Lymphoma Summary Lymphoma is a cancer of a part of the immune system called the lymph system. There are many types of lymphoma. One type is Hodgkin disease. The rest are called non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas begin when a type of white blood cell, called a T cell or B cell, becomes abnormal. The cell divides again and again, making more and more abnormal cells. These abnormal cells can spread to almost any other part of the body. Most of the time, doctors don’t know why a person gets non-Hodgkin lymphoma. You are at increased risk if you have a weakened immune system or have certain types of infections. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can cause many symptoms, such as Swollen, painless lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin Unexplained weight loss Fever Soaking night sweats Coughing, trouble breathing or chest pain Weakness and tiredness that don’t go away Pain, swelling or a feeling of fullness in the abdomen Your doctor will diagnose lymphoma with a physical exam, blood tests, a chest x-ray, and a biopsy. Treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, biological therapy, or therapy to remove proteins from the blood. Targeted therapy uses substances that attack cancer cells without harming normal cells. Biologic therapy boosts your body’s own ability to fight cancer. If you don’t have symptoms, you may not need treatment right away. This is called watchful waiting. NIH: National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Encyclopedia 24-hour urine protein ACE blood test B and T cell screen Bone marrow transplant – discharge Bone-marrow transplant – slideshow Chest radiation – discharge Cryoglobulins Cytology exam of pleural fluid Immunofixation – blood Immunofixation – urine Lymphangiogram Macroglobulinemia of Waldenstrom Mediastinal tumor Mediastinoscopy with biopsy Quantitative nephelometry Serum globulin electrophoresis T-cell count Specifics Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (HTLV-1) Lymphoma Research Foundation Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Lymphoma Research Foundation Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma Lymphoma Research Foundation Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (CLL/SLL) Lymphoma Research Foundation Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma in Adults (Beyond the Basics) UpToDate Follicular Lymphoma in Adults (Beyond the Basics) UpToDate General Information about AIDS-Related Lymphoma National Cancer Institute General Information about Mycosis Fungoides and the Sezary Syndrome National Cancer Institute General Information about Primary CNS Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Mantle Cell Lymphoma Lymphoma Research Foundation Marginal Zone Lymphoma Lymphoma Research Foundation Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Lymphoma Research Foundation T-Cell Lymphoma Lymphoma Research Foundation What Is Waldenstrom Macroglobulinema? American Cancer Society Array After chemotherapy – discharge B-cell leukemia/lymphoma panel Bone marrow transplant Burkitt lymphoma General Information about Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Lymph node biopsy Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Find an Expert American Cancer Society American Cancer Society Find a Cancer Doctor American Society of Clinical Oncology Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Lymphoma Research Foundation Lymphoma Research Foundation National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute NCI Designated Cancer Centers National Cancer Institute Diagnosis and Tests Beta-2 Microglobulin Tumor Marker American Association for Clinical Chemistry Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy American Association for Clinical Chemistry How Is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Diagnosed? American Cancer Society How Is Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia Diagnosed? American Cancer Society Lab and Imaging Tests Leukemia & Lymphoma Society MedlinePlus: Blood Count Tests National Library of Medicine Needle Biopsy Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Stages of Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Stages of AIDS-Related Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Stages of Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Stages of Mycosis Fungoides and the Sezary Syndrome National Cancer Institute Staging Primary CNS Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Treatments and Therapies Blood-Forming Stem Cell Transplants National Cancer Institute Drugs Approved for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Immunotherapy Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Integrative Medicine and Complementary and Alternative Therapies Leukemia & Lymphoma Society MedlinePlus: Bone Marrow Transplantation National Library of Medicine Radioimmunotherapy Array Treatment Option Overview (Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (AIDS Related-Lymphoma) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Mycosis Fungoides and the Sezary Syndrome) National Cancer Institute Treatment Option Overview (Primary CNS Lymphoma) National Cancer Institute Treatment Options by Stage (Mycosis Fungoides and the Sezary Syndrome) National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for AIDS-Related Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Childhood Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Primary CNS Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Treatment Options for Recurrent Mycosis Fungoides and the Sezary Syndrome National Cancer Institute Understanding Side Effects of Drug Therapy Leukemia & Lymphoma Society When to Treat People with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia American Cancer Society Prevention and Risk Factors Can Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Be Prevented? American Cancer Society What Are the Risk Factors for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma? American Cancer Society What Are the Risk Factors for Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia? American Cancer Society NIH MedlinePlus Magazine Cancer Strikes Out!/Definitions/ Glossary/ Common Types Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Lymphoma National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia National Institutes of Health Types of Treatment: Clinical Trials Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Children Do We Know What Causes Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children? American Cancer Society How Is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Diagnosed in Children? American Cancer Society Immunotherapy (For Parents) Nemours Foundation Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (For Parents) Nemours Foundation What Are the Risk Factors for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children? American Cancer Society Start Here General Information about Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research What Is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma? American Cancer Society What You Need to Know about Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute Genetics Genetics Home Reference: 8p11 myeloproliferative syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: mycosis fungoides National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: Sézary syndrome National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: Waldenström macroglobulinemia National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: X-linked immunodeficiency with magnesium defect, Epstein-Barr virus infection, and neoplasia National Library of Medicine Genetics Home Reference: X-linked lymphoproliferative disease National Library of Medicine Living With Getting the Facts: Cancer-Related Fatigue Lymphoma Research Foundation Relationships and Recovery for Young Adult Lymphoma Survivors Lymphoma Research Foundation What Happens After Treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma? American Cancer Society What Happens After Treatment of Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia? American Cancer Society Reference Desk Learning about Lymphoma: Glossary of Terms Lymphoma Research Foundation Statistics and Research Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma National Cancer Institute What Are the Key Statistics about Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma? American Cancer Society What’s New in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Research and Treatment? American Cancer Society Teenagers Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Nemours Foundation Journal Articles Lymphoma Non-hodgkin lymphoma Patient Handouts Understanding Chemotherapy National Cancer Institute What to Know about Brachytherapy (A Type of Internal Radiation Therapy) National Cancer Institute What to Know about External Beam Radiation Therapy National Cancer Institute Related Issues What’s the Difference between Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
