A Brief Overview of Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a type of cancer affecting the lymphatic system. Cancer begins in the immune system cells that fight against infections, also called lymphocytes. The cells are present in the lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, bone marrow, and some other body parts. Patients experience a change in lymphocytes that grow out of control. Lymphoma may develop at any age, but it is common in children and young adults of 15 to 24 years. It is usually treatable. Two broad categories of lymphoma types include Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In the country, there is a 2.1 percent lifetime risk of developing Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, whereas Hodgkin lymphoma risk is at 0.2 percent. 1. Facts about Lymphoma Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system and lymph nodes. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common of the two lymphoma types. The primary symptom of lymphoma is an enlarged lymph node that doesn’t go away, unlike in the case of an infection. There are no preventive measures for lymphoma, though survival rates are good after undertaking treatments. 2. Different types of Lymphoma Dr. Thomas Hodgkin, a pathologist, sometime in the 1800s, identified the cells in Hodgkin’s lymphoma, as it is commonly known now. People suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma have enormous Reed-Sternberg (RS) cancerous cells, which Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) patients do not have.