A 58-year-old woman from Delhi presents with a 3-year history of progressive joint pain and swelling in her hands and feet, morning stiffness lasting 2 hours, and constitutional symptoms. Serum rheumatoid factor is positive (1:640), and anti-CCP antibodies are elevated. Synovial fluid analysis shows 8000 WBC/μL with 70% lymphocytes. Synovial biopsy reveals hyperplastic synovium with dense infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and fibroblasts, along with neovascularization and early pannus formation. Which pathological process best explains the chronic inflammatory changes in this patient's synovium?