Lymphoma microenvironment: culprit or innocent?

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.