Blood Cancers

Leukemia & lymphoma · Week 2
White blood cell cancers come in two big families. Leukemia is cancer of the early blood cells in the marrow and blood. Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system and its lymph nodes. Pick one, then compare the sub-types.

Where it grows

Leukemia floods the blood with abnormal cells. Lymphoma builds masses in lymph nodes.
Pick a cancer family.
Pick a familyleukemia · lymphoma

What it is

Lymphoma memory hook: Hodgkin is the "nicer" one. It stays localized. It spreads contiguously, which means node to next-door node. It shows Reed-Sternberg cells, hits younger adults, and has a better prognosis, or outlook. Non-Hodgkin is diffuse and scattered. It jumps around (non-contiguous, extranodal), hits older adults, and has a worse prognosis.