American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Certification Practice Exam

Cyclin D1 overexpression is associated with which lymphoma subtype?

1. Follicular lymphoma

2. Mantle cell lymphoma

3. Large cell lymphoma

4. Burkitt lymphoma

The correct answer is: Mantle cell lymphoma

Cyclin D1 overexpression is primarily associated with mantle cell lymphoma. This lymphoma subtype arises from a specific type of B-cell and is characterized by the t(11;14)(q13;q32) chromosomal translocation, which results in the juxtaposition of the CCND1 gene (which encodes cyclin D1) with the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus. This genetic alteration leads to the overproduction of cyclin D1, which is a regulatory protein that plays a significant role in cell cycle progression, specifically promoting the transition from the G1 phase to the S phase. In mantle cell lymphoma, the overexpression of cyclin D1 can be used as a diagnostic marker, making it critical for identifying this lymphoma subtype. Meanwhile, other lymphoma subtypes, such as follicular lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma, do not typically feature cyclin D1 overexpression as a hallmark of their pathogenesis. These lymphomas are associated with different chromosomal abnormalities and cellular behavior that are distinct from those seen in mantle cell lymphoma.