Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
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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 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma?
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (also called NHL) is cancer that begins in
the lymphatic system. To understand this disease, it is helpful to know about
the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system
The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system. The
immune system
fights infections and other diseases.
In the lymphatic system, a network of lymph vessels carries clear fluid
called lymph. Lymph vessels lead to small, round organs called lymph nodes.
Lymph nodes are filled with lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). The
lymph nodes trap and remove bacteria or other harmful substances that may be in
the lymph. Groups of lymph nodes are found in the neck, underarms, chest,
abdomen, and groin.
Other parts of the lymphatic system include the tonsils,
spleen, and thymus. Lymphatic
tissue is also found in other parts of the body including the stomach, skin, and
small intestine.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
There are many types of
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. All types of lymphoma begin in cells of the lymphatic
system. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs
them. When cells grow old, they die, and new cells take their place. Sometimes
this process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them, and
old cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of
tissue called a growth or tumor.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma begins when a lymphocyte (a B cell or T cell) becomes
abnormal. Usually, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma starts in a B cell in a lymph node.
The abnormal cell divides to make copies of itself. The new cells divide again
and again, making more and more abnormal cells. The abnormal cells are cancer
cells. They do not die when they should. They do not protect the body from
infections or other diseases. Also, the cancer cells can spread to nearly any
other part of the body.
Next: What are risk factors for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma? »
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Last Editorial Review: 8/22/2006
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