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Lymphoma
is any of a variety of cancer that begins in the lymphatic
system. In technical terms, lymphoma denotes malignancies of
lymphocytes or, more rarely, of histiocytes. Collectively,
these cell types form the reticuloendothelial system and
circulate in the vessels of the lymphatic system. Just as
there are many types of lymphocytes, so there are many types
of lymphoma. Lymphomas are part of the broad group of
diseases called hematological neoplasms.
Traditionally, Lymphoma is classified as Hodgkin's lymphoma,
discovered by Thomas Hodgkin in 1832, and non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma (all other types of lymphoma). Modern
classifications of lymphoma have moved away from this
artificial division.Classification
Working Formulation
The Working Formulation,
published in 1982, is primarily descriptive but remains the
most widely used classification of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
today.
Low grade
-
Malignant Lymphoma, small
lymphocytic (chronic lymphocytic leukemia)
Malignant Lymphoma, follicular, predominantly small cleaved
cell
Malignant Lymphoma, follicular, mixed (small cleaved and
large cell)
Intermediate grade
- Malignant Lymphoma,
follicular, predominantly large cell
- Malignant Lymphoma,
diffuse, small cleaved cells
- Malignant Lymphoma,
diffuse, mixed (small and large cells)
- Malignant Lymphoma,
diffuse large cells
High grade
- Malignant Lymphoma, large
cell,
immunoblastic
- Malignant Lymphoma,
lymphoblastic
- Malignant Lymphoma, small
non-cleaved cells (Burkitt's
lymphoma)
Miscellaneous
REAL/WHO Classification
The WHO Classification
is the latest classification of lymphoma, published by the
World Health Organization in 2001. It was based upon the
"Revised European-American Lymphoma classification" (REAL)
and is sometimes referenced by that name.
This classification attempts
to classify lymphomas by cell type, i.e. the normal cell
type that most closely resembles the tumour. They are
classified in three large groups: the B cell tumours, the T
cell and natural killer cell tumours, Hodgkin lymphoma, and
other minor groups: (ICD-O codes are provided where
available)
- Mature B Cell Neoplasms
- Chronic lymphocytic
leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma
- B-cell prolymphocytic
leukaemia
- Lymphoplasmacytic
lymphoma/Waldenström macroglobulinemia
- Splenic marginal zone
lymphoma
- Plasma cell neoplasms
- Plasma cell myeloma
- Plasmacytoma
- Monoclonal
immunoglobulin deposition diseases
- Heavy chain diseases
- Extranodal marginal
zone B cell lymphoma (MALT lymphoma)
- Nodal marginal zone B
cell lymphoma
- Follicular lymphoma
- Mantle cell lymphoma
- Diffuse large B cell
lymphoma
- Mediastinal (thymic)
large B cell lymphoma
- Intravascular large B
cell lymphoma
- Primary effusion
lymphoma
- Burkitt
lymphoma/leukemia
- lymphomatoid
granulomatosis
- Mature T cell and Natural
Killer (NK) Cell Neoplasms
- T cell prolymphocytic
leukemia
- T cell large granular
lymphocytic leukemia
- Aggressive NK cell
leukemia
- Adult T cell
leukemia/lymphoma
- Extranodal NK/T cell
lymphoma, nasal type
- Enteropathy-type T cell
lymphoma
- Hepatosplenic T cell
lymphoma
- Blastic NK cell
lymphoma
- Mycosis fungoides/Sezary
syndrome
- Primary cutaneous
CD30-positive T cell lymphoproliferative disorders
- Primary cutaneous
anaplastic large cell lymphoma
- Lymphomatoid
papulosis
- Angioimmunoblastic T
cell lymphoma
- Peripheral T cell
lymphoma, unspecified
- Anaplastic large cell
lymphoma
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Nodular
lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma
- Classical Hodgkin
lymphoma
- Nodular sclerosis
- Mixed cellularity
- Lymphocyte-rich
- Lymphocyte depleted
- Immnuodeficiency-Associated
Lymphoproliferative Disorders
- Associated with a
primary immune disorder
- Associated with the
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Post-transplant
- Associated with
Methotrexate therapy
- Histiocytic and Dendritic
Cell Neoplasms
- Histiocytic sarcoma
- Langerhans cell
histiocytosis
- Langerhans cell sarcoma
- Interdigitating
dendritic cell sarcoma/tumour
- Follicular dendritic
cell sarcoma/tumour
- Dendritic cell sarcoma,
unspecified
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 disease in particular accounts for
less than one percent of all cases of cancer in the United
States.
Because the lymphatic system
is part of the body's immune system, patients with weakened
immune system, such as from HIV infection or from certain
drugs or medication, also have a higher incidence of
lymphoma.
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