Nodal marginal zone lymphoma is a slow-growing (indolent) blood cancer that starts in B cells — the white blood cells that help the body fight infection — and develops primarily within the lymph nodes. It belongs to a family of cancers called marginal zone lymphomas, all of which originate from a type of mature B …
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Follicular lymphoma with a predominantly diffuse growth pattern is a rare and recently recognized subtype of follicular lymphoma — a group of blood cancers that start in B cells, the white blood cells that help the body fight infection. Unlike the more familiar form of follicular lymphoma, in which the cancer cells grow in round …
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A bone marrow biopsy is one of the most informative tests in medicine for conditions affecting the blood and immune system. If you have received a bone marrow biopsy report, you may be facing a diagnosis of leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, anemia, or another blood disorder — or your doctor may still be working out what …
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MYC is a gene that provides instructions for making the MYC protein, which plays a major role in controlling how cells grow, divide, and use energy. MYC is considered a biomarker. A biomarker is a measurable feature in a tumour, such as a gene change or protein abnormality, that helps doctors understand how a cancer …
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BCL6 is a gene that provides instructions for making the BCL6 protein, which acts as a transcription factor. A transcription factor is a protein that controls which genes inside a cell are turned on or off. BCL6 is considered a biomarker. A biomarker is a measurable feature in a tumour, such as a gene change …
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BCL2 is a gene that encodes a protein that helps keep cells alive. In healthy tissue, this is a carefully controlled process — BCL2 helps specific cells survive longer when needed, but the signal can be switched off when those cells are no longer required. In some cancers, particularly lymphomas and certain blood cancers, the …
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The term lymphoproliferative disease (LPD) describes a group of conditions in which lymphocytes—a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections—grow or multiply beyond normal levels. Lymphocytes include B cells, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. These cells normally protect the body by recognizing and destroying viruses, bacteria, and abnormal cells. In a …
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Hallmark cells are a distinctive type of abnormal cell seen under the microscope in a cancer called anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). These cells are a clue that helps pathologists recognize and diagnose this disease. What do hallmark cells look like? Hallmark cells are large and have a very characteristic appearance. Their nuclei, which are …
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Mastocytosis is a rare group of conditions characterized by an abnormal buildup of mast cells in various parts of the body. Mast cells are a type of immune cell that plays a crucial role in allergic reactions and inflammation. Normally, mast cells help protect your body from infections, but in mastocytosis, these cells become overactive …
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Sézary syndrome is a rare type of cancer involving specific white blood cells called T cells. Normally, T cells help fight infections and diseases. In Sézary syndrome, these cells become cancerous and multiply out of control. The cancerous T cells, known as Sézary cells, exhibit a unique, folded appearance under the microscope. These abnormal cells …
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