Non-Hodgkin lymphomas - General
NON-HODGKINI LYMPHOMAS - GENERAL
NON-HODGKINIENCAUS LYMPHOMA SYMPTOMS EXAMINATIONS TREATMENTS
Lymphomas are cancers of the lymphatic system. There are many variations, depending on the type of cells causing the disease. At present more than 30 kinds of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are known. They are all different and each require appropriate treatment. For convenience, we will speak here of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the singular.
Anatomy of the lymphatic system The lymphatic system in women
The lymphatic system is made up of vessels and lymphoid tissue (lymph nodes and other organs).
Lymphatic vessels are channels carrying colorless fluid (lymph) from tissues. White blood cells are also found in the lymph. Through increasingly larger diameter canals, this tissue fluid enters the bloodstream. Before the lymph reaches the blood, it passes through at least one lymph node.
Lymph nodes are the lymphatic system's "purification stations": they render pathogens, especially bacteria and viruses, harmless. In addition, they filter the cellular waste present in the lymph. Lymph nodes are found in various places on the body, for example in the neck, in the armpits, along the trachea, near the lungs, near the intestine and behind the abdominal cavity, in the region of the pelvis or at the level of the groin.
Besides lymph nodes, lymphoid tissue is also present in other organs, especially in the back throat (pharynx), respiratory tract, spleen, intestinal wall and bone marrow. A certain type of white blood cell is found in lymphoid tissue called lymphocytes.The lymphatic system in humans
Lymphocytes are produced in the bone marrow, lymph nodes and the spleen. They circulate in the lymph and in the blood. They play an important role in our immune defenses by fighting against abnormal cells and germs, or by producing antibodies.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma by the numbers
The infographic below has been produced based on figures from the Cancer Registry. The figures are transposed there in the form of graphs representing the number of new cases per year, the age groups most affected and the number of deaths due to this type of cancer.
The number of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas diagnosed in Belgium has almost doubled over the past 25 years. The disease mainly occurs in people over 45 and affects men more than women.
Classification
Depending on the type of lymphocytes (cells normally found in lymph nodes) causing the disease, lymphomas can be divided into two broad categories: Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
There are a large number of different non-Hodgkin lymphomas. They are distinguished in particular by their greater or lesser speed of development. In almost two thirds of patients, lymphoma starts in one or more lymph nodes. In others, it begins elsewhere in the lymphatic system, for example in the lymphoid tissue of the stomach, lungs, intestine ... Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can also develop in the skin: it s then acts of cutaneous lymphoma.
Degree of aggressiveness
When a tissue examination indicates non-Hodgkin lymphoma, its degree of aggressiveness is determined at the same time. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas fall into three groups:
mildly aggressive lymphomas (or indolent lymphomas): made up of slow growing cancer cells
medium-aggressive lymphomas: composed of cells with an intermediate growth rate
Highly Aggressive Lymphomas (or Aggressive Lymphomas): Composed of cells with a high growth rate. However, these cells are the most sensitive to treatment.
Mild non-Hodgkin's lymphoma can develop over time into more severely aggressive lymphoma. This development does not always take place, however.
Cell type
In addition to how aggressive it is, it is also important to determine what type of cells (lymphocytes) are made up of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: B or T lymphocytes. Each type can be indolent or aggressive. The most common form (70%) is non-Hodgkin's B cell lymphoma.
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