Disorders of the cell cycle regulatory machinery play a key role in the pathogenesis of cancer. Over-expression of cyclin D1 protein has been reported in several solid tumors and certain lymphoid malignancies, but little is known about the effect of its expression on clinical behavior and outcome in B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In this study, we investigated the expression of cyclin Dl in group of patients with NHL and correlated the results with the clinical and laboratory data. The degree of expression of cyclin Dl protein was evaluated by flow cytometry in a group of NHL patients (n = 46) and in normal control group (n = 10). Cyclin Dl over expression was detected in 10 out of 46 (21.7%) patients; they were 5/5-mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) (100%) and 5/28 large B-cell lymphoma (17.8%). All other NHL subtypes showed normal cyclin D1 expression. The clinical signs (hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and B-symptoms, clinical staging) and laboratory data (hemoglobin, white cell count (WBCs), platelet count, and bone marrow infiltration) were not significantly different between NHL subgroup with cyclin Dl over expression and that with normal cyclin Dl expression. Serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and lymphadenopathy were significantly higher in NHL group with cyclin D1 over expression as compared to those without. Also, cyclin D1 over expression is associated with poor outcome of NHL patients. Cyclin Dl over expression was evident among all cases of MCL and few cases of large B-cell lymphoma. Cyclin Dl over expression might be used as adjuvant tool for diagnosis of MCL; has role in NHL biology and is bad prognostic index in NHL.