What are Lymphomas

What are Lymphomas

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Lymphomas are cancers that affect the lymphatic system. Lymphomas arise when developing lymphocytes undergo a malignant change and multiply in an uncontrolled way. Increasing numbers of abnormal lymphocytes, called lymphoma cells accumulate and form tumours in lymph nodes and other parts of the body. Over time, lymphoma cells replace normal lymphocytes, weakening the immune system's ability to fight infection.

There are many different sub-types of lymphoma, which are divided into two main types: Hodgkin lymphomaand non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Hodgkin Lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma is a rare form of lymphoma characterised by a particular abnormal tumour cell - Reed Sternberg - not present in other forms of lymphoma. Over 67,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma each year, of those 41% are male and 59% are female.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas (NHL)

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) - There are over 40 types of NHL, some of which are more common than others. Any lymphomas that do not involve Reed-Sternberg cells are classified as non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Many times they are classified into two groups, depending on the rate at which the tumour is growing:

1. Indolent (low-grade): Tumour cells divide and multiply slowly making initial diagnosis difficult. Patients may live many years with the disease, yet standard treatment cannot cure the disease in its advanced stages.
2. Aggressive (intermediate/high grade): Tumour cells divide and multiply rapidly in the body and, if left untreated, can be fatal within six months to two years. Treatment of aggressive NHL can lead to patients being cured.

Approximately 566,692 people worldwide are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphomas each year, of those 56% are male and 44% are female.

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