What is it?
Lymphoma is a cancer of certain types of white blood cells (WBCs) called
lymphocytes. These cells circulate throughout the body in the blood stream and in the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s immune system. There are several different types of lymphocytes, the major types being the B-lymphocyte and the T-lymphocyte.
T-lymphocytes can be thought of as the controllers of the immune system. They initiate the immune response, control how big or small it should be, and shut it down when it’s not needed. In addition, they can neutralize several different types of foreign attackers. B-lymphocytes make antibodies. It is these cells that are activated when a person is vaccinated against diseases such as measles, mumps, or hepatitis. Natural killer (NK) cells are also a type of lymphocyte and make up about 10-15% of total lymphocytes in the blood. NK cells attack and “kill” abnormal cells such as cancer cells or those infected with viruses.
Any one of these cells or a combination of them can be involved in lymphoma. Lymphoma begins with the production of one or more abnormal cells in one or more of the lymph nodes, areas where lymphocytes congregate. These cells reproduce uncontrollably, begin to outnumber normal cells in the node, lead to the enlargement of the lymph node, and eventually travel to one or more other lymph nodes. They may also spread to and from other lymph-system-related organs including the spleen, bone marrow, tonsils, adenoids, and thymus.
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