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Lymphoma Research at the UC Davis Cancer Center
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Dedicated to Improving Treatments for Lymphoma
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What is lymphoma?
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that can occur when an error occurs in the way a lymphocyte is produced, resulting in an abnormal cell. These abnormal cells can accumulate by two mechanisms: (a) they can duplicate faster than normal cells, or (b) they can live longer than normal lymphocytes. Like normal lymphocytes, the cancerous lymphocytes can grow in many parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood, or other organs. There are two main types of cancer of the lymphatic system. One is called Hodgkin's disease, while the other is called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
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What is Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma?
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is not a single disease, but rather a group of several closely related cancers that affect the lymphatic system. Although the different types of NHL have some things in common, they differ in what the cancer cell looks like under a microscope, how the cell grows, and how the tumor affects the body.
NHL is broadly divided into two major groups: B-cell lymphomas (which develop from abnormal B-lymphocytes) and T-cell lymphomas (which develop from abnormal T-lymphocytes).
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Non-Hodgekins lymphoma-large cell
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What is Hodgkin's Lymphoma?
Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer that is thought to arise from an abnormal lymphocyte. The disease was named after Thomas Hodgkin, the British doctor who first identified this disease in 1832, long before the existence and function of lymphocytes were known. All other types of lymphoma are referred to as non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and arise from either abnormal B-cells (most commonly)or T-cells (less commonly).
Most people with Hodgkin's lymphoma have abnormal cells called Reed Steinberg cells. However, the presence of these cells alone does not mean that an individual has Hodgkin's lymphoma. To confirm a diagnosis, the lymphatic tissue sample that contains Reed-Sternberg cells must also be surrounded by a background of other cells and features that are characteristic of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Hodgkin's lymphoma has been studied more than any other type of lymphoma. The good news is that there have been rapid advances in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, and approximately 80% of patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma are cured.
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