Dr. Dunleavy Discusses 3 Molecular Subtypes of DLBCL

Kieron Dunleavy, MD, a staff clinician with the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD, discusses the changes that have occurred in the understanding of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the past 10-15 years.

DLBCL is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Louis Staudt, MD, PhD, and the Lymphoma/Leukemia Molecular Profiling Project (LLMPP), which focused on the identification of distinct subtypes of DLBCL using gene expression profiling, largely defined the understanding of its taxonomy.

Research from the LLMPP resulted in 3 distinct molecular subtypes of DLBCL. Each type expressed unique characteristics, the first demonstrated germinal center B-cells, the second type showed gene activations in the peripheral blood B-cells, and the primary mediastinal B-cell type.

The delineation of 3 DLBCL subtypes provides the potential to find novel agents and treatment that affects each type specifically. Targeted approaches and agents are currently being investigated.