GCB in medical terms stands for Germinal Center B-cell. It refers to a subtype of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), which is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
DLBCL is classified into different subtypes based on its gene expression profile. Two major biologically distinct molecular subtypes are:
- Germinal Center B-cell (GCB) DLBCL: This subtype originates from germinal center B cells.
- Activated B-cell (ABC) DLBCL: This subtype arises from B cells that have been activated.
The distinction between GCB and ABC DLBCL is clinically significant because ABC DLBCL is associated with a substantially worse outcome when treated with standard chemoimmunotherapy compared to GCB DLBCL. Therefore, accurate subtyping is crucial for determining the appropriate treatment strategy.
