MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Hodgkin’s lymphoma

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Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative names Definition Causes, incidence, and risk factors Symptoms Signs and tests	Treatment Support Groups Expectations (prognosis) Complications Calling your health care provider

Illustrations

Lymphatic system

Lymphoma, malignant - CT scan

Hodgkin's disease, liver involvement

Immune system structures

Alternative names Return to top

Lymphoma - Hodgkin's; Hodgkin's disease; Cancer - Hodgkin's lymphoma

Definition Return to top

Hodgkin's lymphoma is a malignancy (cancer) of lymph tissue found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and bone marrow.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

The first sign of this cancer is often an enlarged lymph node which appears without a known cause. The disease can spread to adjacent lymph nodes and later may spread outside the lymph nodes to the lungs, liver, or bone marrow.

The cause is not known. The incidence is 2 in 10,000 people. Hodgkin's lymphoma is most common among people 15 to 35 and 50 to 70 years old.

Symptoms Return to top

Painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin (swollen glands)
Fatigue
Fever and chills
Night sweats
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Generalized itching

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

Excessive sweating
Skin blushing or flushing
Neck pain
Hair loss
Flank pain
Clubbing of the fingers or toes
Splenomegaly

Signs and tests Return to top

The disease may be diagnosed after:

A lymph node biopsy
A bone marrow biopsy
A biopsy of suspected tissue
Detection of Reed-Sternberg (Hodgkin's lymphoma) cells by biopsy

A staging evaluation (tumor staging) to determine extent of disease includes:

A physical examination
CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis
A bone marrow biopsy
Blood chemistry tests
A PET scan (a nuclear medicine test that looks for tumor cells throughout the body)
Abdominal surgery to biopsy the liver and take out the spleen to see if it is affected by the lymphoma. However, because the other tests are now so good at detecting the spread of Hodgkin's lymphoma, this surgery is usually unnecessary.

This disease may change the results of the following tests:

Treatment Return to top

A staging evaluation is necessary to determine the treatment plan.

Stage I indicates one lymph node region is involved (for example, the right neck).
Stage II indicates involvement of 2 lymph nodes on the same side of the diaphragm (for example, both sides of the neck).
Stage III indicates lymph node involvement on both sides of the diaphragm (for example, groin and armpit).
Stage IV involves the spread of cancer outside the lymph nodes (for example, to bone marrow, lungs, or liver).

Treatment varies with the stage of the disease. Stages I and II (limited disease) can be treated with localized radiation therapy, with chemotherapy or with a combination of both. Stages III and IV (extensive disease) are treated with a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The best treatment for an individual patient depends on many factors, and should be discussed in detail with a doctor who has experience treating this disease.

Chemotherapy can cause low blood cell counts, which can lead to an increased risk of bleeding, infection, and anemia. To minimize bleeding, apply ice and pressure to any external bleeding. A soft toothbrush and electric razor should be used for personal hygiene.

Infection should always be taken seriously during cancer treatment, so contact your doctor immediately if fever or other signs of infection develop. Planning daily activities with scheduled rest periods may help prevent fatigue associated with anemia.

Support Groups Return to top

The stress of illness can often be eased by joining a support group of people sharing common experiences and problems. See cancer - support group.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

With appropriate treatment, more than 80% of people with stage I or II Hodgkin's survive for at least 10 years. With widespread disease, the treatment is more intense and the 5-year survival rate is about 60%.

Complications Return to top

Possible acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) as a result of treatment
Possible non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Liver failure
Adverse effects of radiation and chemotherapy

Calling your health care provider Return to top

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms suggestive of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Call your health care provider if you are being treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma and experience adverse effects of radiation and chemotherapy, including nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or bleeding.

Update Date: 5/3/2004

Updated by: Stephen Grund, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of Hematology & Oncology and Director of the George Bray Cancer Center at New Britain General Hospital, New Britain, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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