphomas expressing CD30 antigen ('Ki-1 lymphoma'). One was clearly of T lymphoid origin, the other probably B cell derived. One other case of a Ki-1 lymphoma with 2;5 translocation (involving the same breakpoint on chromosome 5) has been reported previously, and it is suggested that this cytogenetic abnormality may be specifically associated with Ki-1 lymphoma. The literature contains a further eight cases of lymphoid neoplasms with a translocation involving a breakpoint at q35 on chromosome 5. They have all been described as cases of 'malignant histiocytosis', but the present findings make it likely that these cases were in reality also examples of Ki-1 lymphoma. The breakpoint at the q35 region on chromosome 5 is close to the position of the fms proto-oncogene, suggesting that an abnormality affecting this gene might possibly play a causal role in 'Ki-1 lymphoma'. However, DNA restriction fragment analysis of the present cases showed no evidence that the breakpoint on chromosome 5 involves the fms gene or its immediate vicinity.