Prevalence of Monoclonal B Lymphocytosis in First- Degree Relatives of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients in Turkey

Abstract

Objective:Monoclonal B lymphocytosis (MBL) is considered to be a precursor state for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This study was planned to evaluate the MBL prevalence in first-degree relatives of CLL patients in Turkey, which is considered to be an ethnic and geographic bridge between the Eastern and Western worlds. Materials and Methods:A total of 136 volunteers [median age: 40 (17-77) years; male/female: 60/76] from 61 families were included. Flow cytometry analysis by 4-colour staining was used for MBL diagnosis. Results:MBL was demonstrated in 17 cases (12.5%). A total of 14 cases (10.3%) were classified as CLL-like MBL, while 3 (2.2%) exhibited a non-CLL-like phenotype. The prevalence of MBL was 12.72% in subjects aged less than 40 years, 12.28% in subjects between 40 and 60 years, and 40% in subjects over 60 years, without statistical significance (p>0.05). A total of 115 cases were evaluated for intermarriage, which was observed in 19 cases (16.5%). The prevalence of MBL did not differ based on intermarriage status (p>0.05).Conclusion:The current report is the first MBL prevalence study in a Eurasian population that demonstrates a similar distribution pattern of MBL in Anatolian CLL kindreds. Further efforts should be made to refine our understanding of the natural history and clinical outcomes of MBL.

Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis in blood donors in Turkey

“…However, with more sensitive methods, CLLlike cells were identified in more than 10% of adults aged 40 years or more [18]. Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis is considered as a marker of inherited predisposition to CLL, as it was demonstrated in 13-18% of first-degree relatives of CLL patients in high risk families [2][3][4][7][8][9][10][11]13,14,16,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28].…”