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What is Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Hodgkin lymphoma, also known as hodgkin's disease, is a type of lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system. It helps the body fight infection and disease. In hodgkin lymphoma, cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond the lymphatic system. As the disease progresses, it compromises the body's ability to fight infection.

Types of Hodgkin Lymphoma

There are two main types of hodgkin lymphoma: classical hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) and nodular lymphocyte-predominant hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL).

Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (CHL): This is the most common type of hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for about 95% of all cases. CHL is characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells, a type of abnormal cell that is usually much larger than normal lymphocytes.

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL): This type is much less common, making up about 5% of hodgkin lymphoma cases. NLPHL tends to grow more slowly and is often diagnosed at an earlier stage than CHL.

Why Do People Get Hodgkin Lymphoma?

The exact cause of hodgkin lymphoma is not known. However, it is associated with several risk factors. These include age (it is most common in early adulthood and late adulthood), sex (it is slightly more common in males), family history (having a sibling with the disease increases the risk), and certain viral infections (such as Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis).

It's important to note that having one or more risk factors does not mean that a person will definitely develop hodgkin lymphoma. Many people with these risk factors never develop the disease, while others with no known risk factors do.

Who gets Hodgkin Lymphoma?

According to the National Cancer Institute, there will be an estimated 9,000 new cases of hodgkin lymphoma in 2023, making up .5% of all new cancer diagnoses. In 2020, there were an estimated 223,512 people living with hodgkin lymphoma in the United States.

Want to Learn More About Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Keep reading HealthTree for Hodgkin Lymphoma's 101 pages!

Hodgkin lymphoma, also known as hodgkin's disease, is a type of lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system. It helps the body fight infection and disease. In hodgkin lymphoma, cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond the lymphatic system. As the disease progresses, it compromises the body's ability to fight infection.

Types of Hodgkin Lymphoma

There are two main types of hodgkin lymphoma: classical hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) and nodular lymphocyte-predominant hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL).

Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (CHL): This is the most common type of hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for about 95% of all cases. CHL is characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells, a type of abnormal cell that is usually much larger than normal lymphocytes.

Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL): This type is much less common, making up about 5% of hodgkin lymphoma cases. NLPHL tends to grow more slowly and is often diagnosed at an earlier stage than CHL.

Why Do People Get Hodgkin Lymphoma?

The exact cause of hodgkin lymphoma is not known. However, it is associated with several risk factors. These include age (it is most common in early adulthood and late adulthood), sex (it is slightly more common in males), family history (having a sibling with the disease increases the risk), and certain viral infections (such as Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis).

It's important to note that having one or more risk factors does not mean that a person will definitely develop hodgkin lymphoma. Many people with these risk factors never develop the disease, while others with no known risk factors do.

Who gets Hodgkin Lymphoma?

According to the National Cancer Institute, there will be an estimated 9,000 new cases of hodgkin lymphoma in 2023, making up .5% of all new cancer diagnoses. In 2020, there were an estimated 223,512 people living with hodgkin lymphoma in the United States.

Want to Learn More About Hodgkin Lymphoma?

Keep reading HealthTree for Hodgkin Lymphoma's 101 pages!

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