What Causes Lymphoma?

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma becomes more common as people get older. Unlike most cancers, rates of Hodgkin lymphoma are highest among teens and young adults (ages 15 to 39 years) and again among older adults (ages 75 years or older). White people are more likely than black people to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and men are more likely than women to develop lymphoma.

Scientists do not fully understand all of the causes of lymphoma, but research has found many links. For example:

• Research has shown that people who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at much higher risk of developing lymphoma.

• Other viruses, such as human T-cell lymphotrophic virusExternal and Epstein Barr virus, also have been linked with certain kinds of lymphoma.

• People exposed to high levels of ionizing radiation have a higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

• Family history has been linked with a higher risk of Hodgkin lymphoma.

• Some studies suggest that specific ingredients in herbicides and pesticides may be linked with lymphoma, but scientists don’t know how much is needed to raise the risk of developing lymphoma.

Symptoms of Lymphoma

Symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma include swollen lymph nodes, especially in the part of the body where the lymphoma starts to grow. Other symptoms include fever, night sweats, feeling tired, and weight loss.

These symptoms can also come from other conditions. If you have any of them, talk to your doctor.

Facts About Lymphoma

The lymphatic system is a network of tiny vessels extending throughout the body. They are often next to the veins and arteries but are even smaller than them. Scattered along these vessels are lymph nodes. The lymphatic vessels carry a clear fluid called lymph from the extremities and organs back to the blood circulation. The job of the lymphatic system is to fight infection and disease. Cancer of the lymphatic system is called lymphoma. The two main types are Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma

• Hodgkin's lymphoma (or Hodgkin's disease) most often begins in the larger, more central lymph nodes of the body including those along the largest blood vessels of the neck, central chest, abdomen along the spine, and armpit and groin areas where the vessels return from the arms and legs.

• It is named for the British doctor Thomas Hodgkin, who first described the disease in 1832.

• According to the American Cancer Society, more than 8,000 people will be diagnosed with Hodgkin's in the United States each year.

• Hodgkin's is very treatable and often curable. More than 75 percent of patients with Hodgkin's live longer than 10 years after diagnosis.

• Hodgkin's is usually treated with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, either alone or together.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)

• NHL is a cancerous growth of cells that make up the lymph nodes.

• NHL is eight times more common than Hodgkin's lymphoma. The American Cancer Society expects that 63,000 people will be diagnosed with the disease annually.

• Since the 1970s, the number of people with NHL has increased significantly. Researchers are studying to see whether a gene makes people more likely to develop NHL.

• There are about 30 types of NHL, and the best treatment depends on the exact type. All types of NHL are treatable, and many are curable.

• NHL is usually treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biologic therapy and/or a stem cell transplant. Depending on your cancer and overall health, you might receive only one of these treatments or several in combination.

Staging of Lymphoma

The stage of lymphoma is a term used to describe the extent of the disease.

• Stage I: Single lymph node or non-lymph node region is affected.

• Stage II: Two or more lymph nodes or non-lymph node regions are affected on the same side of the diaphragm (the muscle under the lungs).

• Stage III: Lymph nodes or non-lymph node regions above and below the diaphragm are affected.

• Stage IV: The cancer has spread outside the lymph nodes to organs such as the liver, bones or lungs. Stage IV can also refer to a tumor in another organ and/or tumors in the distant lymph nodes.

Talk to your physician to find out exactly which stage you have. Determining the stage and exact type of lymphoma (by microscopic examination of tissue from a biopsy) are essential steps toward planning the best treatment to cure your disease.

Content source: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention