Below is a brief summary of the common translocations associated with haematological malignancies

t(9;22) - Philadelphia chromosome

• present in > 95% of patients with CML
• this results in part of the Abelson proto-oncogene being moved to the BCR gene on chromosome 22
• the resulting BCR-ABL gene codes for a fusion protein which has tyrosine kinase activity in excess of normal
• poor prognostic indicator in ALL

t(15;17)

• seen in acute promyelocytic leukaemia (M3)
• fusion of PML and RAR-alpha genes

t(8;14)

• seen in Burkitt's lymphoma
• MYC oncogene is translocated to an immunoglobulin gene

t(11;14)

• Mantle cell lymphoma
• deregulation of the cyclin D1 (BCL-1) gene

t(14;18)

• follicular lymphoma
• increased BCL-2 transcription

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