Question

Leukemia is a form of cancer in which lymphocytes divide uncontrollably, often crowding out red blood cells in the blood vessels. Which of the following correctly describes where cancerous lymphocytes could develop and how they would enter the bloodstream?

Answer 1

They develop in the lymph nodes and are deposited in the heart.
They develop in the lymph nodes and are deposited in the subclavian veins.
They develop in the lymph and are deposited in the capillary beds.
They develop in the lymph and are deposited in the subclavian artery.

Answer 2

I would like to believe that they develop in the lymph. I feel this way because it is in the lymph nodes that blood cells are filtered. Any potentially harmful cell that is detected in the lymph node is eliminated to prevent harm to the body. However, I can't seem to recall where the cancerous cells go once they leave the lymph. I think that all of the fluid that accumulates in the tissues (the lymph) is gathered by the lymphatic system and therefore processed.
My best guess is that the correct answer is as follows:
They develop in the lymph and are deposited in the capillary beds.

I feel this way because I find it odd if they were to move into an artery...capillaries seem more convenient. Can anyone verify my answer, please?

This is a question from my Anatomy and Physiology test.

Answer 3

Technically we can't help you if it is from a test or quiz it is against openstudy's rules :( But if you are confident about your answer then go with it. :)

Answer 4

I would like to believe that they develop in the lymph. = yep
I feel this way because it is in the lymph nodes that blood cells are filtered. = if you say lymph organs such as spleen, ill agree with your blood cells filtration. BUT if you are referring to lymphatic vessels filtering system then its plasma that we are filtering not blood cells.
Any potentially harmful cell that is detected in the lymph node is eliminated to prevent harm to the body. = yes correct, that includes microorganisms or anything that can be harmful
However, I can't seem to recall where the cancerous cells go once they leave the lymph. I think that all of the fluid that accumulates in the tissues (the lymph) is gathered by the lymphatic system and therefore processed.
My best guess is that the correct answer is as follows:
They develop in the lymph and are deposited in the capillary beds.

I feel this way because I find it odd if they were to move into an artery...capillaries seem more convenient. Can anyone verify my answer, please?

Since you are doing anatomy and physiology, uve gotta remember the drainage system of lymphatics, which is right lymphatic duct and then into the junction of the right subclavian and internal jugular veins, and on left side its thoracic duct draining into left subclavian vein. So this is how eventually the filtered plasma goes back into circulation.

now that being said let go on to cancer
in benign case of tumor growth, cells divide at fast and uncontrollable rate in one particular spot. Now when they go to next level and become more aggressive, they will move on into circulation and spread to other body parts. Now, this is metastasis, once this level is reached this is called Cancer.
Now, we are dealing with cells, you see cells are quite big, they cannot enter circulation so easily, remember when blood is coming to a certain region in arterial circulation, some plasma comes out into interstitium (this is how nutrients and other stuff are given to tissues), and that fluid now is called interstitial fluid, then this fluid drains into lymphatics of the area and now its called 'lymphatic fluid' or just lymph

when you look at anatomy of arteries, capillaries and lymphatic vessels, by diameter, lymphatic vessels are more wide, so cancerous cells cannot go into blood through and artery, it cannot fit into capillaries and so the only way to get into circulation is lymphatics. So thats the route they use, thats why when you get a cancer patient and want to check whether it has reached metastatic stage or not, we look at lymph nodes around the area. This is the reason we often do biopsy of both tumor tissue and some lymph nodes around it.

so from your options the most reasonable seems to be from lymph node through lymphatic circulation into subclavian veins
this question is INDIRECTLY asking you for lymphatic drainage system :) so thats pretty much how you get those aggressive cancerous lymphocytes into circulation.