Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a cancer of the lymphatic system and understanding a bit more about this system can be helpful in understanding more about NHL.
The lymphatic system is part of our immune system that protects us from infections and diseases. It runs throughout the body and is made up of a network of tiny tubes or vessels, which connect with nodes (or glands) and a number of organs. Running through the lymphatic vessels is a milky-looking fluid called lymph. The lymph contains lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are white blood cells. The white blood cells are really important as they help us fight infection and disease.
The lymphatic system has a number of different jobs or functions:
- collecting unwanted fluid which is in the tissues of the body
- filtering the fluid, removing unwanted cells such as viruses
- fighting infections by producing white cells called lymphocytes.
All lymphocytes are made by the bone marrow, but aren't 'activated' (working fully) until they reach other lymphoid tissue. There are two main types of lymphocyte cells produced by the lymphatic system:
- B-lymphocytes - these mature in the bone marrow, or one of our lymphatic organs. They make antibodies which means we can recognise an infection and deal with it.
- T-lymphocytes - these fully develop or mature in the thymus gland which is located behind our breast bone. T-cells are capable of killing virus-infected or tumour cells, as well as regulating all the other cells of the immune system.
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