Lecture 10: Hodgkin's Lymphoma Flashcards
ToD: Lymphoma = Leukaemia
False
What is lymphoma?
Cancer of WBC. Form solid tumours in lymphatics and reticuloendothelial system. Depending on the spread of the lymphoma, their WBC count may look normal.
Which WBC does lymphoma specifically affect?
B-cell
What cell are Reed-Sternberg cells derived from?
B-lymphocytes that don’t express an antibody
What two CD receptors make it easier to identify Reed-Sternberg cells?
CD30 and C15 receptors
Where do Reed-Sternberg cells originate from?
The germinal centres of lymphatic tissue
Why is it the germinal centres that produce Reed-Sternberg cells? (2 marks)
Germinal centres are where all the proliferation of the cell and VDJ recombination occurs
Because germinal centres are found in the lymph node, lymph nodes are able to suppress apoptosis. This fact is made worse if there is malignancy in a lymph node.
What are the histological features of a Reed-Sternberg cell? (2 points)
Large cells (50 microns)
Bi-lobed/ multinucleated cells
What are the three clinical symptoms of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
Lymphadenopathy
Night sweats
Weight loss
What is lymphadenopathy?
Swelling of the lymph nodes
Why does weight loss occur because of HL?
Rapid proliferation causes the tumour to start sapping as many nutrients as possible, starving the rest of the body.
What virus is associated with HL?
Epstein-Barr virus
What percentage of HL patients are found with EBV DNA?
90%
Describe why the EBV increases the chance of HL?
Can transform lymphocytes into a more cancerous version of itself.
If the EBV genes are inserted in the wrong place within the Host’s DNA then it can act as a huge disruptor during transcription and translation.
This can cause the cell to continue proliferating because the stop codon has stopped working.
Which 3 EBV genes are associated with malignancy?
LMP1
LMP2a
EBNA1
What are some non-specific tests for HL?
Full blood count
Serum lactate dehydrogenase
Liver function tests
What are some specific tests for HL?
Lymph node biopsy
Immunohistochemistry
Why can we use lactate dehydrogenase levels as a non-specific test?
The environment in the tumour becomes low in oxygen. To produce energy the lymphoma relies on glycolytic respiration.
Lactate dehydrogenase is released when tumour cells die.
The measurement within the blood can be used as an indicator that something is wrong.
By tiring out the mitochondria the tumour can stay alive longer
How many types of HD are there?
5
Which out of the 5 HD is a variant of classical HD?
Nodular lymphocyte predominant
What cells characterise Nodular lymphocyte predominant HD?
Popcorn cells or lymphocyte predominant cell
Name the 4 Classical Hodgkins lymphoma
Nodular sclerosis Hodgkins lymphoma
Lymphocyte rich classical Hodgkins lymphoma
Mixed cellularity Hodgkins lymphoma
Lymphocyte depletion Hodgkiins lymphoma
What is the name of the common staging methodology for HD?
Ann Arbor system
How many stages are in the Ann Arbor system?
4
What does the B categorisation mean in the AA system?
Fever, night sweats and weight loss