Hodgkin's Disease
and
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Lymphomas are cancers of the network of specialized organs and cells that defend the body against infection. The organs of the immune system are often referred to as "lymphatic" organs because they are concerned with the growth and development of the white blood cells that are the key operative of the immune system.
In all forms of lymphomas. the cells in the lymph tissue begin to grow abnormally, and if left untreated, spread to other organs/ There are a number of different forms of lymphoma, whose symptoms, rate and pattern of spread, as well as treatment vary, depending on the type.
The symptoms of lymphatic cancer vary from person to person and may easily be confused with noncancerous conditions. In most cases, the first sign of lymphoma is a painless swelling in the neck, armpit, or groin, caused by enlarged lymph glands. In non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the swelling may arise in the abdomen. Some lymphoma patients complain of persistent or recurrent fever, night sweats, fatigue, and weight loss. Sometimes, itching of the skin marks the early stages of Hodgkin's disease and other lymphomas.
Hodgkin's disease, the most common lymphoma, has special characteristics that distinguish it from the others. Hodgkin's disease tends to follow a more predictable pattern of spread, and its spread is generally more limited than that of the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. The unique features of each lymphoma arise from the structure and growth pattern, or histology of the cancer cells involved.
Hodgkin's disease begins in a lymph node, often in the neck, and spreads through the lymphatic system to nearby nodes. In advanced Hodgkin's disease, the lungs, spleen, liver and bone marrow may also be affected.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas like other cancers, are disease of the body's cells. When cell division is not orderly and controlled, abnormal growth occurs and masses called tumors build up. Benign tumors do not spread. they usually can be removed completely by surgery. Malignant tumors or cancers invade surrounding normal tissues amd often spread to other parts of the body, forming new cancers. In some cases, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is found in a single lymph node or single patch of lymphoid tissue in an organ. But in most cases, it has begun to spread before detected.
The most common symptoms of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are painless swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, groin, or armpit. This is not an uncommon occurance, and is not a definite sign of cancer. Lymph nodes often swell when a person has an infection. Small lumps in the skin, skin rash, enlarged tonsils, or a swelling in some part of the abdomen may be the first sign. Other symptoms that sometimes occur are fever, a feeling of weakness, bone pain and loss of appetite.
Once a diagnosis of lymphoma has been confirmed by a pathologist, other clinical laboratory tests are used to determine how far the cancers cells have spread. This step, known as staging, helps the physician select the best treatment for each patient.
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