Medicine & USMLE

Follicular Lymphoma

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Leukemias and Lymphomas
  1. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
  2. Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL)
  3. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
  4. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
  5. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
  6. Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL)
  7. Hodgkin Lymphoma
  8. Burkitt Lymphoma
  9. Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)
  10. Follicular Lymphoma
  11. Mantle Cell Lymphoma
  12. Marginal Zone Lymphoma
  13. Primary CNS Lymphoma (PCNSL)
  14. Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL)
  15. Mycosis Fungoides / Sezary Syndrome

Summary

Follicular lymphoma is a slow-growing B-cell cancer that arises from lymph nodes. As the second most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, follicular lymphoma is characterized by the presence of many follicle-like structures seen under the microscope upon biopsy of a lymph node. Classically, follicular lymphoma is caused by a t(14;18) chromosomal translocation that moves the BCL2 gene from chromosome 18 to the heavy chain immunoglobulin locus on chromosome 14. This results in BCL overexpression, preventing apoptosis in B-cells to cause cancer. Clinically, follicular lymphoma follows a slow and indolent course, notable for the finding of waxing and waning lymphadenopathy.