Hodgkin's Disease, Adult
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Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Differences and Similarities
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Both Hodgkin's disease (sometimes referred to as Hodgkin's lymphoma) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are cancers that originate in a type of white blood cell known as a lymphocyte, an important component of the body's immune system. Both of these malignancies may cause similar symptoms, but the conditions themselves are different. The distinction between Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is made upon examination of the cancerous material (from a biopsy or aspiration of the tumor tissue). The type of abnormal cells identified in the sample determines whether a lymphoma is classified as Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is much more common than Hodgkin's disease. In the United States, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer among males and the fifth most common cancer among females. Furthermore, the incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been steadily increasing over the last decades. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is actually a heterogeneous group of over 30 types of cancers with differences in the microscopic appearance and biological characterization of the malignant lymphocytes. The different types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma also have differences in their biologic behavior (such as the tendency to grow aggressively) that affect a patient's overall outlook (prognosis).
Hodgkin's disease is much less common than non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and accounts for only about 1% of all cancers in the U.S. The incidence of this cancer has actually been declining in recent years, in contrast to the increases in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease is confirmed by visualizing tissue samples using a microscope. When a biopsy from the cancer contains a certain type of cell termed a Reed-Sternberg cell, the lymphoma is classified as Hodgkin's disease.
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What is Hodgkin's disease?
Hodgkin's disease is one of a group
of cancers called lymphomas. Lymphoma
is a general
term for cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. Hodgkin's disease, an
uncommon lymphoma, accounts for less than 1 percent of all cases of cancer
in this country. Other cancers of the lymphatic system are called
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are the subject of another
NCI booklet, What You Need To Know About™ Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system. It helps the
body fight disease and infection. The lymphatic system includes a network of
thin lymphatic vessels that branch, like blood vessels, into tissues
throughout the body. Lymphatic vessels carry lymph, a colorless, watery
fluid that contains infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. Along this
network of vessels are small organs called lymph nodes. Clusters of lymph
nodes are found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen. Other
parts of the lymphatic system are the spleen, thymus, tonsils, and bone
marrow. Lymphatic tissue is also found in other parts of the body, including
the stomach, intestines, and skin.
Cancer is a group of many related diseases that begin in cells, the
body's basic unit of life. To understand Hodgkin's disease, it is helpful to
know about normal cells and what happens when they become cancerous. The
body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to
produce more cells only when the body needs them. This orderly process helps
keep the body healthy. Sometimes cells keep dividing when new cells are not
needed, creating a mass of extra tissue. This mass is called a growth or
tumor. Tumors can be either benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
In Hodgkin's disease, cells in the lymphatic system become abnormal. They
divide too rapidly and grow without any order or control. Because lymphatic
tissue is present in many parts of the body, Hodgkin's disease can start
almost anywhere. Hodgkin's disease may occur in a single lymph node, a group
of lymph nodes, or, sometimes, in other parts of the lymphatic system such
as the bone marrow and spleen. This type of cancer tends to spread in a
fairly orderly way from one group of lymph nodes to the next group. For
example, Hodgkin's disease that arises in the lymph nodes in the neck
spreads first to the nodes above the collarbones, and then to the lymph
nodes under the arms and within the chest. Eventually, it can spread to
almost any other part of the body. (Please see the
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma article.)
Next: What are risk factors associated with Hodgkin's disease? »
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