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Types of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Primary Mediastinal B-cell Lymphoma
This type accounts for about 2% of all lymphomas.
Large and resembling diffuse large B-cell
lymphomas the cells are of this type.
.
The mediastinum, or the region behind the chest bone and around the heart
, is where this lymphoma first appears. It rarely affects the bone marrow and typically starts out localized It can
cause trouble breathing because it often presses on the windpipe (trachea) leading into the
lungs. It canalso obstruct the superior
vena cava, a significant vein that carries blood from the head and arms back to the heart. The face and arms may
swell as a result of this.
Women make up about 2 out of every 3 patients with this lymphoma. Most are in their 30s and are young.
Despite the lymphoma's rapid growth, treatment is available. Approximately half of patients are curable.
Burkitt Lymphoma
TAbout 1% to 2% of all lymphomas are of this type. It bears the name of the physician who first identified
this illness in children and young adults from Africa. The size of the cells is average. Larger cells can
be found in Burkitt-like lymphoma, another type of lymphoma. The WHO classification combines this second
type of lymphoma with Burkitt lymphoma because they are difficult to distinguish from one another.
This is a very fast-growing lymphoma. In the African variety, it often starts as tumors of the jaws or other
facial bones. I The lymphoma typically begins in the abdomen, where it develops into a sizable tumor mass
, in the more prevalent types seen in the United States. Additionally, it can begin in the testicles, ovaries,
or other organs before migrating to the brain and spinal fluid.
Close to 90% of patients are male, and the average age is about 30. Although this is a fast-growing lymphoma,
over half of patients can be cured by intensive chemotherapy.
Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma (Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia)
This type is not common, accounting for 1% to 2% of lymphomas.
The cells are small and found mainly in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen.
Most of the time the lymphoma cells make an antibody called immunoglobulin M (IgM), which is a very large protein.
This antibody circulates in the blood in large amounts, and causes the liquid part of the blood to thicken, like
syrup. This can lead to decreased blood flow to many organs, which can cause problems with vision (because of poor
circulation in blood vessels in the back of the eyes) and neurological problems (such as
headache, dizziness
, and confusion) caused by poor blood flow within the brain. Other symptoms can include feeling tired and weak, and
a tendency to bleed easily.
This lymphoma is slow growing. Although it isn't usually considered to be curable, most patients live longer than 5
years.
Hairy Cell Leukemia
Despite the name, this is sometimes considered to be a type of lymphoma. This disease is rare -- about 1,000
people in the United States are diagnosed with this type each year. The cells are small B lymphocytes with
]projections around them that give them a "hairy" appearance. They are typically found in the bone marrow and
spleen and circulating in the blood.
Patients tend to be older in general. Hairy cell leukemia is
slow-growing, and some patients may never need treatment. An enlarging spleen or dropping blood counts (due to
cancer cells invading the bone marrow) are the usual reasons to begin treatment, which is highly effective.
Hairy cell leukemia is also described in the separate American Cancer Society document, Leukemia--Chronic
Lymphocytic.
Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma
This lymphoma usually involves the brain (called primary brain lymphoma), but it may also be found in the spinal
cord and in tissues around the spinal cord and the eye. Over time, it tends to become widespread in the central
nervous system. Although this was a rare tumor in the past, it has become more common in patients with acquired
immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Most people develop headache and confusion
. They can also have vision problems, paralysis of some facial muscles, and even
seizures in some cases.
The outlook for people with this condition has always been thought to be fairly poor, but about 30% to 50% of
people can live at least 5 years with today's treatments.
T-Cell Lymphomas
T-cell lymphomas represent less than 15% of non-Hodgkin
lymphomas in the United States. This disease accounts for about 1% of all
lymphomas. It can be considered either a lymphoma or
leukemia, depending on how much of the bone marrow is involved (leukemias have more bone marrow involvement).
The cancer cells are small-to-medium immature T-cells
.
Peripheral T-cell lymphomas
These lymphomas develop from more mature forms of T cells.
There are several kinds of peripheral T-cell lymphomas, which
in total account for about 5% of all lymphomas.