Lymphomas

Lymphomas are a group of blood cell tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). The name often refers to just the cancerous ones rather than all such tumors. Signs and symptoms may include enlarged lymph nodes, fever, drenching sweats, unintended weight loss, itching, and constantly feeling tired. The enlarged lymph nodes are usually painless. The sweats are most common at night.

There are dozens of subtypes of lymphomas. The two main categories of lymphomas are Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL) and the non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). The World Health Organization (WHO) includes two other categories as types of lymphoma: multiple myeloma and immunoproliferative diseases. About 90% of lymphomas are non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Lymphomas and leukemias are a part of the broader group of tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues.

Risk factors for HL include infection with Epstein–Barr virus and a history of the disease in the family. Risk factors for NHL include autoimmune diseases, HIV/AIDS, infection with human T-lymphotropic virus, immunosuppressant medications, and some pesticides. Eating a large amount of meat or fat might increase the risk. Diagnosis, if symptoms are sufficient, is usually with medical imaging and a tissue biopsy. There are many subtypes of NHL, and they are classified according to the cell type involved, its appearance under the microscope, and the expression of proteins and genes. Despite many subtypes, the treatment and prognosis are often similar.

Treatment may involve one or more of the following: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, or targeted therapy. If the blood becomes overly thick due to high numbers of blood cells, plasmapheresis may be used. Response to treatment is often monitored with medical imaging and blood tests. For some types of lymphoma the prognosis is poor; for others it is very good.

Lymphoma and leukemia are the seventh leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and the third leading cause in children. In 2015, lymphoma caused 305,800 deaths globally. In the United States in 2018, about 802,500 people have lymphoma, and 24,370 died from the disease.

Lymphomas Resources
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