Germinal center B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the duodenum is associated with t(14;18) translocation

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) rarely involves the duodenum, and its clinicopathological characteristics have not been well elucidated. We performed clinicopathological examinations and identified 15 patients with duodenal DLBCL using 18 gastric or colonic DLBCL as a control. Eleven of the 15 patients (73%) were subclassified by immunohistochemical analysis according to the Choi algorithm as germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) type, whereas the 18 control gastric and colonic DLBCL were predominantly subclassified as activated B-cell-like (ABC) type. The classifications according to organ involvement were statistically significant (P= 0.011 and P= 0.035). Macroscopically, the GCB lesions were varied, while all ABC lesions were ulcerative. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed a higher frequency of t(14;18) translocation in patients with duodenal DLBCL (3 of 13) as compared with non-duodenal gastrointestinal tract DLBCL (0 of 18), however, the difference was not significant (P = 0.064). Furthermore, the three patients with t(14;18) translocations were classified as GCB. In addition, overall survival of patients was statistically different between those with and without t(14;18) translocation (P= 0.040). In conclusion, duodenal DLBCL predominantly exhibits GCB-type tumors and the frequency of t(14;18) translocation appears to be higher in duodenal GCB-type DLBCL compared to non-duodenal tumors.