'Compelling' Evidence that Microenvironment is Crucial in Lymphoma

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Review

Leukemia (2008) 22, 49–58; doi:10.1038/sj.leu.2404970; published

online 4 October 2007

Lymphoma microenvironment: culprit or innocent?

B Herreros1, A -Aguilera1 and M A Piris1

1Lymphoma Group, Molecular Pathology Program, Centro Nacional de

Investigaciones Oncologicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain

Received 7 May 2007; Revised 24 August 2007; Accepted 30 August 2007;

Published online 4 October 2007.

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Abstract

Studies are revealing that lymphoid neoplasms are characterized by

well-defined chromosome translocations and by the accumulation of

subsequent molecular alterations involving mainly the cell cycle

and/or apoptotic pathways. However, survival of B and T tumor cells is

also dependent on the interactions with the accompanying cells that

comprise the lymphoma microenvironment.

Although non-tumor cells can contribute both positive and negative

signals to the lymphoma cells, in this review we present compelling

evidence of the essential influence of the tumor microenvironment on

the initiation and progression of specific lymphoma types,

highlighting some new therapeutic approaches that target the lymphoma

microenvironment.