EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Haematolymphoid Tumours (WHO Classification, 5th ed.)

(General Instructions – The focus of these pages is the clinically significant genetic alterations in each disease type. This is based on up-to-date knowledge from multiple resources such as PubMed and the WHO classification books. The CCGA is meant to be a supplemental resource to the WHO classification books; the CCGA captures in a continually updated wiki-stye manner the current genetics/genomics knowledge of each disease, which evolves more rapidly than books can be revised and published. If the same disease is described in multiple WHO classification books, the genetics-related information for that disease will be consolidated into a single main page that has this template (other pages would only contain a link to this main page). Use HUGO-approved gene names and symbols (italicized when appropriate), HGVS-based nomenclature for variants, as well as generic names of drugs and testing platforms or assays if applicable. Please complete tables whenever possible and do not delete them (add N/A if not applicable in the table and delete the examples); to add (or move) a row or column in a table, click nearby within the table and select the > symbol that appears. Please do not delete or alter the section headings. The use of bullet points alongside short blocks of text rather than only large paragraphs is encouraged. Additional instructions below in italicized blue text should not be included in the final page content. Please also see Author_Instructions and FAQs as well as contact your Associate Editor or Technical Support.)

Primary Author(s)*

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WHO Classification of Disease

Structure	Disease
Book	Haematolymphoid Tumours (5th ed.)
Category	B-cell lymphoid proliferations and lymphomas
Family	Mature B-cell neoplasms
Type	Large B-cell lymphomas
Subtype(s)	EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Related Terminology

Acceptable	EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma NOS
Not Recommended	EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the elderly; senile EBV-associated B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder; age-related EBV-positive lymphoproliferative disorder

Gene Rearrangements

Detection of clonal IGH and IGK gene rearrangements supports a neoplastic process and helps differentiate EBV-positive DLBCL from reactive, polyclonal B-cell proliferations. However, the major oncogenic driver rearrangements seen in other aggressive B-cell lymphoma such as the ‘double/triple-hit’ rearrangements involving MYC, BCL2, or BCL6 are rare in EBV-positive DLBCL. Its pathogenesis is driven more by EBV-related mechanisms and distinct genetic alterations than by these characteristic translocations. IRF4 rearrangements involving known partners such as IGH and more recently RHOH have also been described in EBV-positive DLBCL. RHOH, is an RHO GTPase family member and negative regulator of cell growth, has been described as a fusion partner in other lymphoid neoplasms but is more commonly linked to non-coding somatic hypermutation in DLBCL Clinically, morphologically as well as at the molecular level, EBV+DLBCL-IRF4-R resemble and behave like EBV+DLBCL

Driver Gene	Fusion(s) and Common Partner Genes	Molecular Pathogenesis	Typical Chromosomal Alteration(s)	Prevalence -Common >20%, Recurrent 5-20% or Rare <5% (Disease)	Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Significance - D, P, T	Established Clinical Significance Per Guidelines - Yes or No (Source)	Clinical Relevance Details/Other Notes

Individual Region Genomic Gain/Loss/LOH

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Chr #	Gain, Loss, Amp, LOH	Minimal Region Cytoband and/or Genomic Coordinates [Genome Build; Size]	Relevant Gene(s)	Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Significance - D, P, T	Established Clinical Significance Per Guidelines - Yes or No (Source)	Clinical Relevance Details/Other Notes
EXAMPLE: 7	EXAMPLE: Loss	EXAMPLE: chr7	EXAMPLE: Unknown	EXAMPLE: D, P	EXAMPLE: No	EXAMPLE: Presence of monosomy 7 (or 7q deletion) is sufficient for a diagnosis of AML with MDS-related changes when there is ≥20% blasts and no prior therapy (add reference).  Monosomy 7/7q deletion is associated with a poor prognosis in AML (add references).
EXAMPLE: 8	EXAMPLE: Gain	EXAMPLE: chr8	EXAMPLE: Unknown	EXAMPLE: D, P		EXAMPLE: Common recurrent secondary finding for t(8;21) (add references).
EXAMPLE: 17	EXAMPLE: Amp	EXAMPLE: 17q12; chr17:39,700,064-39,728,658 [hg38; 28.6 kb]	EXAMPLE: ERBB2	EXAMPLE: D, P, T		EXAMPLE: Amplification of ERBB2 is associated with HER2 overexpression in HER2 positive breast cancer (add references). Add criteria for how amplification is defined.

