NHL is a heterogeneous group of blood malignancies that originate from the lymphatic system, an essential component of the body's immune defenses. NHL mainly affects white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are responsible for fighting off infection. The malignant process may arise from either B lymphocytes (B cells) or T lymphocytes (T cells), leading to a clinical distinction between two main categories of NHL, namely B-cell lymphomas and T-cell lymphomas.
The cancer usually arises primarily in the lymph nodes but may also spring from other parts of the lymphatic system like the spleen, thymus, and lymphatic tissue traversing the body. In most cases, genetic mutations in B or T cells give rise to uncontrolled proliferation, enforced by various mechanisms, thus essentially resulting in tumor formation. Left untreated, NHL can extend outwards into other organs and tissue.
The behavior and treatment of NHL depend on the specific histologic type and stage of the disease. Some are aggressive, manifesting as flashy tumors, while more are indolent, conserving time through their slow rates of growth past the clinical intervention cut-off. While in the past, many plagued patients were rendered incapable of achieving remission or cure, very vast advances in NHL therapy mean that nowadays, the same therapies are being used with considerable success to afford resourceful conversion of the disease or improving the quality of life of those it affects.
Thanks to these advances, the prognosis and overall survival seen in NHL patients is significantly better today compared to the past.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma contains no less than 70 subtypes, which are classified by practitioners based on the kind of lymphocyte that is affected
- B-cell lymphoma: These are cancers arising in B cells, which make antibodies for fighting infection-causing agents. About 85 percent of NHL diagnoses fall into this category.
- T-cell lymphoma: These arise from T cells that target germs and foreign invaders to help b cells make antibodies.
Providers classify B-cell and T-cell lymphomas as fast-growing or slow-growing. Aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas are those that grow faster than indolent forms. In general, aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas will require a more intensive treatment regimen.
Many risk factors include non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Risk factor means weight conditions, phenomenon, or activity standard, which enhances your risk to develop any disease. For example, people, having more than one risk factor, are likely to record a case of NHL as follows:
- The age is more than 60 (the risk in NHL increases with advancing years),
- Male
- White
- Immune system deficiencies. HIV infection weakens the immune system and may increase your risk of developing HNL. Immunosuppressive medications following organ transplant equally raise the risk.
- Autoimmune diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other rheumatologic conditions may boost one's risk for NHL.
- Infection. Many bacterial and viral infections have been found associated with NHL. They include H. pylori infection, human T-lymphotropic virus Type I, hepatitis C, and Epstein-Barr virus.
- Pesticides exposure. Some research indicated that people who were highly exposed to weed killers and insecticides slightly increased in the risk to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Family history. You may be at greater risk if you have a parent, sibling, or child with lymphoma or another blood cancer.
