Update on lymphoma pathology I: epidemiology and the role of viruses and radiation in the pathogenesis of lymphoid neoplasia

Abstract

An average human contains about 500g lymphocytes, equivalent to an organ one third the size of the liver, but far more likely to undergo neoplastic transformation. Lymphocytes are the most extensively studied and complex cell type in the body, and this is equally true for their tumours. Enormous advances have been achieved in the epidemiology, cytogenetics, and classification of lymphoid tumours. In these papers we shall see how remarkably close we are to understanding the cause of some types of lymphoid cancer. Part I will concentrate on epidemiology and the role of viruses and radiation. The contribution to lymphoid neoplasia of genetic mutations will be reviewed in Part II, and the new classification will be presented in a subsequent part.