Characteristic Chromosomal or Other Global Mutational Patterns

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Chromosomal Pattern	Molecular Pathogenesis	Prevalence - Common >20%, Recurrent 5-20% or Rare <5% (Disease)	Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Significance - D, P, T	Established Clinical Significance Per Guidelines - Yes or No (Source)	Clinical Relevance Details/Other Notes
EXAMPLE: Co-deletion of 1p and 18q	EXAMPLE: See chromosomal rearrangements table as this pattern is due to an unbalanced derivative translocation associated with oligodendroglioma (add reference).	EXAMPLE: Common (Oligodendroglioma)	EXAMPLE: D, P
EXAMPLE: Microsatellite instability - hypermutated		EXAMPLE: Common (Endometrial carcinoma)	EXAMPLE: P, T

Gene Mutations (SNV/INDEL)

Put your text here and fill in the table (Instructions: This table is not meant to be an exhaustive list; please include only genes/alterations that are recurrent or common as well either disease defining and/or clinically significant. If a gene has multiple mechanisms depending on the type or site of the alteration, add multiple entries in the table. For clinical significance, denote associations with FDA-approved therapy (not an extensive list of applicable drugs) and NCCN or other national guidelines if applicable; Can also refer to CGC workgroup tables as linked on the homepage if applicable as well as any high impact papers or reviews of gene mutations in this entity. Details on clinical significance such as prognosis and other important information such as concomitant and mutually exclusive mutations can be provided in the notes section. Please include references throughout the table. Do not delete the table.)

Gene	Genetic Alteration	Tumor Suppressor Gene, Oncogene, Other	Prevalence - Common >20%, Recurrent 5-20% or Rare <5% (Disease)	Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Significance - D, P, T	Established Clinical Significance Per Guidelines - Yes or No (Source)	Clinical Relevance Details/Other Notes
EXAMPLE:EGFR	EXAMPLE: Exon 18-21 activating mutations	EXAMPLE: Oncogene	EXAMPLE: Common (lung cancer)	EXAMPLE: T	EXAMPLE: Yes (NCCN)	EXAMPLE: Exons 18, 19, and 21 mutations are targetable for therapy. Exon 20 T790M variants cause resistance to first generation TKI therapy and are targetable by second and third generation TKIs (add references).
EXAMPLE: TP53; Variable LOF mutations	EXAMPLE: Variable LOF mutations	EXAMPLE: Tumor Supressor Gene	EXAMPLE: Common (breast cancer)	EXAMPLE: P		EXAMPLE: >90% are somatic; rare germline alterations associated with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (add reference). Denotes a poor prognosis in breast cancer.
EXAMPLE: BRAF; Activating mutations	EXAMPLE: Activating mutations	EXAMPLE: Oncogene	EXAMPLE: Common (melanoma)	EXAMPLE: T

Note: A more extensive list of mutations can be found in cBioportal, COSMIC, and/or other databases. When applicable, gene-specific pages within the CCGA site directly link to pertinent external content.

Epigenomic Alterations

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Genes and Main Pathways Involved

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Gene; Genetic Alteration	Pathway	Pathophysiologic Outcome
EXAMPLE: BRAF and MAP2K1; Activating mutations	EXAMPLE: MAPK signaling	EXAMPLE: Increased cell growth and proliferation
EXAMPLE: CDKN2A; Inactivating mutations	EXAMPLE: Cell cycle regulation	EXAMPLE: Unregulated cell division
EXAMPLE: KMT2C and ARID1A; Inactivating mutations	EXAMPLE: Histone modification, chromatin remodeling	EXAMPLE: Abnormal gene expression program

Genetic Diagnostic Testing Methods

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Familial Forms

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Additional Information

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Links

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References

1. https://tumourclassification.iarc.who.int/chaptercontent/63/149
2. Liu H, Xu-Monette ZY, Tang G, Wang W, Kim Y, Yuan J, Li Y, Chen W, Li Y, Fedoriw GY, Zhu F, Fang X, Luedke C, Medeiros LJ, Young KH & Hu S (2022) Histopathology 80, 575–588. https://doi.org/10.1111/his.14585 EBV+ high-grade B cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements: a multi-institutional study
3. Frontzek, F., Staiger, A.M., Wullenkord, R. et al. Molecular profiling of EBV associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Leukemia 37, 670–679 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41375-022-01804-w
4. Zhang, Yuxiu MD*; Li, Anqi MD, PhD*; Li, Yimin MD, PhD*; Ouyang, Binshen MD, PhD*; Wang, Xuan MD, PhD*; Zhang, Lei MSc*; Xu, Haimin BSMT*; Gu, Yijin MSc*; Lu, Xinyuan MD, PhD†; Dong, Lei MD, PhD*; Yi, Hongmei MD, PhD*; Wang, Chaofu MD, PhD*. Clinicopathological and Molecular Characteristics of Rare EBV-associated Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma With IRF4 Rearrangement. The American Journal of Surgical Pathology 48(11):p 1341-1348, November 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000002301

Notes

*Primary authors will typically be those that initially create and complete the content of a page.  If a subsequent user modifies the content and feels the effort put forth is of high enough significance to warrant listing in the authorship section, please contact the Associate Editor or other CCGA representative.  When pages have a major update, the new author will be acknowledged at the beginning of the page, and those who contributed previously will be acknowledged below as a prior author.

Prior Author(s):

*Citation of this Page: “EBV-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma”. Compendium of Cancer Genome Aberrations (CCGA), Cancer Genomics Consortium (CGC), updated 11/28/2025, https://ccga.io/index.php/HAEM5:EBV-positive_diffuse_large_B-cell_lymphoma.