The large-cell lymphomas have large cells. One classification system for

lymphoma Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). In current usage the name usually refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enlar ...

s divides the diseases according to the size of the

white blood cell White blood cells, also called leukocytes or leucocytes, are the cell (biology), cells of the immune system that are involved in protecting the body against both infectious disease and foreign invaders. All white blood cells are produced and de ...

s that have turned cancerous. A large cell, in this context, has a diameter of 17 to 20 μm. Other groups of lymphomas in this system are the

small-cell lymphoma Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). Early on, there are typically no symptoms. Later, non-painful lymph node swelling, feeling tired, fever, ...

s and

mixed-cell lymphoma Mixed-cell lymphomas are lymphomas that have both large cells and small cells in them. This nomenclature is derived from an older system of pathology, before technological advances allowed much more precise descriptions of the affected cancerous ...

Types

B cell

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a cancer of B cells, a type of lymphocyte that is responsible for producing antibody, antibodies. It is the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma among adults, with an annual Incidence (epidemiology), in ...

is the most common of the large-cell lymphomas.

MeSH A mesh is a barrier made of connected strands of metal, fiber, or other flexible or ductile materials. A mesh is similar to a web or a net in that it has many attached or woven strands. Types * A plastic mesh may be extruded, oriented, ex ...

now classifies the phrase "large-cell lymphoma" under "Diffuse large B cell lymphoma". Many other

B-cell lymphoma The B-cell lymphomas are types of lymphoma affecting B cells. Lymphomas are "blood cancers" in the lymph nodes. They develop more frequently in older adults and in immunocompromised individuals. B-cell lymphomas include both Hodgkin's lympho ...

s feature large cells: * Angiocentric lymphoma *

Burkitt's lymphoma Burkitt lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, particularly B lymphocytes found in the germinal center. It is named after Denis Parsons Burkitt, the Irish surgeon who first described the disease in 1958 while working in equatorial Africa. ...

Follicular large-cell lymphoma Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a cancer that involves certain types of white blood cells known as lymphocytes. The cancer originates from the uncontrolled division of specific types of B-cells known as centrocytes and centroblasts. These cells norma ...

Immunoblastic lymphoma Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). In current usage the name usually refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include enla ...

* Intravascular large-cell lymphoma *

Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, abbreviated PMBL, is a rare type of lymphoma that forms in the mediastinum (the space in between the lungs) and predominantly affects young adults. It is a subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; however, it ...

* T-cell–rich B-cell lymphoma * Primary

splenic The spleen is an organ found in almost all vertebrates. Similar in structure to a large lymph node, it acts primarily as a blood filter. The word spleen comes .

lymphoma (rare) *

Primary central nervous system lymphoma Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), also termed primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system (DLBCL-CNS), is a primary intracranial tumor appearing mostly in patients with severe immunodeficiency (typically pa ...

s, which are often diffuse large-B-cell lymphomas *

Richter's transformation Richter's transformation (RT), also known as Richter's syndrome, is the conversion of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or its variant, small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), into a new and more aggressively malignant disease. CLL is the circulation o ...

: Diffuse Large B-cell Variant *1) ABC subtype (common) *2) GCB subtype (rare) Activated B-Cell Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, or ABC-DLBCL, is believed to be caused by aberrant activation of a critical intracellular pathway. This intracellular signaling pathway involved in B-cell activation and proliferation stays constantly activated, driving lymphocytes to proliferate continuously. The inhibition of this pathway can be induced by a drug known as NEMO Binding Domain, or NBD, a peptide causing increased cell death of malignant lymphocytes.

T cell

Less commonly, a large-cell lymphoma may feature

T cells A T cell is a type of lymphocyte. T cells are one of the important white blood cells of the immune system and play a central role in the adaptive immune response. T cells can be distinguished from other lymphocytes by the presence of a T-cell re ...

Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) refers to a group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas in which aberrant T cells proliferate uncontrollably. Considered as a single entity, ALCL is the most common type of peripheral lymphoma and represents ~10% of all per ...

is an example of a large-cell lymphoma that involves T cells. Of the large-cell

T-cell lymphoma T-cell lymphoma is a rare form of cancerous lymphoma affecting T-cells. Lymphoma arises mainly from the uncontrolled proliferation of T-cells and can become cancerous. T-cell lymphoma is categorized under Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and represents ...

s, it has the best prognosis.

References

External links

{{Lymphoid malignancy Non-Hodgkin lymphoma