Most people diagnosed with any type of cancer find it very difficult to accept their situation. The usual reaction of patients and their family is denial of their condition. However, cancer is something that won't go away simply because you ignore its existence. It is therefore better to learn as much as possible of the disease and gain grounds fighting it than to simply hide and wait for the inevitable to happen. In the case of people with lymphoma, it is a must that you should understand what is going on in your body and be prepared for any eventualities. There are many things that could happen to people with lymphoma, as this type of cell abnormality is rather mobile compared to other types of cancers.

Lymphoma attacks lymphocytes in our body. Lymphocytes are a part of our body's defense mechanism to fight off infections and diseases. Lymphocytes are mainly of two types: B cells and T cells. B cells help body fight bacteria and toxins in the fist place whereas T cells attack the cells in our body that have become infectious or cancerous. Since lymphocytes are part of our blood stream, they are highly mobile. That way they can get to where body requires them fast to defend it against bacterial or viral threat.

Like all types of cancers, the cells divided abnormally or too quickly in people with lymphoma. Abnormal lymphocytes usually collect in the lymph nodes making this lymph nodes swell. However, swollen lymph nodes does not necessarily mean you have lymphoma as there are other forms of diseases that lead to the swelling of lymph nodes.

Lymphomas are mainly classified into two types - Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Thomas Hodgkin discovered this particular type of lymphoma in 1832 that took his name. All other types of lymphomas come under non-Hodgkin's.

Lymphocytes are part of the normal circulation of the human body. Since lymphoma attacks the lymphocytes, aside form the lymph nodes; the abnormal lymphocytes have access to different parts of the human body. Although in most cases, the spleen and the bone marrow are the favorite spots where abnormal lymphocytes would gather and form lymphoma outside of the lymph nodes, there are some people who would develop lymphoma in the liver, the stomach and is very rare cases, in the brain. Lymphoma can form almost everywhere in the body and it is not uncommon for lymphoma to occur simultaneously or one after another in different parts of the human body. This is why lymphoma is considered one of the systemic diseases that affect the entire human anatomy.

Swollen glands can be first indication of possibility of the presence of lymphoma in the body. Its presence starts abnormal division of lymphocytes or white blood cells. As they are the first line of natural defense in our body, the impaired or weakened immune system slowly looses its ability to fight off various diseases or infections.