lymphoma

UK: lɪmˈfəʊmə | US: lɪmˈfoʊmə

Definition

  1. n. a type of cancer that originates in the lymphatic system, characterized by the abnormal growth of lymphocytes (white blood cells).

Structure
lymph <fluid, from Latin "lympha" (water, clear fluid)>oma <tumor, from Greek "-ōma" (swelling or mass)>
Etymology

The word "lymphoma" combines "lymph," referring to the clear fluid in the lymphatic system (derived from Latin "lympha," associated with water purity), and the Greek suffix "-oma," denoting abnormal growths or tumors. Historically, the lymphatic system was linked to fluid balance, and the term evolved in medical Latin to specify cancers arising from lymphoid tissue. The fusion reflects the disease's pathological basis in lymphocyte proliferation.

Examples

  1. The patient was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma after a lymph node biopsy.

  2. Chemotherapy is a common treatment for aggressive forms of lymphoma.

  3. Early detection of lymphoma significantly improves survival rates.

  4. Researchers are studying genetic mutations linked to lymphoma development.

  5. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma accounts for about 4% of all cancer cases worldwide.