Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of CLL samples
| Parameter | All patients | M-CLL | U-CLL |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of patients (%) | 99 | 61 (61.6) | 38 (38.4) |
| Sex, no. (%) | |||
| Male | 53 (53.5) | 28 (45.9) | 25 (65.8) |
| Female | 46 (46.5) | 33 (54.1) | 13 (34.2) |
| Age at diagnosis, y | |||
| Median | 62 | 59 | 64 |
| Range | 40–84 | 40–84 | 40–80 |
| Rai stage, no (%) | |||
| 0 | 78 (78.8) | 55 (90.2) | 23 (60.5) |
| I-II | 16 (16.2) | 5 (8.2) | 11 (28.9) |
| III-IV | 5 (5.1) | 1 (1.6) | 4 (10.5) |
| Time to treatment | |||
| Median time to first treatment, y | 2.8 | 5.7 | 2.3 |
| No. treated (%) | 31 (31.3) | 12 (19.7) | 19 (50) |
| No. censored (%) | 68 (68.7) | 49 (80.3) | 19 (50) |
| Cytogenetics | |||
| 17p deletion, no. (%) | 8 (8.1) | 2 (3.3) | 6 (15.8) |
| 11q deletion, no. (%) | 7 (7.1) | 0(0) | 7 (18.4) |
| 13q deletion, no. (%) | 50 (50.5) | 44 (72.1) | 6 (15.8) |
| 12q trisomy, no. (%) | 15 (15.2) | 3 (4.9) | 12 (31.6) |
| Normal, no. (%) | 19 (19.2) | 12 (19.7) | 7 (18.4) |
| FCRL2 expression | |||
| Positive, no. (%) | 61 (61.6) | 52 (85.2) | 9 (23.7) |
| Negative, no. (%) | 38 (38.4) | 9 (14.8) | 29 (76.3) |
| CD38 expression | |||
| Positive, no. (%) | 13 (13.1) | 1 (1.6) | 12 (31.6) |
| Negative, no. (%) | 86 (86.9) | 60 (98.4) | 26 (68.4) |
Samples were stained for FCRL2 expression as described in Fig. 1b. Median time from diagnosis to sample collection and flow cytometry was 4.29 years (range 0–34.2 years). CD38 surface measurements were determined with anti-CD38-PE (clone HB-7, BD) according to published criteria5,7. A cutoff value of >30% was used to determine a positive result. FISH for trisomy 12q, 13q deletion, 11q deletion, and 17p deletion was performed according to standard methodology by the UAB Department of Genetics. Cytogenetic profiles were categorized according to the original hierarchy as described6. IGHV mutation status for CLL samples was either determined in-house according to established methods as previously described13 or performed by the Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Rochester, MN). FISH and IGHV sequencing were determined at the time of diagnosis for the majority of cases