Table 2. Major Histopathological Categories of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children and Adolescentsa

WHO ClassificationImmunophenotype Clinical Presentation Chromosome Abnormalities Genes Affected
Burkitt and Burkitt-like lymphoma/leukemiaMature B cellIntra-abdominal (sporadic), head and neck (non-jaw, sporadic), jaw (endemic), bone marrow, CNS t(8;14)(q24;q32), t(2;8)(p11;q24), t(8;22)(q24;q11)C-MYC, IGH, IGK, IGL
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma Mature B cell Nodal, abdominal, bone, primary CNS (when associated with immunodeficiency), mediastinalNo consistent cytogenetic abnormality identified
Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphomaMature B cell, often CD30+Mediastinal, but may also have other nodal or extranodal disease (i.e., abdominal, often kidney)9p and 2p gainsJAK2, C-rel, SOCS1
Lymphoblastic lymphoma, precursor T-cell leukemia, or precursor B-cell lymphoma Pre-T cell Mediastinal, bone marrow MTS1/p16ink4a; deletion TAL1 t(1;14)(p34;q11), t(11;14)(p13;q11) TAL1, TCRAO, RHOMB1, HOX11, NOTCH1
Pre-B cell Skin, bone, head and neck
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, systemic CD30+ (Ki-1+) Variable, but systemic symptoms often prominent t(2;5)(p23;q35); less common variant translocations involving ALK ALK, NPM
T cell/null cell
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, cutaneous CD30+ (Ki-usually) Skin only; single or multiple lesionsLacks t(2;5)
T cell

+ = positive; CNS = central nervous system; WHO = World Health Organization.

aAdapted from Percy et al.[2]

From: Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®)

Cover of PDQ Cancer Information Summaries
PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet].
Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute (US); 2002-.

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.