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Laminar Air
Flow (LAF) room: A hospital room on the AB&MT
Transplant Unit that is reserved for patients receiving a
donor cell transplant This is a room-within-a-room with one
wall of the interior room being a high efficiency filter
providing the cleanest air possible for stem cell transplant
patients.
Lesion: An area of abnormal tissue change.
Leukemia: Cancer originating in the blood forming
organs or bone marrow. White blood cells are produced in
excessive amounts and are unable to function properly. Common
forms of leukemia include chronic or acute lymphocytic or
granulocytic leukemia.
Leukocyte: Another name for white blood cells. A
leukocyte is a type of cell in the blood which helps defend
the body against diseases caused by bacteria, virus, or
parasites. There are three types of leukocytes: monocytes,
granulocytes and lymphocytes.
Leukocytosis: An increase in the total white blood cell
count.
Leukopenia: A low number of white blood cells or a
decrease in the total white blood cell count.
Leukopheresis: The process of separating some of the
white blood cells from the rest of the blood. Blood is taken
from the vein and some of the leukocytes are removed. The
remaining blood cells are returned.
Lymph: A clear fluid that contains mostly lymphocytes
and circulates through the body in the lymphatic system. It is
drained from tissue spaces by the lymphatic system and can
transport bacteria, viruses and cancer cells. The lymph
channels eventually dump the lymph back into the blood stream.
Lymph
Nodes: Small, oval-shaped glands distributed
throughout the body that contain the vast majority of
lymphocytes. These glands house lymphocytes and filter
microorganisms and other particles from lymph. The function of
these nodes is to fight infection.
Lymphadenectomy: A surgical procedure to selectively or
totally remove lymph nodes in the armpit, pelvis, and/or
groin. This procedure may be done to determine the spread of
the cancer or to treat certain forms of cancer.
Lymphadenopathy: An enlargement of the lymph nodes
caused by infection or cancer infiltration.
Lymphatic
System: The tissues and organs that
produce, store, and carry white blood cells that fight
infection and disease. This system includes the bone marrow,
spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes and a network of thin tubes
that carry lymph and white blood cells. These tubes branch,
like blood vessels, into all the tissues of the body.
Lymphedema: Swelling of a limb such as an arm. This can
be caused by surgical removal of lymph nodes or obstruction or
damage to lymph nodes.
Lymphoblast:
An immature cell that develops into a lymphocyte.
Lymphocyte: One of the major groups of white blood
cells. The three main kinds of lymphocytes are T cells, B
cells, and Natural Killer cells. T cells attack and destroy
virus-infected cells, foreign tissue and cancer cells. B cells
help produce antibodies or proteins that help destroy foreign
substances. Natural Killer cells destroy cancer cells and
virus-infected cells.
Lymphoma: A type of cancer that originates in the
lymphatic system from the malignant transformation of a
lymphocyte. Lymphoma can involve other organs, such as the
liver and spleen. Lymphomas are categorized as Hodgkin's and
Non-Hodgkin's.
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