A Patient’s Guide to Understanding
Cutaneous Lymphoma
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Low-grade lymphoma:
Lymphoma that grows slowly and has few
symptoms. Also called indolent lymphoma.
Lymph:
The watery fluid in the lymph system that contains white blood
cells (lymphocytes).
Lymph nodes:
Small bean-shaped glands located in the small vessels of
the lymphatic system. Thousands are located throughout the body with
clusters of them in the neck, under the arms, the chest, abdomen and
groin. Lymph nodes filter lymph fluid, trapping and destroying potentially
harmful bacteria and viruses.
Lymphatic system:
The channels, tissues and organs that store and carry
lymphocytes that fight infection and other diseases.
Lymphocyte:
A type of white blood cell. Lymphocytes, carried along by
the lymph fluid, are part of the immune system and fight infection.
Lymphoma:
A cancer of lymphocytes involving lymph nodes, organs and
tissues of the lymphatic system (immune system). Hodgkin’s lymphoma is
one type of lymphoma; the other major type is non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that starts in
the skin. There are approximately 61 types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP):
A lymphatic system disorder that
manifests itself in self-healing nodules and papules (“bumps” and “spots”)
that come and go spontaneously. It looks like cancer under the microscope,
but, frequently and for no reason, it suddenly disappears of its own accord
for weeks or months at a time before reactivating.
Malignant:
Cancerous – a malignant tumor is a cancerous tumor.
Medical oncologist:
A physician who specializes in the use of
chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and many other types of biologic
therapies to treat cancer. Often, but not always, medical oncologists are
specialized in hematology.
