What is the lymphatic system?
The lymphatic system is an important part of the body’s natural defence against disease. It helps transport fluid and other substances, including white blood cells, around the body.
Tell me more about the lymphatic system
We all know that we have blood in our bodies because we can see it when we cut ourselves. But many people don’t know that we also have a second circulatory system called the lymphatic system.
This system contains a clear fluid, called lymph, which flows around our bodies in tiny lymph vessels. It destroys and removes invaders such as viruses and bacteria from our bodies. It is an important part of our natural defence system – the immune system – and helps us to fight infection.
The lymphatic system also helps to transport substances such as cells, proteins, nutrients and waste products around the body. In particular, it transports white blood cells, including the special kind of white blood cell known as the lymphocyte.
How does my lymphatic system work?
When we are coming down with a cold, we can sometimes feel the ‘glands’ beneath our jaw swelling up and becoming hard. These glands are part of the lymphatic system and are called lymph nodes. There are about 100 lymph nodes in our body, and they are usually noticed in the armpits, groin and neck.
White blood cells travel through the lymphatic system searching for, and destroying, foreign invaders such as germs or toxins. The lymph nodes filter the lymph fluid to remove the identified foreign invaders and prevent them from entering the bloodstream.
Once the lymph fluid has been ‘cleaned’ in the lymph nodes, it flows into our bloodstream and joins our main circulation.
How does non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma affect my lymphatic system?
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma causes a special kind of white blood cell, known as the lymphocyte, to grow uncontrollably. So they tend to collect and form swellings, called lymphomas, within the lymph nodes.
As well as forming in lymph nodes, lymphomas can form in the bone marrow where white blood cells (including lymphocytes) are produced. And, because lymphocytes travel around the body, lymphoma can form in other parts of the body too.
The most common symptom of lymphoma is persistent, but usually painless, swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, collarbone region, armpits, or groin. Doctors sometimes call this lymphadenopathy. It is persistent because it goes on for much longer than the swelling we sometimes experience when we are fighting off a cold or flu.
Tell me more about white blood cells
There are many different types of white blood cells, which all have important roles to play in defending your body against disease. A special type of white blood cell, called the lymphocyte, is affected in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).
There are also different subtypes of lymphocyte, but the main ones that you may have heard of, and that can be affected by NHL, are called B cells and T cells. B-cell lymphomas are far more common than T-cell lymphomas, although teenagers and young adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a T-cell lymphoma.
What is the lymphatic system?
