Infections and Follicular Lymphoma: is there a Link?

Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases
Francesco ZallioMarco Ladetto

Abstract

Several infectious agents appear to provide a proliferative signal -- "antigen-drive" - that could be implicated in the pathogenesis of various type of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). A classical model of the infection-driven lymphoproliferative disorder is Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric MALT lymphoma, where antibiotic therapy allows the eradication of both the infectious agent and the clonal B-cell expansion. Following the footsteps of this example, several retrospective studies have found a correlation with other pathogens and B-cell Lymphomas, adding new relevant information about pathogenesis and laying the groundwork for chemotherapy-free treatments. Although no clear association has been found between infectious agents and Follicular Lymphoma (FL), a growing number of biological and clinical observations suggests the interaction of physiological and pathological microbial populations also in this subtype of lymphoma. In the last few years, epidemiological studies investigating the association of known risk factors and FL found a potential correlation with viral or bacterial infections; moreover, recent findings of the stimulation of FL clones support the importance of microbial exposure to lymphomagenesis and disease pro...Continue Reading

Methods Mentioned

BETA
biopsies

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