Hodgkin Lymphoma (original) (raw)

Also called: Hodgkin Disease

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Summary

What is Hodgkin lymphoma?

Hodgkin lymphoma, also called Hodgkin disease, is a type of cancer that develops in the lymph system. Your lymph system is part of your immune system. It helps protect your body from infection and disease.

The lymph system is made up of tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry white blood cells. It includes your:

• Bone marrow
• Lymph nodes
• Lymphatic vessels
• Spleen
• Thymus
• Tonsils

Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the main types of lymphoma. The other is non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Each type starts in different types of white blood cells.

What causes Hodgkin lymphoma?

The cause of Hodgkin lymphoma is unknown. But there are certain people who are at higher risk of developing it.

Who is more likely to develop Hodgkin lymphoma?

Certain factors can make you more likely to develop Hodgkin lymphoma:

• Age. Hodgkin lymphoma is most common in early adulthood (age 20-39 years) and in late adulthood (age 65 years and older).
• Being male. The risk of adult Hodgkin lymphoma is slightly higher in males than in females.
• Past Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Having an infection with EBV as a young child or teenager increases your risk of Hodgkin lymphoma.
• A family history of Hodgkin lymphoma. Having a parent or sibling with Hodgkin lymphoma increases your risk of developing it.

What are the symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma?

The signs and symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma may include:

• Painless, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin
• Fever for no known reason
• Drenching night sweats (very heavy sweating during sleep)
• Weight loss for no known reason in the past 6 months
• Itchy skin, especially after bathing or drinking alcohol
• Fatigue

How is Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed?

To find out if you have Hodgkin lymphoma, your provider:

• Will ask about your symptoms and medical history. This will include checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual.
• May order some lab tests, such as:
  • Complete blood count
  • Blood chemistry studies
  • Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) test
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test
  • Blood tests to rule out other medical conditions
  • May do imaging tests such as a CT and PET (positron emission tomography) scans
  • May do a lymph node biopsy

What are the treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma?

Treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma include:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells
• Cancer immunotherapy

Hodgkin lymphoma can usually be cured if it is found and treated early.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• General Information about Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

• Hodgkin's Lymphoma (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

• What Is Hodgkin Lymphoma? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Hodgkin Disease (National Institutes of Health)

• General Information about Childhood Hodgkin Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

• Chest radiation - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Hodgkin lymphoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

• Hodgkin lymphoma in children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish