B-cell Immunoglobulin Gene Rearrangement
- Also Known As:
- Immunoglobulin Gene Rearrangement
- B-cell Gene Clonality Molecular Genetic Tests
- BCGR
- Formal Name:
- B-cell Gene Rearrangement

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.At a Glance
Why Get Tested?
To help diagnose a B-cell lymphoma; to detect and evaluate residual cancer cells
When To Get Tested?
When a health care practitioner thinks that you may have a B-cell lymphoma; sometimes to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment or to evaluate for recurrent disease
Sample Required?
A bone marrow or other tissue biopsy procedure is performed by a doctor or other trained specialist. Body fluid samples are obtained by inserting a needle into the body cavity and withdrawing a portion of the fluid with a syringe. Sometimes, a blood sample is obtained by inserting a needle into a vein in the arm.
Test Preparation Needed?
None
What is being tested?
This test detects characteristic changes (rearrangements) in specific genes in B-cells. This information can be helpful in diagnosing a B-cell lymphoma.
B-cells are a type of lymphocyte (a kind of white blood cell, WBC) that produces antibodies in response to infections or other “foreign invaders.” Rearrangements in certain parts of their DNA called immunoglobulin genes are a normal part of their development. These rearrangements are associated with the development of a large repertoire of diverse B-cells, allowing them to protect against many different kinds of infections. The final order in which the genes are rearranged is called a gene rearrangement profile. Within any normal population (sample) of B cells, the cells and their gene rearrangement profiles are very diverse.
In a B-cell lymphoma, the lymphoma cells are virtually identical and their gene rearrangement profiles are likewise identical. Lymphomas arise when an abnormal B cell begins to produce numerous identical copies of itself (clones). The cloned cells grow and divide uncontrollably, crowding out normal cells.
A B-cell immunoglobulin gene rearrangement test evaluates the cells in a person’s sample to determine whether the majority of B-cell rearrangement profiles are diverse or identical. This information, along with clinical signs and symptoms and results of other laboratory tests, can help clarify a person’s diagnosis, or evaluate the persistence or recurrence of lymphoma.
About 85% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas in the U.S. are B-cell lymphomas, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Common Questions
Related Content
View Sources
Sources Used in Current Review
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Cho, Y. et. al. (2016 February 29). The prognostic significance of monoclonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangement in conjunction with histologic B‐cell aggregates in the bone marrow of patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma. Cancer Med. 2016 Jun; 5(6): 1066–1073. Available online at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924364/. Accessed on 05/01/17.
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Gajra, A. and Vajpayee, N. (2017 January 30 Updated). B-Cell Lymphoma. Medscape Drugs and Diseases. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/202677-overview. Accessed on 05/01/17.
Miles, R. and Perkins, S. (2017 April). Lymphomas, B-Cell – B-Cell Lymphomas. ARUP Consult. Available online at https://arupconsult.com/content/lymphomas-b-cell. Accessed on 05/01/17.
Sources Used in Previous Reviews
Gajra, A. and Vajpayee, N. (Updated 2012 January 20). B-Cell Lymphoma. Medscape Reference [On-line information]. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/202677-overview. Accessed June 2012.
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Bahler, D. et. al. (Updated 2012 May). Lymphomas, B-Cell – B-Cell Lymphomas. ARUP Consult [On-line information]. Available online at http://www.arupconsult.com/Topics/LymphomaBCell.html?client_ID=LTD. Accessed June 2012.
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