RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood and tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer.

PURPOSE: This research trial studies biomarkers in blood and tissue samples from patients with Epstein-Barr virus positive Hodgkin lymphoma.

OBJECTIVES:

• Evaluate germline DNA from patients with Epstein-Barr virus positive (EBV+) and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) for inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) mutations.
• Examine the effects of ITK mutations on expression of the ITK protein.
• Determine whether ITK mutations correlate with specific clinical or histopathological features of HL.

OUTLINE: Archived blood and tumor tissue samples are analyzed for germline DNA expression and inducible T-cell kinase (ITK) mutations by PCR, IHC, flow cytometry, and western blotting, and EBV-encoded RNA (EBER) using in situ hybridization. Each patient's data, such as date, sex, age, tumor stage and histology at diagnosis, treatment received, response to treatment, development of recurrent disease, date of last follow-up, and outcomes are also collected.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) meeting the following criteria:

  • Epstein-Barr virus-positive (EBV+) HL as assessed by positive EBV serology, elevated levels of EBV genome in the blood or tumor tissue following quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or evidence of EBV positivity of pathology samples (EBER+ or LMP+) and, when possible, mixed cellular histology
  • Young age (< 10 years) at diagnosis
  • Presence of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified

Diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma.