What is DLBCL? DLBCL basically stands for Diffused Large B-cell Lymphoma. It is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Lymphoma is one of the types of blood cancer, as most of you guys know, among leukemias, myeloma, and lymphoma. Those are the three big types of blood cancers. Lymphomas can be broadly divided into Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Diffused Large B-cell Lymphoma is actually the most common non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. So over a third of all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are Diffused Large B-cell Lymphoma. So it's a form of an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It comes under the B-cell type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. So again, among practices across the country, if you are treating lymphomas, this is the most common lymphoma that we come across. It usually affects people over the age of 60, and it is a very highly treatable and potentially curable disease. DLBCL is a cancer of B-cells, which are cells of our immune system, and it is an aggressive cancer of B-cells. Usually they look large under the microscope, and it's called diffuse because it disrupts lymph node structure. DLBCL is the most common lymphoid cancer in adults, and that basically means a cancer of the immune system. It is seen in about 30,000 patients each year in the United States. And the good news about the disease is that the intent of treatment is to go for a cure. The bad news is the treatment is chemotherapy, and it works in about two-thirds of patients. So it's a disease that's relatively common, and a lot of good therapies are being developed, but we have a lot of work still to do. DLBCL is diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. It's a cancer of lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cells. They circulate in our blood, and they can go potentially anywhere in our body. Their main role in our body is to fight off infections and clean up things that are considered foreign by our bodies. Over time, these lymphocytes might acquire some mutations, and then these mutations can cause continuous proliferation. These cells might stop dying, and they start forming tumors in our body. These tumors usually start in our lymph nodes. That's why it's called lymphoma, cancer of the lymph nodes. But technically, lymphomas can be seen anywhere in the body.
HealthTree • April 12, 2024
