Non-Hodgkin lymphoma - NHS

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands spread throughout your body. Skiptomaincontent Home HealthAtoZ Backto HealthAtoZ Overview - Non-Hodgkinlymphoma Contents Overview Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment Complications Non-Hodgkinlymphomaisatypeofcancerthatdevelopsinthelymphaticsystem,anetworkofvesselsandglandsspreadthroughoutyourbody.Thelymphaticsystemispartofyourimmunesystem.Clearfluidcalledlymphflowsthroughthelymphaticvesselsandcontainsinfection-fightingwhitebloodcellsknownaslymphocytes.Innon-Hodgkinlymphoma,theaffectedlymphocytesstarttomultiplyinanabnormalwayandbegintocollectincertainpartsofthelymphaticsystem,suchasthelymphnodes(glands).Theaffectedlymphocyteslosetheirinfection-fightingproperties,makingyoumorevulnerabletoinfection.Themostcommonsymptomofnon-Hodgkinlymphomaisapainlessswellinginalymphnode,usuallyintheneck,armpitorgroin. Findoutmoreaboutthesymptomsofnon-Hodgkinlymphoma Who'saffected IntheUK,morethan13,000peoplearediagnosedwithnon-Hodgkinlymphomaeachyear.Non-Hodgkinlymphomacanoccuratanyage,butyourchancesofdevelopingtheconditionincreaseasyougetolder,withjustoverathirdofcasesdiagnosedinpeopleover75.Slightlymorementhanwomenareaffected. Whatcausesnon-Hodgkinlymphoma? Theexactcauseofnon-Hodgkinlymphomaisunknown.Butyourriskofdevelopingtheconditionisincreasedif:youhaveamedicalconditionthatweakensyourimmunesystemyoutakeimmunosuppressantmedicineyouhavepreviouslybeenexposedtoacommonviruscalledtheEpstein-Barrvirus, whichcausesglandularfeverYoualsohaveaslightlyincreasedriskofdevelopingnon-Hodgkinlymphomaifacloserelative(suchasaparentorsibling)hashadthecondition. Hownon-Hodgkinlymphomaisdiagnosed Theonlywaytoconfirmadiagnosisofnon-Hodgkinlymphomaisbycarryingoutabiopsy.Thisisaminorsurgicalprocedurewhereasampleofaffectedlymphnodetissueisremovedandstudiedinalaboratory.Findoutmoreaboutdiagnosingnon-Hodgkinlymphoma Treatmentsfornon-Hodgkinlymphoma Therearemanysubtypesofnon-Hodgkinlymphoma,buttheycangenerallybeputinto1of2broadcategories:high-gradeoraggressivenon-Hodgkinlymphoma–wherethecancergrowsquicklyandaggressivelylow-gradeorindolentnon-Hodgkinlymphoma–wherethecancergrowsslowlyandyoumaynotexperienceanysymptomsformanyyearsTheoutlookandtreatmentfornon-Hodgkinlymphomavariesgreatly,dependingontheexacttype,gradeandextentofthelymphoma,andtheperson'sage.Low-gradetumoursdonotnecessarilyrequireimmediatemedicaltreatment,butarehardertocompletelycure.High-gradelymphomasneedtobetreatedstraightaway,buttendtorespondmuchbettertotreatmentandcanoftenbecured.Themaintreatmentsusedfornon-Hodgkinlymphomaare:chemotherapyradiotherapyatargetedtreatmentcalledmonoclonalantibodytherapyOverall,mostcasesofnon-Hodgkinlymphomaareconsideredverytreatable. Youcanreadmoredetailedinformationabout theoutlookfornon-HodgkinlymphomaontheCancerResearchUKwebsite.Butthere'sariskoflong-termproblemsaftertreatment,includinginfertilityandanincreasedriskofdevelopinganothertypeofcancerinthefuture. Pagelastreviewed:20June2022 Nextreviewdue:20June2025 Next : Symptoms