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PA19.1-6 | Welcome to Lymphomas — Hodgkin vs Non-Hodgkin
Learning Objectives
- Define lymphoma and distinguish it from leukaemia as a solid neoplasm of lymphoid cells
- Describe the hallmark Reed-Sternberg cell and its immunophenotype (CD15+/CD30+)
- Classify Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes and recall their epidemiology and EBV associations
- Enumerate the major non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes with their characteristic translocations and clinical patterns
- Construct a differential table comparing Hodgkin vs non-Hodgkin lymphoma across six key parameters
- Outline the pathogenetic mechanisms shared across lymphomas: oncogenic translocations, EBV, and immunodeficiency
INSTRUCTIONS
Lymphomas are the commonest haematological malignancy encountered in clinical practice, and differentiating Hodgkin from non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a core NMC CBUC competency that appears in both theory papers and clinical OSCEs. This module builds on your H7 understanding of lymphadenopathy to explain why a biopsy is mandatory, what pathologists look for under the microscope, and how molecular lesions like BCL2 and MYC translocations translate into the clinical behaviour you will observe on the ward.
References
- Robbins & Kumar: Basic Pathology, 11th ed., Ch 11 — Diseases of White Blood Cells, Lymph Nodes, Spleen, and Thymus (textbook)
- Harsh Mohan: Textbook of Pathology, 8th ed., Ch 14 — Lymphoreticular Tissues and Disorders (textbook)
Version 2.0 | NMC CBUC 2024