Diagnostica molecolare dei linfomi non-Hodgkin's: Impatto nella diagnosi e valutazione della malattia minima residua

In the analysis of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), molecular techniques have become of increasing pratical importance both for diagnostic purposes, at disease onset, and in order to accurately evaluate prognosis, following specific therapies. Moreover, the presence of disease-specific or clonal abnormalities, such as chromosomal translocation, can provide markers for the detection of minimal residual disease (MRD). In this regard, a growing number of largely overlapping techniques including Southern blotting (SB), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) are responsible for these advances. In view of these novel investigational possibilities, it is of paramount importance to evaluate correctly the specific role of each technique with respect to classical analyses investigating morphology, immunophenotype and karyotype.