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What is the most common type of lymphoma? Uncovering the mystery of follicular lymphoma!
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. "Indolent lymphoma," or low-grade lymphoma, is a group of slow-growing non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). Because it spreads slowly, many people experience few symptoms at diagnosis and may not need immediate treatment. Symptoms often include painless swollen lymph glands, unexplained fever, and unexplained weight loss.
"Indolent lymphoma accounts for 41% of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases in North America and Northern Europe, primarily affecting the elderly."
Of the various subtypes of these lymphomas, follicular lymphoma is the most common, but others include cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and Waldenström's giant globulinemia. Blood disease. The disease mainly affects adults between the ages of 50 and 60, but the incidence varies between different ethnic groups, with Caucasians having a higher incidence than blacks and Asians. The reasons for these differences are still not fully understood.
Symptoms and Risk Factors
The main symptom in patients is usually painless swollen lymph nodes, usually in the neck, armpits, or groin. As the disease progresses, swollen lymph nodes may also appear in the chest or abdomen, which often do not cause symptoms, such as coughing or abdominal pain, until the tumor is larger.
"Age is one of the risk factors for developing indolent lymphomas, and the risk increases with age."
As for common risk factors, age is the biggest factor, and the disease is rarely seen in people under 40 years old. Infection is also a significant risk factor; for example, the risk of lymphoma in people infected with HIV is 14 times higher than in the general population. Family history, hematological malignancies, and hepatitis C infection are other known risk factors.
Diagnosis and classification
Indolent lymphomas are mostly of B-cell origin and are classified based on pathological and cytological features. Subtypes include follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and capillary leukemia. Among them, follicular lymphoma accounts for 85% of cases and is characterized by the chromosomal translocation t(14;18), which leads to overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2.
“Follicular lymphoma has a five-year survival rate of 88.4%. It accounts for 70% of indolent lymphomas and 20-30% of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases.”
During the diagnosis process, doctors will perform multiple tests, including tissue biopsy, blood tests, X-rays and CT scans, to determine the progression and stage of lymphoma.
Treatment methods
Because indolent lymphomas grow slowly, many patients do not require immediate treatment after initial diagnosis and instead adopt a watchful waiting strategy. When the condition worsens or symptoms appear, the treatment plan will be adjusted according to the patient's specific situation.
"Some patients may not need treatment for years, while others may require immediate intervention."
For patients with early-stage, indolent lymphoma, radiation therapy may provide a curative effect, but most patients typically have extensive disease at the time of diagnosis. Treatment options include chemotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, or stem cell transplantation, depending on the subtype of lymphoma, stage, and other health conditions.
Prognosis
The prognosis for indolent lymphoma varies by disease type. Although the overall survival rate is over ten years, many patients survive for varying lengths of time after diagnosis, and the five-year survival rate for younger patients is generally higher than that for older patients. As research deepens, many new treatment models are also being explored.
"Younger patients have a lower risk of mortality from follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma, as confirmed in the Dutch study."
The diversity of indolent lymphoma and its gradually increasing survival rate have undoubtedly triggered a lot of thinking about the future treatment and research direction of the disease. How much room do you think there is for understanding indolent lymphoma with current treatments?
