Cancer - Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer arising from lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells. It is distinct from Hodgkin's disease, another subtype of lymphoma. The non-Hodgkin lymphomas are a diverse group of diseases with varying courses, treatments, and prognoses.

Lymphomas may develop in any organ associated with the lymphatic system. Most cases start with infiltration of lymph nodes, but some subtypes may be restricted to other lymphatic organs.

The diagnosis of lymphoma requires a biopsy of involved tissue. The numerous subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are typically grouped by their histologic grade, or aggressiveness. The treatment of indolent or low-grade lymphoma may initially be supportive, while aggressive or high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma is typically treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Over the years, doctors have used a variety of terms to classify the many different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Most often, they are grouped by how the cancer cells look under a microscope and how quickly they are likely to grow and spread. Aggressive lymphomas, also known as intermediate and high-grade lymphomas, tend to grow and spread quickly and cause severe symptoms. Indolent lymphomas, also referred to as low-grade lymphomas, tend to grow quite slowly and cause fewer symptoms. One of the paradoxes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is that the indolent lymphomas generally cannot be cured by chemotherapy, while in a significant number of cases aggressive lymphomas can be. Current lymphoma classification is complex. Common types of lymphomas include follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

The most significant factor in overall prognosis is the grade, or aggressiveness, of the lymphoma. Indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is generally not curable, but is typically slowly progressive and responds temporarily to therapy. Aggressive and highly aggressive NHL's are potentially curable with combination chemotherapy. Long-term survival or cure rates for these diseases vary with a number of prognostic factors.

...More at Wikipedia  

Related Links:

• National Cancer Institute
• US National Library of Medicine
• Mayo Clinic

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