marginal zone lymphoma
Meaning of marginal zone lymphoma: Marginal zone lymphoma is a slow growing B-cell blood cancer arising in lymph tissue, occurring in several distinct anatomical forms.
Definition of marginal zone lymphoma
Marginal zone lymphoma is a slow growing, or indolent, type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that develops from B cells, a type of white blood cell, located in the marginal zone, an area of lymphoid tissue at the outer edge of certain lymph node and lymphoid structures. Because it grows slowly, marginal zone lymphoma is often monitored for some time before treatment is needed.
There are several recognized forms of marginal zone lymphoma, classified by where they arise, including within the spleen, within lymph nodes, or within lymphoid tissue found in organs such as the stomach, salivary glands, or lungs, a form often associated with chronic infection or inflammation in that organ.
Because these different forms of marginal zone lymphoma can behave somewhat differently and, in some cases, are linked to an identifiable underlying infection, determining which subtype is present helps guide how the condition is evaluated and monitored over time.
Used in a sentence
Biopsy of the enlarged lymph node confirmed marginal zone lymphoma.
Good to know
The stomach associated form of marginal zone lymphoma is sometimes linked to chronic Helicobacter pylori infection, a distinction from other forms of the disease that do not share this association.
Word origin
Where “marginal zone lymphoma” comes from
Lymphoma is formed from Latin lympha, meaning clear water, and the Greek suffix -oma, meaning tumor or swelling; marginal derives from Latin margo, meaning edge or border.