MYD88 L265P is a marker highly characteristic of, but not restricted to, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia

We evaluated the MYD88 L265P mutation in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (sensitivity similar to 10(-3)). No mutation was seen in normal donors, while it was present in 101/117 (86%) WM patients, 27/31 (87%) IgM monoclonal gammapathies of uncertain significance (MGUS), 3/14 (21%) splenic marginal zone lymphomas and 9/48 (19%) non-germinal center (GC) diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs). The mutation was absent in all 28 GC-DLBCLs, 13 DLBCLs not subclassified, 35 hairy cell leukemias, 39 chronic lymphocytic leukemias (16 with M-component), 25 IgA or IgG-MGUS, 24 multiple myeloma (3 with an IgM isotype), 6 amyloidosis, 9 lymphoplasmacytic lymphomas and 1 IgM-related neuropathy. Among WM and IgM-MGUS, MYD88 L265P mutation was associated with some differences in clinical and biological characteristics, although usually minor; wild-type MYD88 cases had smaller M-component (1.77 vs 2.72 g/dl, P = 0.022), more lymphocytosis (24 vs 5%, P = 0.006), higher lactate dehydrogenase level (371 vs 265 UI/L, P = 0.002), atypical immunophenotype (CD23 - CD27 ++ FMC7++), less Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Variable gene (IGHV) somatic hypermutation (57 vs 97%, P = 0.012) and less IGHV3-23 gene selection (9 vs 27%, P = 0.014). These small differences did not lead to different time to first therapy, response to treatment or progression-free or overall survival.