CLONAL ORIGIN FOR INDIVIDUAL BURKTTT TUMOURS

The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G.-6-P.D.) types of normal and malignant tissues were determined in seven patients with Burkitt's lymphoma who were heterozygous at the G.-6-P.D. locus. Two enzyme types were observed in normal tissues, but only one type was found in each of 12 tumours. In one patient 4 distinct tumours were found to have the same single enzyme type. These observations are consistent with the suggestion that individual Burkitt's tumours, and perhaps the entire disease process, has a clonal origin. © 1970.