How lymphoma spreads

• April 20, 2024

These are some facts according to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: 19.5 of every 100 thousand people in the world are prone to develop Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma , while 2.8 out of every 100 thousand people in the world are diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are two of the main classifications of lymphoma, a cancer of the body's lymphatic system.

The lymphatic system, which is part of our immune system, is responsible for eliminating bacteria, diseases and infections. But when the cells multiply abnormally, the tumors begin to appear in the lymph nodes . When this happens, you can see these lumps in the neck, armpit and groin nodes. Soon the cancer cells will spread to other parts of the body, so it's good to know how it happens.

Metastasis

This is a word we hear very often in cancer patients. It is actually a term that refers to the spread of cancer to the rest of the body. The lymphoma at the beginning is a single tumor in one of the lymph nodes of the many organs of the body.

Metastasis (continued)

In lymphoma, cancer cells use the body's lymphatic system to spread. The lymphatic system of the body is very similar to the bloodstream, since it is responsible for keeping the body clean of infections and diseases; It is like an open channel, where cancer cells can travel and create more tumors.

The tumors are quite lethal. Due to its accelerated rate of growth, these cancer cells can continue to cause tumors to grow. Very soon, they grow enough and prevent healthy tissues or organs from functioning normally. Over time these will stop working causing death.

Like any cancer, lymphoma also has a series of stages. These describe the severity of the disease and indicate to what extent the cancer cells have infected the body.

Stage I

At this level, the cancer cells have infected only one lymph node or part of the body. Because it is still in development, this stage is also known as early disease.

Stage II

Or phase II is much more alarming. At this point, the cancer cells have replicated in more lymph nodes or parts of the body. However, in stage II, the infection is limited either above or below the person's diaphragm. This stage is called locally advanced disease.

Stage III

It is known as advanced disease. Cancer cells have found their way on both sides of the diaphragm and established a series of tumors in those areas.

Stage IV

Last stage or widespread disease, is the spread of cancer cells in one or more of the organs of the body such as bones, skin, liver or lungs.

This is how lymphoma spreads. That is why early detection of the disease is important to apply the appropriate and effective treatment.

Video Medicine: How Lymphoma Develops (April 2024).