Understanding Lymphoma And The Lymphatic System

What is Lymphoma?

Lymphoma is the cancer of the lymphatic system.  Immune cells called Lymphocytes, become cancerous and begin to multiply and spread all over the body through the lymphatic system.  It crowds out normal cells and causes the disease.

Let us understand connection between the Lymphatic system and the spread of Lymphoma by studying the system briefly.

The Lymphatic System

The Lymphatic system includes lymph nodes, lymphocytes, spleen, bone marrow, tonsils, adenoids, thymus and the lymph.

Lymph nodes are kidney-shaped or round with a diameter of one inch. They form clusters in the neck, armpit, and groin area.  Lymphatic nodes are also found in the chest, abdomen and pelvis which fall within the lymphatic pathways.  The function of these nodes is to filter the blood as it enters the organ.

The Lymphocytes play an important role in the immune response to the entry of a foreign body or pathogen into the body. Lymphocytes are of two kinds – the B- Lymphocytes (or the B-Cells) and the T- Lymphocytes (or the T-Cells). The B-cells are derived from the bone marrow while the T-Cells are derived from the thymus. The T-Cells play an important role by producing chemicals called cytokines which activate the B-Cells. The B-Cells produce the antibodies which fight against the antigen.

The spleen is an important lymphatic organ. The spleen regulates the amount of blood and blood cells that circulate through the body.  It also plays an important role in destroying damaged cells.  

The thymus plays an important role in educating the lymphocytes to differentiate between the body’s own cells and foreign cells in the entering the body.

The tonsils and adenoids are secondary lymphatic organs.

The lymph is a clear watery fluid which consists of water, proteins, fats and other substances. It is also a store for lymphocytes.

The lymphatic system is analogous to the circulatory system. It transports lymph through the lymphatic system.

How and why does lymphoma spread through the Lymphatic system?

Lymphocytes are the body’s soldiers that fight against abnormally dividing cells. When the lymphocytes become cancerous, the immune system is weakened and the system is unable to efficiently fight the disease. The cancerous lymphocytes grow rapidly in the body of the person suffering from lymphoma and these lymphocytes accumulate in the lymph nodes and other parts of the body to form tumours. Since the lymph network is widespread and the lymphocytes freely circulate in the blood, the cancer can spread easily. These tumours can often be felt as a painless lump or swollen gland in different parts of the body. This enlargement of the lymph nodes is called “adenopathy”.

Non malignant versions of this cancer are localized. They can be surgically treated or destroyed by use of Chemotherapy.  Malignant, life threatening cancers of the lymphatic system spread to other organs and even to the bone marrow and would require aggressive treatment.

Lymphoma is a silent killer and is not detected very easily. It is estimated that about 56 percent of the cancers detected annually are lymphomas.