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Lymphomas
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Articles:
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Lymphomas are hematologic (blood-related) cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of your immune system, and it consists of a variety of cells and organs, including lymph nodes, thymus gland, liver, spleen, tonsils and bone marrow.
Within the past decade, physicians have made enormous progress in the treatment of lymphomas and other cancers of the blood with new drugs, resulting in saved and prolonged lives and significantly improved quality of life for patients.
These cancers arise in lymphocytes (lymph cells) that begin to multiply uncontrollably and form tumors in lymph nodes and other parts of the lymphatic system. There are two main types of lymphomas — Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
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These lymphomas develop in white blood cells known as B-cells and T-cells. B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas account for about 90 percent of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and T-cell lymphomas make up the rest. Research scientists have identified more than 61 types of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, some more common than others.
The various types of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas include Burkitt lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, small lymphocytic lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, precursor B-lymphoblastic lymphoma, MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) lymphoma, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, nodal marginal zone lymphoma, splenic marginal zone lymphoma and mantle-cell lymphoma.
The various types of T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas include: adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia, mycosis fungoides, anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma, peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified, angioimmunoblastic lymphoma, nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma, intestinal T-cell lymphoma, subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma and Sézary syndrome.
Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are often marked by enlarged lymph nodes, fever and weight loss. Because these symptoms are not specific to lymphomas, people frequently see their doctor thinking they have a cold, flu or other respiratory infection that does not go away. These cancers may be aggressive or slow growing. In addition to arising in lymph nodes, B-cell and T-cell lymphomas may also develop in almost any other place in the body.
The risk factors associated with non-Hodgkin lymphomas include infection with HIV, HTLV, Epstein-Barr virus and Heliobacter pylori bacteria and possibly exposure to specific ingredients in herbicides and pesticides, such as organophosphate, organochlorine and phenoxyacid compounds.
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