1. The Real Distinction: Location
Leukemia: Malignant cells primarily involve the bone marrow and peripheral blood.
Lymphoma: Malignant cells primarily form solid masses in lymphoid tissues (lymph nodes, spleen, or extranodal sites like the MALT).
2. The Maturity Distinction: Acute vs. Chronic
The "mature vs. immature" rule actually describes the difference between Acute and Chronic leukemias:
Acute Leukemias (AML, ALL): Malignancies of immature cells (blasts). They are "acute" because blasts accumulate rapidly and crowd out normal hematopoiesis.
Chronic Leukemias (CML, CLL): Malignancies of mature (or maturing) leukocytes. These cells proliferate but still look and somewhat function like mature cells, leading to a slower clinical course.




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