Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects your blood cells called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that support our immune system by fighting infection and disease. They mostly live in our lymphatic system with only very few found our blood.
Our lymphatic system is responsible for cleaning our blood of toxins and waste products and includes our lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, tonsils, appendix and a fluid called lymph. It is also where our disease fighting antibodies are made.
Lymphoma includes 4 subtypes of Hodgkin Lymphoma, more than 75 subtypes of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), with CLL being considered the same disease as Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma.
Please note: Lymphoma Australia staff are only able to reply to emails sent in English language.
For people living in Australia, we can offer a phone translation service. Have your nurse or English speaking relative call us to arrange this.
You need healthy T-cells to make CAR T-cells. For this reason, CAR T-cell therapy cannot be used if you have a T-cell lymphoma – yet.
For more information on CAR T-cells and T-cell lymphoma click here.
Special Note: Although your T-cells are removed from your blood for CAR T-cell therapy, most of our T-cells live outside of our blood – in our lymph nodes, thymus, spleen and other organs.
