Abstract
To investigate genetic alterations in primary cutaneous B‐cell lymphomas (PCBCLs), we have analyzed 29 cases of PCBCL. Comparative genomic hybridization showed chromosome imbalances (CIs) in 12 cases (41%). The mean number of CIs per sample was 2.05 ± 2.97, with gains (1.48 ± 2.38) more frequent than losses (0.56 ± 1.40). The common regions of gains were 18/18q (50%), 7/7p (42%), 3/3q (33%), 20 (33%), 1p (25%), 12/12q (25%), and 13/13q (25%), whereas loss of 6q was frequent (42%). Among the different subsets of PCBCLs, CI was seen in 50% of diffuse large‐cell lymphomas (DLCLs), 33% of marginal zone lymphomas, and 8% of follicle center cell lymphomas and unclassified lymphomas. A similar pattern of CI was observed in these lymphomas, but loss of 6q and gains of 3/3q were present only in DLCLs. Microarray‐based genomic analysis of four DLCL cases identified oncogene gains of SAS/CDK4 (12q13.3) in three cases and MYCL1 (1p34.3), MYC (8q24), FGFR2 (10q26), BCL2 (18q21.3), CSE1L (20q13), and PDGFB (22q12–13) in two cases, whereas losses of AKT1 (14q32.3), IGFR1 (15q25–26), and JUNB (19p13.2) were identified in three cases, and losses of FGR (1p36), ESR (6q25.1), ABL1 (9q34.1), TOP2A (17q21–22), ERBB2 (17q21.2), CCNE1 (19q13.1), and BCR (22q11) were each identified in two cases. In addition, real‐time–polymerase chain reaction detected amplification of BCL2 in 5 of 29 cases. These findings suggest that there are complex but consistent genetic alterations associated with the pathogenesis of PCBCLs. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.