**4. Conclusion and perspective**

The understanding of lymphomagenesis remains essential for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Both the errors in the genetic mechanisms that create a functional BCR and the pathogenic activation of the BCR signaling cascade have a clearly established role in B-cell lymphoma pathogenesis.

AID, an essential enzyme for the generation of the BCR, seems to play an important role in origin and progression of B-cell neoplasms. AID may also be involved in both mechanisms: the BCR origin and the BCR activation. Its study as a therapeutic target certainly deserves further research.

Novel technologies, such as next-generation sequencing, are helping to depict the complex genomic landscape of lymphoid malignancies. Recent developments, not only are enabling the identification of the underlying mutagenic mechanisms, but also the ongoing determination of "targetable" genetic aberrations is currently pushing forward the development of molecularly driven targeted therapeutics.

Current developments may change the natural history of this group of diseases in the near future. Nevertheless, further progress still depends on our ability to understand and integrate knowledge on the B-cell biology, the evolving tumor dynamics, clonal heterogeneity, and microenvironment interaction.
