Definition
Lymphomas are malignant diseases of the human lymphatic system, which usually spread throughout the entire body via the lymph fluid and malignantly alter the intermediate lymph nodes.
Causes and forms
Lymphomas/lymphomas are divided into two different groups: Hodgkin lymphomas (also known as Hodgkin’s disease) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL). Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is also called lymphogranulomatosis, is a lymph node change that initially occurs only locally and affects only one or two lymph nodes, but can later affect other organs in the body (bone marrow and liver). The cause of the lymph node alteration are B-lymphocytes from the germinal centers of the lymph nodes, which begin to divide uncontrollably in the nodes.
In non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the causing cells are both B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas are classified according to both their malignancy and morphological criteria. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas that arise from B cells would be small cell lymphocytic lymphoma (B-CLL), mantle cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, marginal zone B cell lymphoma of the MALT type, plasmocytoma, large cell B cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma.
Non-Hodgkin lymphomas caused by T cells are: T cell CLL, mycosis fungoides (Sézary syndrome), angioimmunoplastic T cell lymphoma, extranodal T cell lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a subgroup of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. In contrast to the other non-Hodgkin lymphomas, the malignant cells always migrate into the blood and spread through the lymphatic system as well as through the blood system in the body and organs.
While the cause of non-Hodgkin lymphomas is mainly sought in damage to the human chromosomes, which is mainly found in old age, chronic lymphocytic leukemia is mainly thought to be caused by genetic factors that are inherited. In Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the cause is very uncertain and a connection with wood preservatives and hair dyes is suspected. HIV and EBV infections in the patient’s history also appear to be factors that promote the development of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
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