We have examined in detail the features of the T-cell receptor beta (TCRB) gene rearrangements in 20 individuals with well-defined stages of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) comprising 10 cases with early-stage mycosis fungoides (MF) and 10 cases with late-stage MF or Sezary syndrome.
There is limited information regarding the performance characteristics and utility of TCRG and TCRB clonality assays in diagnosis of MF and ID from paraffin-embedded tissue sections.
Gains of TCRB and TCRG genes were observed in 23% (3 of 13) of SS and 50% (3 of 6) of MFt, reflecting the presence of trisomy and/or tetrasomy of chromosome 7 already detected by conventional cytogenetics and array comparative genetic hybridization techniques.
Pre- and posttreatment biopsies from 20 lesional skin samples of 18 patients with mycosis fungoides who received either 8 Gy LDRT (<i>n</i> = 16) or topical steroids (<i>n</i> = 4) underwent high-throughput T-cell receptor sequencing of the TCRB gene to quantify the malignant T-cell clone.