Detection of t(8;14)(q24;q32) by polymerase chain reaction for long DNA targets: a report of two patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

We developed a novel technique for long-distance polymerase chain reaction (LD-PCR) to detect t(8;14)(q24;q32). LD-PCR can amplify up to 12 kb of DNA encompassing the c-MYC and constant regions of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. In this report, we present two patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Clinical materials obtained from these patients were examined by LD-PCR. One patient had small noncleaved cell lymphoma (case 1) and the other had diffuse large cell lymphoma (case 2). Both patients showed central nervous system involvement. LD-PCR using appropriate primer pairs and a newly available Taq polymerase for longer product synthesis detected a 9.6 kb (case 1) and a 2.4 kb (case 2) c-MYC/C gamma fusion product indicative of t(8;14) in all materials in which lymphoma cells were shown positive by microscopic examination. LD-PCR provides an advantage in rapid detection of lymphoma cells carrying t(8;14).