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IHC Markers Explained

CD Markers in Your Lymphoma Report: — What CD20, CD3 and Others Mean

A lymphoma report full of CD numbers and plus signs can feel unreadable. Each CD marker is a protein on the surface of cells — and the pattern of positives and negatives tells your oncologist exactly which type of lymphoma they are treating.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla, Medical Oncologist, MBBS · MD · DM (Adyar, Chennai) · ECMO · MRCP SCE (UK) · Last reviewed September 2026

  • CD stands for cluster of differentiation — These are proteins on the surface of cells. Their presence or absence identifies which cell type the lymphoma grew from.
  • Positive means the protein is present — CD20 positive means the cancer cells carry the CD20 protein, which is found on B-cells.
  • The pattern matters, not one result — No single marker classifies a lymphoma. The combination of positives and negatives across the whole panel does.
  • Classification guides the treatment pathway — Your oncologist needs the specific subtype — not just a diagnosis of lymphoma — before recommending the most appropriate approach.
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CD markers are proteins on the surface of lymphoma cells. When a report says CD20 positive, it means the cancer cells carry the CD20 protein — which tells your oncologist whether the lymphoma grew from B-cells or T-cells. That distinction, more than location or size alone, determines which treatment pathway applies.

What does each CD marker on your report mean?

CD20
A protein found on the surface of B-cells. CD20 positive means the lymphoma grew from B-cells, which is the most common finding in adult lymphoma.
CD3
A protein found on T-cells. CD3 positive means the lymphoma grew from T-cells. T-cell lymphomas are less common overall than B-cell lymphomas in adults.
CD19
Another protein on B-cells, usually positive alongside CD20. It helps confirm B-cell origin when another result is unclear or borderline.
CD5
Usually found on T-cells, but also appears on some B-cell lymphomas. When CD5 is positive in a B-cell lymphoma, it helps narrow down the specific subtype.
CD10
Associated with an early stage of B-cell development called the germinal centre. Its presence or absence helps distinguish certain B-cell subtypes from others.
CD23
Helps separate two B-cell subtypes that look similar under the microscope. It is read alongside CD5 rather than on its own.
Ki-67
Not a CD marker, but often included on the same panel. It measures how rapidly the cancer cells are dividing. Your oncologist reads this number in the context of the full report and your specific subtype — not as a standalone figure.

How do B-cell and T-cell lymphoma look different on the panel?

MarkerB-cell lymphomaT-cell lymphoma
CD20Usually positiveNegative
CD3NegativeUsually positive
CD19Usually positiveNegative
CD5Negative in most subtypes; positive in someUsually positive
CD10Positive in some subtypes; negative in othersUsually negative
CD23Varies by subtypeUsually negative

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What questions should I ask my oncologist about my IHC results?

  • Ask which cell type your lymphoma grew from — B-cell or T-cell.
  • Ask which specific subtype the full panel suggests.
  • Ask whether any marker result is borderline or requires further testing to confirm.
  • Ask what the Ki-67 result means for your specific subtype.
  • Bring the complete pathology report — your oncologist needs all the results together, not just the summary page.
  • Do not interpret individual positives or negatives yourself. The full pattern across the panel is what matters.

Did you know?

The CD classification system was agreed at an international workshop in 1982 to give researchers a shared language for naming proteins on cell surfaces. There are now more than 400 numbered CD markers.

A typical lymphoma IHC panel tests fewer than twenty of them. The markers chosen are selected for your specific cancer type, not run as a standard list for every biopsy.

Source: WHO Classification of Haematolymphoid Tumours, 5th Edition (2022)

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Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Does CD20 positive mean I have a specific type of lymphoma?

CD20 positive tells your oncologist the lymphoma grew from B-cells, which narrows things down considerably — but it does not name a single subtype on its own. Most adult lymphomas are B-cell and CD20 positive. The rest of the panel — CD10, CD5, CD23, Ki-67 and others — is what identifies the specific subtype. The diagnosis is the full pattern, not any one marker in isolation.

Why does my report show so many markers, some positive and some negative?

Each marker eliminates some possibilities and confirms others. No single positive or negative is diagnostic on its own. By running a panel of several markers together, the pathologist can identify the specific lymphoma subtype with much greater confidence than any one result would allow. A series of negatives is often just as informative as the positives — it rules out other types the pathologist was considering.

My report shows CD5 positive and CD20 positive together — what does that mean?

CD5 is usually found on T-cells, so seeing it positive in a lymphoma that also shows CD20 positive — a B-cell marker — is a specific combination that helps classify the subtype. Your oncologist will interpret this alongside CD23 and the full clinical picture. Do not draw a conclusion from the CD5 result alone. Ask your oncologist which subtype the complete panel is pointing to.

What does Ki-67 mean on a lymphoma report?

Ki-67 measures how rapidly cells are dividing. What the result means depends on the lymphoma subtype — a figure that would be unremarkable in one subtype may be significant in another. Your oncologist will explain the Ki-67 result in the context of your specific diagnosis. It is not a figure to interpret in isolation, and it does not directly tell you how serious the lymphoma is.

Can CD markers change between a first biopsy and a later one?

Yes. A lymphoma can change its behaviour over time — a process called transformation — and a later biopsy may show a different marker pattern as a result. This is one reason a new biopsy is sometimes recommended when the disease behaves unexpectedly or when a different site is involved. It is not routine after every scan, but your oncologist will recommend it if the clinical picture warrants it.

Do CD markers tell my oncologist how serious the lymphoma is?

Not directly. CD markers identify the cell of origin and the subtype — not the stage or severity. Stage is established separately, from imaging and sometimes a bone marrow biopsy. What the CD markers do is tell your oncologist which subtype they are treating, and that classification determines the treatment pathway. Two lymphomas at the same stage can have very different recommended approaches depending on their marker profile.

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