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Pathogenetic Mechanisms in B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas in Humans¹

Laboratory of Genetics, Division of Cancer Biology and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892

A very large proportion of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the United States are of B-cell origin. This group of tumors includes a variety of different pathological and clinical types. Chromosomal rearrangements play an important role in the pathogenesis of many of these tumors. In B-cells these translocation processes appear to develop as illegitimate products of physiological V-(D)-J or heavy chain switch rearrangements. The biology of the well-known chromosomal translocations is discussed. Additional biological factors in lymphomagenesis (aging, immunodeficiency, role of antigenic stimulation, and genetically determined susceptibility) are discussed.