Duke Hematopathology Division Director Ken H. Young, MD, PhD, led a testicular lymphoma study that marks the first and largest effort in the nation to improve lymphoma classification and precision oncology practice. The study, “Prognostic Gene Expression and MicroRNA Profiling Signatures and Genetic Alterations in Primary Testicular Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma,” was published on July 17, 2025, in the leading hematology journal Blood Cancer Journal.
Young’s group looked at genomic and epigenomic factors in primary testicular lymphoma, a rare and aggressive type of high-grade lymphoma with distinct clinical and molecular characteristics. Usually affecting older men, testicular lymphoma begins in the lymphatic system, which is a part of the body’s infection-fighting immune system.
With support from the Duke Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and National Cancer Institute (NCI), the team outlined an in-depth genomic and epigenomic characterization of testicular lymphoma patients. They found two distinct molecular subtypes, each with its own independent prognostic and actionable targets within the lymphoma entity. Their findings offer new hope for more targeted therapies.
Dr. Young's Laboratory’s primary interest is the study of lymphoma, myeloma, and other primary lymphoproliferative disorders. The research team focuses on identification of specific biomarkers and molecular mechanisms for accurate prognostic prediction, sub-classification, and therapeutic targets in lymphoid neoplasms and diseases. Read more about the Young Lab.