Objective

  To present the clinicopathologic features and confirm the presence of the IGH/BCL2 gene fusion in an oral follicular lymphoma (OFL) series.

 Study design

  Cases of OFLs were retrieved from a data base of non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to confirm the IGH/BCL2 fusion.

 Results

 Eight (8.7%) of 92 NHL were OFLs. Six (75%) patients were male and two female (mean age: 73.4 ± 14.8). The most frequent site was the palate. Five of the 8 patients are alive and without disease. Five (three grade 1 and two grade 2) of six successfully hybridized cases revealed the IGH/BCL2 gene fusion. The sixth case, a grade 3 follicular lymphoma (FL), demonstrated multiple BCL2 signals without IGH/BCL2 fusion.

 Conclusions

  OFLs exhibit an indolent clinical behavior. In the present study, 5/6 cases in which FISH was successful had an IGH/BCL2 fusion as would result from the t(14 18)(q32 q21) translocation commonly seen in FL of extraoral sites.

 Source: Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology

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