A 35-year-old man presents with painless cervical lymphadenopathy. Biopsy shows a nodular pattern with centrocytes and centroblasts, CD10+, CD20+, BCL2+, BCL6+. The cytogenetic finding most expected is:
- A t(8;14) — MYC/IGH
- B t(11;14) — CCND1/IGH
- C t(14;18) — BCL2/IGH ✓
- D t(2;5) — NPM/ALK
Correct answer: C. t(14;18) — BCL2/IGH
Explanation
Follicular lymphoma's hallmark translocation is t(14;18), juxtaposing BCL2 with the IGH enhancer and causing BCL2 overexpression that inhibits apoptosis. The morphology and immunophenotype (centrocytes + centroblasts, CD10+, BCL2+, BCL6+, nodular pattern) are diagnostic of follicular lymphoma. t(8;14) is Burkitt lymphoma, t(11;14) is mantle cell lymphoma, and t(2;5) is ALK+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
Reference: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.