Pathophysiology of Lymphoma - Essay Example

The distinction between the diseases is made after examination of the biopsy or aspirations from the cancerous tissues. When the tissues have Reed-Stenberg cells, the lymphoma shall be referred to as Hodgkin’s but when they are not present, they are called Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (Shankland, Armitage, & Hancock, 2012). Leukemia, which is cancer that affects the tissues forming the blood, is usually characterized by elevated numbers of large white blood cells in the body's circulations as well as in the bone marrow.

The disease is classified as acute or chronic and further classified as either myeloid (from bone marrow) or lymphocytic (from the lymphocytes). Leukemia occurs in four types; namely acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia; chronic myeloid leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Acute lymphoid leukemia is mostly seen in children and has immature lymphatic cells. Acute myeloid leukemia is characterized by young myoblasts. Chronic myeloid leukemia is characterized by increased numbers of large WBC (Porth, 2011).

As a nurse, this information is vital to me since it helps me understand the occurrence of leukemia thus equipping me with the necessary information. The information regarding the pathophysiology, signs, and symptoms predisposing factors help me to manage the patients accurately as well as provide health education regarding the disease process.