Clonal chromosome abnormalities in prison-acquired lymphoproliferative syndrome.

Lymph nodes from five male patients with prison-acquired lymphoproliferative syndrome (PALS), which seems to be a prodrome of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), were examined cytogenetically. Two had clonal chromosome abnormalities, i.e., 11q- and -11, and another had multiple nonclonal chromosome changes, including t(2p-;3q+),6q-,+12,14q+. These chromosome changes are also common in malignant lymphoma and suggest that the patients with PALS may be predisposed to develop malignant lymphoma.