Lymphoma

Question 1

What is the main difference between lymphoma and lymphocytic leukaemia?

Answer 1

The main difference between lymphocytic leukemias and lymphomas is that in leukemia, the cancer cells are mainly in the bone marrow and blood, while in lymphoma they tend to be in lymph nodes and other tissues

Question 2

What are the types of lymphoma?

Answer 2

There are hodgkin’s and non-hodgkin’s

These are simply differentiated because hodgkin’s lymphoma has reed sternberg cells

Question 3

What are the symptoms of hodgkins lymphoma?

Answer 3

Asymptomatic lymphadenopathy with rubbery, non tender nodes

Systemic upset - weight loss, fever, night sweats

Question 4

How is hodgkin’s lymphoma staged?

Answer 4

It is staged with the Ann-Arbor system
Stage I - Single lymph node region confinement
II - 2 or more nodal areas involved on same side of diaphragm
III - involvement of nodes on either side of the diaphragm
IV - spread beyond the lymph nodes (liver or bone marrow)

Question 5

What is the diagnosis for hodgkin’s lymphoma?

Answer 5

Gold standard is a complete lymph node excision biopsy for analysis
If this is not possible then can do needle biopsy

Question 6

What is the treatment of hodgkin’s lymphoma?

Answer 6

ABVD
Adriamycin (doxorubicin)
Bleomycin
Vinblastine
Dacarbazine

Question 7

What is the commonest non hodgkins lymphoma?

Answer 7

The most common is diffuse large B cell lymphoma

Question 8

What are the signs and symptoms of non hodgkins lymphoma?

Answer 8

Painless widespread lymphadenopathy
Extranodal:
-Hepatosplenomegaly
-MALT affected causing symptoms as for gastric Ca

Question 9

How is non hodgkins lymphoma treated?

Answer 9

It is treated with rituximab (monoclonal antibody)

Stem cell transplantation