Lymphoma (Hodgkin Disease and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma)

What Is It?

The lymphatic system is part of the body's defense against infections. The system is a network of vessels throughout the body that collect invading organisms, such as viruses, and abnormal cells. The invaders are moved into lymph nodes where they are destroyed by white blood cells, including cells called lymphocytes.

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphocytes, which means these cells grow abnormally and out of control. Lymphoma usually begins in a lymph node, but it also can begin in the stomach, intestines, skin or any other organ. The two main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Hodgkin’s’s Disease In Hodgkin’s’s disease, the abnormal cells are called the Reed-Sternberg cells. This type of cancer can spread throughout the lymphatic system, affecting any organ or lymph tissue in the body. Hodgkin’s disease usually affects people in their late 20s or older than 50. Males get the disease more often more than females, and whites are affected more often than people of other races. The disorder strikes about 5 in every 100,000 people.

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Most lymphoma is non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In adults, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma affects males more than females and often occurs between the ages of 60 and 70. Whites are affected more often than people of other races. The disorder affects about 16 in every 100,000 people - or about 45,000 people in the United States. For unknown reasons, this cancer has been becoming more common.

Different types of lymphoma occur in different age groups.

• In adulthood - Adult non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is classified by the size, type and distribution of cancer cells in the lymph nodes. The three types are low grade (slower growing), intermediate grade, and high grade (aggressive).

  • Low-grade lymphomas include small-lymphocytic lymphoma, follicular small-cleaved-cell lymphoma, and follicular mixed-cell lymphoma.

  • Intermediate-grade lymphomas include follicular large-cell lymphoma, diffuse small-cleaved-cell lymphoma, diffuse mixed lymphoma, and diffuse large-cell lymphoma.

  • High-grade lymphomas include immunoblastic lymphoma, lymphoblastic lymphoma, and small noncleaved (Burkitt’s and non-Burkitt’s) lymphoma.

• In childhood - Childhood non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas include lymphoblastic lymphoma, large-cell lymphoma, and small-noncleaved-cell lymphoma (including Burkitt’s and non-Burkitt’s lymphomas). High-grade (aggressive) non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas usually affect children and young adults.