Question

Translocation t(2;8)(p12;q24) is associated with:

• A. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
• B. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
• C. T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-cell ALL)
• D. Burkitt lymphoma

Hint:

8q24 is the MYC locus, so think which lymphoma is driven by MYC.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Decode the translocation.
The breakpoint 8q24 is the location of the MYC oncogene. Any translocation that involves 8q24 in a lymphoma points to MYC deregulation, which is the hallmark of Burkitt lymphoma.

Step 2: Identify this variant.
Besides the classic t(8;14), Burkitt lymphoma has two variant translocations. t(2;8) moves MYC next to the kappa light chain gene on chromosome 2, and t(8;22) moves it next to the lambda light chain gene. So t(2;8)(p12;q24) is the kappa light chain variant of Burkitt lymphoma.

Step 3: Rule out the others.
CML is associated with t(9;22), the Philadelphia chromosome (BCR-ABL).
AML subtypes have their own translocations, such as t(15;17) in APL and t(8;21) in AML M2.
T-cell ALL involves rearrangements of T-cell receptor loci, not 8q24.

Step 4: Conclusion.
t(2;8)(p12;q24) is the variant Burkitt lymphoma translocation, option D.