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Summary
Lymphoma is a cancer of a part of the immune system called the lymph system. There are many types of lymphoma. One type is Hodgkin disease. The rest are called non-Hodgkin lymphomas.
Non-Hodgkin lymphomas begin when a type of white blood cell, called a T cell or B cell, becomes abnormal. The cell divides again and again, making more and more abnormal cells. These abnormal cells can spread to almost any other part of the body. Most of the time, doctors don't know why a person gets non-Hodgkin lymphoma. You are at increased risk if you have a weakened immune system or have certain types of infections.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can cause many symptoms, such as :
- Swollen, painless lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fever
- Soaking night sweats
- Coughing, trouble breathing or chest pain
- Weakness and tiredness that don't go away
- Pain, swelling or a feeling of fullness in the abdomen
Your doctor will diagnose lymphoma with a physical exam, blood tests, a chest x-ray, and a biopsy. Treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, biological therapy, or therapy to remove proteins from the blood. Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer. If you don't have symptoms, you may not need treatment right away. This is called watchful waiting.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Diagnosis and Tests
- Beta 2 Microglobulin (B2M) Tumor Marker Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Blood Count Tests: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Bone Marrow Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Lab and Imaging Tests (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) Also in Spanish
- Needle Biopsy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Stages of Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Stages of AIDS-Related Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute)
- Stages of Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute)
- Stages of Mycosis Fungoides (Including Sézary Syndrome) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Staging Primary CNS Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute)
- Tests for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Tests for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (American Cancer Society)
- Tumor Marker Tests (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Can Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Be Prevented? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk Factors (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- What Are the Risk Factors for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia? (American Cancer Society)
Treatments and Therapies
- Bone Marrow Transplantation: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Drugs Approved for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute)
- Immunotherapy (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) Also in Spanish
- Integrative Medicine and Complementary and Alternative Therapies (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) Also in Spanish
- Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
- Stem Cell Transplants in Cancer Treatment (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Treatment of Recurrent Mycosis Fungoides (Including Sézary Syndrome) (National Cancer Institute)
- Treatment of Stage I and Stage II Mycosis Fungoides (National Cancer Institute)
- Treatment of Stage III and Stage IV Mycosis Fungoides (Including Sézary Syndrome) (National Cancer Institute)
- Treatment Option Overview (Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Treatment Option Overview (AIDS Related-Lymphoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma) (National Cancer Institute)
- Treatment Option Overview (Primary CNS Lymphoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Treatment Option Overview for Mycosis Fungoides (Including Sézary Syndrome) (National Cancer Institute)
- Treatment Options for Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute)
Living With
- Living as a Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivor (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Living as a Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia Survivor (American Cancer Society)
- Understanding Lymphoma and Cancer-Related Fatigue (Lymphoma Research Foundation)
Related Issues
- Hodgkin's vs. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: What's the Difference? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (Lymphoma Research Foundation)
- Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (Lymphoma Research Foundation)
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (CLL/SLL) (Lymphoma Research Foundation)
- General Information about AIDS-Related Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- General Information about Mycosis Fungoides (Including Sézary Syndrome) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- General Information about Primary CNS Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Mantle Cell Lymphoma (Lymphoma Research Foundation)
- Marginal Zone Lymphoma (Lymphoma Research Foundation)
- T-Cell Lymphoma (Lymphoma Research Foundation)
- What Is Waldenstrom Macroglobulinema? (American Cancer Society)
Genetics
- 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
- Mycosis fungoides: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
- Sézary syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Statistics and Research
- Advances in Lymphoma Research (National Cancer Institute)
- Cancer Stat Facts: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute)
- Key Statistics for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- What's New in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Lymphoma (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (National Institutes of Health)
- Types of Treatment: Clinical Trials (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
- American Cancer Society
- Choosing a Cancer Doctor (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Also in Spanish
- Lymphoma Research Foundation
- National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish
- NCI - Designated Cancer Centers (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Children
- General Information about Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
- Immunotherapy to Treat Cancer (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
- What Causes Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children? (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- After chemotherapy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- B-cell leukemia/lymphoma panel (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Bone marrow transplant (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Burkitt lymphoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Lymph node biopsy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.