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Lymphoma
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Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in lymphocytes of the immune system. They often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node (a tumor). Lymphomas are closely related to lymphoid leukemias, which also originate in lymphocytes but do not form tumors. There are many types of lymphomas, and in turn, lymphomas are a part of the broad group of diseases called hematological neoplasms.
Thomas Hodgkin published in 1832 the first description of lymphoma, specifically of the form named after him, Hodgkin's lymphoma.
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Encyclopedia
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in lymphocytes of the immune system. They often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node (a tumor). Lymphomas are closely related to lymphoid leukemias, which also originate in lymphocytes but do not form tumors. There are many types of lymphomas, and in turn, lymphomas are a part of the broad group of diseases called hematological neoplasms.
Thomas Hodgkin published in 1832 the first description of lymphoma, specifically of the form named after him, Hodgkin's lymphoma. Since then many other forms of lymphoma have been described, grouped under several proposed classifications. The 1982 Working formulation classification became very popular. It introduced the category non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), itself divided into 16 different diseases. However, since these different lymphomas have little in common with each other, the NHL label is of limited usefulness for doctors or patients and is slowly being abandoned. The latest classification by the WHO (2001) lists 43 different forms of lymphoma divided in four broad groups.
Some forms of lymphoma are indolent (e.g. small lymphocytic lymphoma), compatible with a long life even without treatment, whereas other forms are aggressive (e.g. Burkitt's lymphoma), causing rapid deterioration and death. The prognosis therefore depends on the correct classification of the disease, established by a pathologist after examination of a biopsy.
Although older classifications referred to histiocytic lymphomas, these are recognized in newer classifications as of B, T or NK cell lineage. True histiocytic malignancies are rare and are classified as sarcomas.
Prevalence
According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, lymphomas account for about five percent of all cases of cancer in the United States, and Hodgkin's lymphoma in particular accounts for less than one percent of all cases of cancer in the United States.
Because the whole system is part of the body's immune system, patients with a weakened immune system, such as from HIV infection or from certain drugs or medication, also have a higher incidence of lymphoma.
Classification
REAL classification
In the 1990s, the Revised European-American Lymphoma (REAL) Classification attempted to apply immunophenotypic and genetic features in identifying distinct clinicopathologic NHL entities.
WHO classification
The WHO Classification, published in 2001 and updated in 2008, is the latest classification of lymphoma and is based on the "Revised European-American Lymphoma classification" (REAL). This system attempts to group lymphomas by cell type, i.e., the normal cell type that most resembles the tumor. There are three large groups: the B cell, T cell, and natural killer cell tumors. Other less common groups, including Hodgkin's lymphoma, are also recognized.
Mature B cell neoplasms
Mature T cell and natural killer (NK) cell neoplasms
Hodgkin lymphoma
- Classical Hodgkin lymphomas:
- Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma
Immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders
- Associated with a primary immune disorder
- Associated with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Post-transplant
- Associated with Methotrexate therapy
Working formulation and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
The 1982 Working Formulation is a classification of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. It has since been replaced by other lymphoma classifications, the latest published by the WHO in 2001, but is still used by cancer agencies for compilation of lymphoma statistics.
Other classification systems
- ICD-O (codes 9590-9999, details at ) (archive link, was dead)
- ICD-10 (codes C81-C96, details at )
Diagnosis, etiology, staging, prognosis, and treatment
See the article of the corresponding form of lymphoma.
See also
External links
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