News Risk Factor Monitored for Lymphoma

Patients with Sjögren’s Syndrome have a new risk factor that can be monitored for future Lymphoma risk:

Biopsying the glands that produce saliva to test for germinal center-like formation when someone is diagnosed with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome can predict later development of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

Sjögren's syndrome is an inflammatory disease that can affect many different parts of the body, but most often affects the tear and saliva glands. Patients with this condition may notice irritation, a gritty feeling, or painful burning in the eyes. Dry mouth or difficulty eating dry foods, and swelling of the glands around the face and neck are also common. Some patients experience dryness of other mucous membranes (such as the nasal passages, throat, and vagina) and skin. Between 400,000 and 3.1 million adults have Sjögren's syndrome. Primary Sjögren's syndrome occurs in people with no other rheumatic diseases. Secondary Sjögren's occurs in people who do have another rheumatologic disease, most often lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Germinal centers are sites within lymph nodes or lymph nodules where B cells maturate, proliferate, differentiate, and adapt as a component of the immune response. The centers develop dynamically after both B and T lymphocytes are activated after exposure to an antigen.

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