Reference
- LymphomaWhat Is Lymphoma?
Lymphoma is a general term for a group of cancers that begin in the lymphatic system, which consists of the tissues and organs used to make, store, and carry white blood cells for fighting infections and other diseases. This system includes the bone marrow2315, spleen2316, and hundreds of bean-sized lymph nodes throughout the body. Lymphoma results when white blood cells, or lymphocytes (LIM-fo-sites), undergo changes and start to multiply out of control. Eventually, the cells crowd out healthy cells and create tumors, which are abnormal growths of body tissue. Tumors may or may not be cancerous. Lymphoma can occur in a single lymph node, a group of lymph nodes, or in other parts of the lymphatic system. Eventually, it may spread to almost any part of the body.
The different types of lymphoma vary in severity, survivability, and frequency. Some types do not occur often. For instance, hairy cell leukemia2317 (a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma) is diagnosed in only about 2,000 new cases each year in North America and Western Europe. It is slow-growing and very survivable. Hodgkin lymphoma is also very survivable, being one of the most curable types of lymphoma, with a cure rate of more than 90 percent. By contrast, Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare (6 percent of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases) but often aggressive type of lymphoma that has a lowered survivability rate because it is usually not diagnosed until late in the disease process.
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Streaming Media
- Hope for the Future: New Treatments for Non-Hodgkin's LymphomaOur understanding of lymphoma is rapidly developing, with several varieties now identified. Beginning with a brief history of how medical science became aware of lymphatic cancer and providing an outline of the basic concepts involved, this program then distinguishes between Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, illustrates the difference between B-cell and T-cell lymphoma, and explores other topics related to the disease. Typical symptoms and their similarity to those of a flu or cold virus are explored while state-of-the-art treatments and therapies are also illustrated. Clinical commentary comes from Dr. Owen O’Connor of New York University’s Langone Medical Center, Dr. Eric Hsi of the Cleveland Clinic, and other experts.
Online Resources
- LymphomaLymphomas may be broadly divided into non-Hodgkin (90%) and Hodgkin (10%) types. Most lymphomas (90%) are of B cell origin but can also be T cell or natural killer cell. Clinical management of indolent and aggressive lymphomas is different. Aggressive lymphomas are more dangerous if left untreated yet a higher cell proliferation rate also renders them more chemosensitive, so they are managed with curative intent. Indolent lymphomas are, for the most part, incurable, such that quality of life must be balanced against toxicity of treatment in deciding when and how to treat.
- Burkitt's lymphomaBurkitt's lymphoma is a highly aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and is the fastest growing human tumour. The disease is associated with Epstein-Barr virus and was one of the first tumours shown to have a chromosomal translocation that activates an oncogene ( c-MYC ). Burkitt's lymphoma is the most common childhood cancer in areas where malaria is holoendemic. The incidence is very high in immunosuppressed patients in non-endemic areas, especially when associated with HIV infection. Outcome with intensive chemotherapy has improved and is now excellent in children, but the prognosis is poor in elderly adults. The success of intensive treatment relies on good supportive care. The therapy offered in oncology units in low-income countries is not as aggressive as in centres in high-income countries and outcomes are less successful. Adjuvant monoclonal antibody therapy with rituximab shows promise for improved outcomes and reduced toxic effects in the future.
