Given the importance of understanding the genetic variations involved in the pathogenesis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), this pilot study was designed to investigate the impact of CD38 (184C/G; rs6449182) and IL-6 (-174 G/C; rs1800795) gene polymorphism on susceptibility of Egyptians to diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL); major types of NHL.