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Lymphoma
A lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system that affects the white blood cells (lymphocytes), the main cells of the immune system. Abnormal lymphocytes proliferate in what is known as lymphoid tissue: ganglia, spleen, bone marrow and thymus, as well as other organs.
There is Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is quite rare, and non-Hodgkin lymphomas which are five times more common (11,000 new cases a year in France). Hodgkin’s lymphoma more usually affects young adults and is characterised by the presence of specific malignant cells known as Reed-Sternberg cells. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas concern people of all ages. They are classified as a function of their speed of evolution (from “indolent” to “aggressive”) and comprise a large number of sub-types. Substantial advances have been made in the treatment of lymphomas since the development of targeted therapies (anti-CD-20 monoclonal antibodies, protein kinase inhibitors, etc.), and bone marrow and stem cell transplants.
For further information:
Targeted therapy: interview with Prof. Gilles Salles