NAVLE 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The presence of solid tumors is a key indicator that may suggest lymphoma rather than leukemia. Lymphoma typically presents with palpable lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, or other solid masses of lymphoid tissue, as it originates in the lymphatic system. The formation of these solid tumors can be a significant marker that distinguishes lymphoma, which often involves the aggregation of neoplastic lymphoid cells in lymph nodes or other sites, from leukemia, which generally involves the proliferation of white blood cells primarily in the bone marrow and peripheral blood.

In contrast, the other options do not provide a clear distinction. Elevated white blood cell counts can occur in both conditions, as both lymphoma and leukemia involve lymphocytes. The presence of lymphocyte fragments is not a definitive indicator of either disease specifically, as fragmentary cells can be found in various hematological disorders. Lastly, a negative blood test for neoplastic cells does not clearly support either diagnosis and can occur in cases where the disease is localized (like in certain lymphomas) but not detectable in the peripheral blood. Thus, solid tumors as seen in lymphoma provide a more distinct clinical clue leading to the suspicion of that specific diagnosis.