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Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, pathologic features, and diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma

INTRODUCTION

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common histologic subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) accounting for approximately 25 percent of NHL cases [1,2]. (See "Classification of the hematopoietic neoplasms".)

It is increasingly appreciated that the diagnostic category of "DLBCL" is quite heterogeneous in terms of morphology, genetics, and biologic behavior. A number of clinicopathologic entities are now recognized that are sufficiently distinct to be considered separate diagnostic categories:

Each of these is discussed separately in the sections that follow the general discussion of DLBCL, or in their own topics. In addition, the 2008 version of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification system provides two overlap categories termed [1]:

  • "B cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between DLBCL and Burkitt lymphoma". Some tumors in this group were previously classified as "Burkitt-like" lymphoma. (See 'Burkitt lymphoma' below.)
  • "B cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between DLBCL and classical Hodgkin lymphoma". (See 'Hodgkin lymphoma' below.)

                                

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Literature review current through: Apr 2013. | This topic last updated: Apr 25, 2013.
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