Follicular lymphoma (FL)

The patients most often present widespead disease at diagnosis, with nodal and extranodal (bone marrow) involvement. Peripheral blood involvement is detectable by light microscopy in approximately 10% of the cases, but the majority of cases can be shown to have circulating malignant cells by sensitive molecular genetic methods. The disease usually runs an indolent course. Grade 3 FL may be characterized by earlier relapse, especially if treated with regimens not including an anthracycline drug.