DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My sister recently noticed significantly enlarged lymph nodes in her neck. Her primary care physician said he thought she had lymphoma. What is lymphoma and what is her prognosis? Is it hereditary?
ANSWER: Lymphoma is a group of cancers that affect the lymphocytes. To better understand lymphoma, we have to start with the white blood cells.
White blood cells are one of the three main types of cells that circulate in the blood, the other two being red cells and platelets. White blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and serve as the main element of the immune systems that helps defend the body against infections, such as the flu, COVID-19 and other diseases.
