In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), deletion at 13q14 with at least one allele occurs in more than 50% of cases. A minimal deleted region (MDR) of 350kb in size has been identified and is usually seen as an indicator for good prognosis. However, recent studies using high resolution arrays have shown, that the 13q14 deletion can vary in size and, if it is including the RB1 gene, may lead to a change in the prognosis of CLL patients. RB1 is a critical regulator of cell cycle progression and genomic stability and its loss could explain this change of interpretation in CLL.
Deletions of chromosome 13q14 have been reported in a variety of human tumors, including other types of lymphoid tumors and myeloid leukemias, as well as prostate, head and neck, and non-small-cell lung cancers.
Clinical Applications
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
- Multiple Myeloma and Plasma Cell Neoplasms (MM)