[Detection of complex chromosomal aberrations in patients with multiple myeloma using multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization (M-FISH) in the detection of the complex chromosomal aberrations (CCAs) in multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: M-FISH was used in 10 MM patients with CCAs detected by conventional cytogenetics (CC) using R-banding to refine the rearrangement of CCAs and identify the characteristics of marker chromosome. RESULTS: M-FISH confirmed the 29 structural aberrations shown by CC analysis, and also confirmed the specific source of 21 types of chromosomal aberration, which were not detected by CC analysis. Among them, t(2;15)(q33;q22), t(6;7)(q23;q34), t(8;11) (q24;q23), t(1;14)(q10;q32) and t(X;1)(q26;q25) were new chromosomal aberrations. The median survival time of 9 MM patients with CCAs was 23 months and evidently shorter than that of MM patients without CCAs, with the mean survival time being 34 months. CONCLUSION: M-FISH could refine CCAs in MM patients, find or correct the missed or misidentified abnormalities analyzed by CC. It has provided one of the essential methods for the research of chromosomal aberrations in MM.