Primary effusion lymphomas exhibit complex and recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities.

Cytogenetic findings in a few primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) cell lines have been reported, but only three complete karyotypes of primary specimens from patients with this neoplasm have been published. In this study, cytogenetic analysis was performed on 11 effusion specimens from 10 patients with PEL. We corroborate data obtained from the cell line studies that trisomy 7, trisomy 12 and aberrations in the proximal long arm of chromosome 1 (1q) are recurring cytogenetic aberrations in PEL and also identify breakpoints at 3q23, 7p22, 7q22, 10q24, 12q24, 13q22, 14q24, 14q32, 15p11.2 and Xq22 as well as +8, +15, +19, +X and -Y as recurring chromosome abnormalities. The identification of recurring cytogenetic aberrations may lead to delineation of the genetic events in PEL.