A patient is assessed for B-cell clonality by examining the…
A patient is assessed for B-cell clonality by examining the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements by PCR using primers complementary to the FR3 and joining regions of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. When the products are resolved by gel electrophoresis, the patient lane has a smear and does not have a sharp band. Controls were all acceptable. This result is interpreted as which of the following?