Perspectives
Lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma and the many different subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have different responses to treatment, so accurate diagnosis and a rational approach to management are essential. 'Fast Facts: Lymphoma' distills the most important aspects of the diagnosis and management of these complex disorders into a highly accessible well-illustrated summary of the key facts. This fully updated second edition provides: * a clear outline of the nature of lymphoma * the essentials of clinical presentation, biopsy and basic histology * the latest laboratory diagnostics, including immunophenotyping, cytogenetics and microarray technology * key aspects of staging and initial therapy * superbly illustrated overviews of the pathology, presentation, treatment and prognosis of each lymphoma subtype * new treatment options, including targeted biological therapies * a practical overview of supportive care for the complications of lymphoma Written by three experts in the field from the UK and USA, 'Fast Facts: Lymphoma' applies an international perspective to this challenging disease in a unique format within the context of clinical practice. It is a valuable resource for trainee doctors and specialist nurses working in the field of hemato-oncology. It will also be of interest to the inquiring patient or carer who wishes to know more about lymphoma. Contents: * Epidemiology * Cellular and molecular aspects * Presentation, biopsy and diagnostic laboratory techniques * Staging and general management principles * Aggressive B-cell lymphomas * Indolent B-cell lymphomas * T-cell and natural-killer cell lymphomas * Immunocompromised and HIV-positive patients * Hodgkin lymphoma * Treatment modalities * Supportive care
Malignant Lymphomas
This book is an up to date compendium on the biology and molecular pathogenesis of lymphomas, which represent malignant cancers of the lymphoid system. With its focus on the biology and genetic basis of these diseases, the book is of interest to basic scientists, biologists, clinical hematologists and pathologists as well as medical students. Different chapters will cover all major lymphoma subtypes, as well as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and selected less common lymphoma entities such as T-cell lymphomas and central nervous system lymphomas.
Lymphoma
Recently, understanding the molecular pathogenesis of malignant lymphomas has led to improvement in the diagnostic precision and to the identification of a variety of molecular therapeutic targets. In addition, new drugs have been approved in the US and Europe, resulting in changes in the standard of care of several types of lymphoid malignancies. Comprehensive in scope and developed by a team of internationally renowned authors, Lymphoma: Diagnosis and Treatment provides a timely update on the most important advances in the biology, diagnosis, and therapy of lymphomas. As part of the Current Clinical Oncology series, Lymphoma: Diagnosis and Treatment will be of value to medical oncologists, hematologists, radiation oncologists, and all physicians involved in the care of patients with lymphoid malignancies.
Cancer Virus
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was discovered in 1964. At the time, the very idea of a virus underlying a cancer was revolutionary. Cancer is, after all, not catching. Even now, the idea of a virus causing cancer surprises many people. But Epstein-Barr, named after its discoverers, Sir Anthony Epstein and Dr Yvonne Barr, is fascinating for other reasons too. Almost everyone carries it, yet it is only under certain circumstances that it produces disease. It has been associated with different, apparently unrelated, diseases in different populations: Burkitt's Lymphoma, producing tumours in the jaw, in African children; a nasal tumour in China; glandular fever in Europe and the USA; and the majority of cases of Hodgkin's Disease everywhere. This book tells the story of the discovery of the virus, and the recognition of its connection with these various diseases - an account that spans the world and involves some remarkable characters and individual stories.
Patient Number One
"In Great Dames, Marie Benner introduces us to a pantheon of women whose lives are both gloriously individual and yet somehow universal. Her subjects range from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who found happiness in her last decade, to Constance Baker Motley, who argued Brown versus the Board of Education before the United States Supreme Court, to Luise Rainer, who won two Academy Awards by age thirty, then fled Hollywood for good. We meet Kitty Carlisle Hart, a professional charmer and tireless advocate of the arts, and Diana Trilling, the intellectual's intellectual, who published her final, splendid memoir at age ninety-one. There are even the Becky Sharps, who maneuvered powerful men to help them ascend: Marietta Tree, Pamela Harriman, and Clare Boothe Luce. And the wonderfully flamboyant Kay Thompson, whose pint-sized creation, Eloise, gave her a place in American cultural history. Finally, there is Thelma Brenner, who was the first great dame her daughter ever knew." "These are women who helped shape a century. Marie Brenner's portraits are intimate, vivid, and true, and full of subtle but important lessons. The way the great dames lived their lives - their rules, their codes, their insistence on certain fundamentals - are models that today's women should consider as they ascend to positions of leadership in a new millennium."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved