Cyclin D1-positive mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma with copy number gains of CCND1 gene: A study of 3 cases with nonmediastinal disease

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBL) is a mature large B-cell lymphoma of putative thymic B-cell origin involving the mediastinum with younger age distribution and better prognosis than diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified. Recently, based on gene expression profile analysis and morphologic findings, cases of PMBL without mediastinal involvement have been reported. In this study, we analyzed 3 cases of nodal DLBCL with morphologic features of PMBL presenting in submandibular or supraclavicular lymph nodes, in middle-aged to elderly patients, 2 of them without clinical or radiologic evidence of mediastinal involvement. The 3 patients presented with stage I/II disease and had excellent response to R-CHOP/R-EPOCH therapy. The 3 cases showed MAL expression and were positive for CD23 and/or CD30. All 3 cases expressed cyclin D1 with copy number gains of CCND1 gene but without rearrangement. There was no rearrangement of CIITA or PDL1/PDL2. Reverse transcriptase-multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, a mRNA-based gene expression profile analysis revealed high probability of PMBL (87.6%, 98.7%, and 99%) in these 3 cases. Targeted next-generation sequencing analysis showed SOCS1 mutations in the 3 cases, and TNFAIP3 and XPO1 mutations in one, further supporting the diagnosis of PMBL. In conclusion, we report 3 cases of nodal PMBL, 2 of them without mediastinal mass, and expression of cyclin D1 due to copy number gains of CCND1 gene, a diagnostic pitfall with mantle cell lymphoma and DLBCL, not otherwise specified.