ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma is a genetically heterogeneous disease with widely disparate clinical outcomes

Blood. 2014 Aug 28;124(9):1473-80. doi: 10.1182/blood-2014-04-571091. Epub 2014 Jun 3.

Abstract

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a CD30-positive T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that morphologically resembles ALK-positive ALCL but lacks chromosomal rearrangements of the ALK gene. The genetic and clinical heterogeneity of ALK-negative ALCL has not been delineated. We performed immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization on 73 ALK-negative ALCLs and 32 ALK-positive ALCLs and evaluated the associations among pathology, genetics, and clinical outcome. Chromosomal rearrangements of DUSP22 and TP63 were identified in 30% and 8% of ALK-negative ALCLs, respectively. These rearrangements were mutually exclusive and were absent in ALK-positive ALCLs. Five-year overall survival rates were 85% for ALK-positive ALCLs, 90% for DUSP22-rearranged ALCLs, 17% for TP63-rearranged ALCLs, and 42% for cases lacking all 3 genetic markers (P < .0001). Hazard ratios for death in these 4 groups after adjusting for International Prognostic Index and age were 1.0 (reference group), 0.58, 8.63, and 4.16, respectively (P = 7.10 × 10(-5)). These results were similar when restricted to patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy, as well as to patients not receiving stem cell transplantation. Thus, ALK-negative ALCL is a genetically heterogeneous disease with widely disparate outcomes following standard therapy. DUSP22 and TP63 rearrangements may serve as predictive biomarkers to help guide patient management.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Child
  • Dual-Specificity Phosphatases / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Rearrangement
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / genetics
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / genetics*
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / metabolism*
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatases / genetics
  • Prognosis
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics*
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors
  • TP63 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • interferon regulatory factor-4
  • ALK protein, human
  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatases
  • DUSP22 protein, human
  • Dual-Specificity Phosphatases