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Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, NHL) is cancer that starts in lymphoid tissue (also called lymphatic tissue), part of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is important for filtering bacteria and cancer cells and carrying fluid from the limbs and internal organs back into the blood.
Lymphoid tissue contains lymphocytes, which are cells that fight infections. They also try to reject any foreign tissue that gets into the body, such as a transplanted organ. Lymphocytes are found in lymphoid organs (discussed below) and in the bone marrow.
Other types of cancer - lung or colon cancers, for example - can develop in other organs and then spread to lymphoid tissue. But these cancers that spread to the lymph nodes are not lymphomas. Lymphomas start from lymphocytes in either the lymphoid tissue or lymphoid organs and can spread from there.
There are 2 main types of lymphomas. Hodgkin's lymphoma (also known as Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, or Hodgkin's disease) is named after Dr. Thomas Hodgkin, who first described it as a new disease in 1832. All other types of lymphoma are called non-Hodgkin lymphomas.
These 2 types of lymphoma can usually be distinguished from each other by examining the cancerous tissue under a microscope. In some cases, more tests to identify specific chemical components of the lymphoma cells or tests of the cells’ DNA may be needed.
For additional information or to learn more about
other organizations working to help improve care and the quality of
life for children with cancer and increase the survival rate of
those diagnosed with the disease, visit the Web sites below:
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