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Overview of Lymphomas

By

Peter Martin

, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine;


John P. Leonard

, MD, Weill Cornell Medicine

Reviewed/Revised Mar 2024
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Topic Resources

Lymphomas are cancers of lymphocytes, which reside in the lymphatic system and in blood-forming organs.

Lymphomas are cancers of a specific type of white blood cells known as lymphocytes Acquired Immunity One of the body's lines of defense ( immune system) involves white blood cells (leukocytes) that travel through the bloodstream and into tissues, searching for and attacking microorganisms and... read more Acquired Immunity . These cells help fight infections. Lymphomas can develop from either of the main types of lymphocyte:

  • B lymphocytes (B cells)

  • T lymphocytes (T cells)

Lymphocytes originate in the bone marrow and move about to all parts of the body through the bloodstream and through a network of tubular channels called lymphatic vessels Overview of the Lymphatic System The lymphatic system is a vital part of the immune system. It includes organs such as the thymus, bone marrow, spleen, tonsils, appendix, and Peyer patches in the small intestine that produce... read more . Scattered throughout the network of lymphatic vessels are lymph nodes, which house collections of lymphocytes. Lymphocytes that become cancerous (lymphoma cells) may remain confined to a single lymph node or may spread to the bone marrow, blood, the spleen, or virtually any other organ.

The cancerous white blood cells do not function like normal white blood cells so they cannot help the body fight off infections.

The 2 major types of lymphoma are

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are more common than Hodgkin lymphoma. There are many subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Lymphatic System: Helping Defend Against Infection

Lymphatic System: Helping Defend Against Infection

More Information

The following English-language resource may be useful. Please note THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of this resource.

NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
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