Anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL) are highly proliferating tumors that commonly express the AP-1 transcription factor JunB. ALK fusions occur in about 50% of ALCL, and among these 80% have the t(2;5) translocation with NPM-ALK expression. We report greater activity of JunB in NPM-ALK positive than in NPM-ALK negative ALCL. Specific knockdown of JUNB mRNA using small interfering RNA and small hairpin RNA in NPM-ALK expressing cells decreases cellular proliferation as evidenced by a reduced cell count in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Expression of NPM-ALK results in ERK1/2 activation and transcriptional upregulation of JUNB. Both NPM-ALK positive and negative ALCL tumors demonstrate active ERK1/2 signaling. In contrast to NPM-ALK negative ALCL, the mTOR pathway is active in NPM-ALK positive lymphomas. Pharmacological inhibition of mTOR in NPM-ALK positive cells downregulates JunB protein levels by shifting JUNB mRNA translation from large polysomes to monosomes and ribonucleic particles (RNPs), and decreases cellular proliferation. Thus, JunB is a critical target of mTOR and is translationally regulated in NPM-ALK positive lymphomas. This is the first study demonstrating translational control of AP-1 transcription factors in human neoplasia. In conjunction with NPM-ALK, JunB enhances cell cycle progression and may therefore represent a therapeutic target.