Lymphomas are blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system, which is part of the body's immune system. There are many different subtypes of lymphoma, most of which are divided into two main types: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. About 90 percent of people diagnosed have non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The lymphatic system is the body's disease-fighting network. It includes the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland and bone marrow. The main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Symptoms include enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue and weight loss.Treatment may involve chemotherapy, medication, radiation therapy and rarely stem-cell transplant.
About half of the lymphoma cancers that occur each year are lymphomas, or cancers of the lymphatic system. This system - composed of lymph nodes in your neck, armpits, groin, chest, and abdomen - removes excess fluids from your body and produces immune cells. Abnormal lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that fights infection, become lymphoma cells, which multiply and collect in your lymph nodes. Over time, these cancerous cells impair your immune system. Lymphomas are divided into two categories: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. About 12 percent of people with lymphoma have Hodgkin lymphoma. Because of breakthrough research, this once fatal diagnosis has been transformed into a curable condition. Most non-Hodgkin lymphomas are B-cell lymphomas, and either grow quickly (high-grade) or slowly (low-grade). There are over a dozen types of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The rest are T-cell lymphomas, named after a different cancerous white blood cell, or lymphocyte.