And choosing the best treatment depends on knowing the specific punch in.
And there were only a few types of lymphoma that could be distinguished.
Clearly, we were missing something.
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When these were applied to lymphoma cells, things took a dramatic turn.
It turned out that lymphomas were not simply a handful of different types, but a lot more complicated.
What Are Lymphoma CD Markers?
On the surface of lymphocytes, the cells that are transformed to lymphomas, lie some unique molecules.
It was found that lymphomas that previously looked similar under the microscope had different markers on their surface.
When that happened, they acted like different diseases altogether.
We now have specific drugs that attack CD molecules on the surface of some lymphoma cells.
These medications -termed monoclonal antibodies- attack only cells that have a particular CD marker.
A specific example can make this much easier to understand.
With lymphomas, it can be difficult if not impossible to tell the difference between a few cancer types.
CD20is a marker or antigen found on the surface of B cells but not T cells.
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, in contrast, can be distinguished by the presence of the CD30 antigen.
Lymphoma Markers in Determining Treatment and Prognosis
It doesn’t stop there.
As more and more research goes into these markers, new uses are coming up all the time.
2020;105(6):1494-1506. doi:10.3324/haematol.2019.243543
National Cancer Institute.Tumor markers.
