What is lymphoma?

What is lymphoma?

• A. Cancer of the lymphatic system
• B. Bacterial infection of lymph nodes
• C. A benign swelling of lymph nodes
• D. A type of blood cancer not involving lymph

Answer: (A)

Lymphoma is cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, originating from lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that normally help defend the body against infection, and when they become cancerous they can accumulate in lymph nodes and other lymphoid tissues, forming malignant growths. This is a malignant, not benign, process and it often presents as painless swelling of lymph nodes, though it can involve other tissues like the spleen, thymus, or bone marrow as it spreads. It’s not a bacterial infection of lymph nodes—that would be lymphadenitis caused by germs and typically presents with signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, and fever. It isn’t a benign swelling, which would imply a noncancerous and usually temporary enlargement. And it isn’t a type of blood cancer that does not involve lymph; lymphoma is specifically a cancer of lymphoid tissue and is closely tied to the lymphatic system, even though some aspects overlap with other hematologic cancers like leukemia.

Lymphoma is cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, originating from lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that normally help defend the body against infection, and when they become cancerous they can accumulate in lymph nodes and other lymphoid tissues, forming malignant growths. This is a malignant, not benign, process and it often presents as painless swelling of lymph nodes, though it can involve other tissues like the spleen, thymus, or bone marrow as it spreads.

It’s not a bacterial infection of lymph nodes—that would be lymphadenitis caused by germs and typically presents with signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, and fever. It isn’t a benign swelling, which would imply a noncancerous and usually temporary enlargement. And it isn’t a type of blood cancer that does not involve lymph; lymphoma is specifically a cancer of lymphoid tissue and is closely tied to the lymphatic system, even though some aspects overlap with other hematologic cancers like leukemia.