JumptoMainContentAmericanSocietyofHematologyEducationPatientsBloodCancersLymphomaEducationPublicationsAgendaforNematologyResearchRecommendationsAboutUsPrecisionMedicineGenomeEditingandGeneTherapyImmunologicTreatmentResearchSupportandFundingMeetingsCareersLymphomaAbouthalfofthebloodcancersthatoccureachyeararelymphomas,orcancersofthelymphaticsystem.Thissystem-composedoflymphnodesinyourneck,armpits,groin,chest,andabdomen-removesexcessfluidsfromyourbodyandproducesimmunecells.Abnormallymphocytes,atypeofwhitebloodcellthatfightsinfection,becomelymphomacells,whichmultiplyandcollectinyourlymphnodes.Overtime,thesecancerouscellsimpairyourimmunesystem.Lymphomasaredividedintotwocategories:Hodgkinlymphomaandnon-Hodgkinlymphoma. About12percentofpeoplewithlymphomahaveHodgkinlymphoma.Becauseof breakthroughresearch,thisoncefataldiagnosishasbeentransformedintoacurablecondition.Mostnon-HodgkinlymphomasareB-celllymphomas,andeithergrowquickly(high-grade)orslowly(low-grade).ThereareoveradozentypesofB-cellnon-Hodgkinlymphomas.TherestareT-celllymphomas,namedafteradifferentcancerouswhitebloodcell,orlymphocyte. HowLymphomaDevelops Manylymphomapatientsareabletoleadactivelivesastheyreceivetreatmentfortheirsymptomsandaremonitoredbytheirdoctors.AmIatRisk?Theexactcausesoflymphomaremainunknown;however,thefollowingfactorsincreaseyourriskofdevelopingthedisease:OlderageMaleCaucasianHavinganautoimmunediseaseHIV/AIDSDiethighinmeatsandfatBeingexposedtocertainpesticidesSymptomsoflymphomaincludethefollowing:Swollenlymphnodesintheneck,armpits,orgroinFeverWeaknessandfatigueWeightlossSweatingDifficultybreathingorchestpainItchyskinRashHowisLymphomaTreated?Yourdoctorwillperformalymphnodebiopsytodiagnoselymphoma.Additionaltestsarethenconductedtodeterminethestage(extent)ofthelymphomaincludingbloodtests,bonemarrowbiopsies,andimagingtests,suchasaCTscanorPETscan.Imagingtestsshowwhetherthelymphomahasspreadtootherpartsofyourbody,likethespleenandlungs.Decisionsabouttreatmentarethendeterminedbyyourdoctor,whowillconsider