Category: <span>Marginal Zone Lymphoma Info Blog</span>

Marginal Zone B Cell Lymphomas are classified by slowly progressing (Indolent) diseases that affect the B-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells. They include any type of Lymphoma that develops at the edge of lymphatic tissues, also known as the “marginal zone”. There are three subtypes of Marginal Zone Lymphoma (MZL) and together they account for 8% of all Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas (NHL). NHL is any lymphoma that's not Hodgkin lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphomas comprise irregular cells called “Reed–Sternberg cells”.

For Marginal Zone B Cell Lymphoma and other MZL types, testing is done first. After initial testing, you may need a sample of your bone marrow cells taken, to check if you have lymphoma cells in your bone marrow. Rarely, you might need a lumbar puncture or MRI scan to verify if you have lymphoma in your brain or spinal cord. For MZL, A biopsy of a contaminated lymph node, is required for a correct diagnosis of the lymphoma subtype by identifying which type of blood cells are being affected.

There are four total stages that contribute to Marginal Zone Lymphoma Staging (MZL). Staging is important to determine the most accurate prognosis. Stanford Medicine suggests that although staging helps determine prognosis, it does not usually determine therapy. Therapy for MZL is determined most by clinical signs and symptoms.

Marginal Zone Lymphoma (MZL) consists of a clutter of slowly growing NHL B-cell lymphomas and can be separated into three different subtypes, which are all CD19-constructive, CD20-positive, CD22-optimistic, CD5-unfavorable, CD23-adverse, and cyclin D1–negative. Combining clinical and pathologic knowledge of each MZL case is important to make an accurate analysis and provide the correct treatment.