Disease state resources
Lymphoma fact sheet
Lymphoma is a group of blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system, which is designed to help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials.
November 27, 2018
What is lymphoma?
Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in white blood cells called lymphocytes. There are two main types of lymphoma:
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Reed-Sternberg cells are not present
Hodgkin lymphoma
Classified by the presence of abnormal cells called Reed-Sternberg cells
The major sites of lymph tissue are:
Lymph nodes
Spleen
Bone marrow
Thymus
Adenoids and tonsils
Digestive tract
Lymphoma can start wherever there is lymph tissue, though it most often starts in lymph nodes in the upper part of the body, like the chest, neck or under the arms.
Global incidence
Almost one million new cases of lymphoma are expected to occur globally in 2045.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common than Hodgkin lymphoma. It’s expected there will be nearly 8 times as many new cases of NHL than HL by 2045.
843,162
New cases expected in 2045
105,438
New cases expected in 2045
Risk factors
Lymphoma risk may increase in the presence of these factors:
HL risk may increase in the presence of these factors:
NHL risk may increase in the presence of these factors:
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms of lymphoma may include:
Non-specific symptoms, also known as B symptoms, may include:
Treatment options
A patient’s treatment options are largely dependent on the type and stage of their lymphoma. Treatment options for lymphoma may include: