For the purpose of further analyses, a median value of MALAT1 relative expression (2.7 relative units (RU)) was used as a cut-off to dichotomize the CLL cohort into MALAT1 low-expressing (MALAT1low) and MALAT1 high-expressing (MALAT1high) groups. Here, MALAT1 is linked to B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.