What is Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
Hodgkin's lymphoma — formerly known as Hodgkin's disease — is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system.
It may affect people of any age, but is most common in people between 20 and 40 years old and those over 55.
In Hodgkin's lymphoma, cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond it.
Advances in diagnosis and treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma have helped give people with this disease the chance for a full recovery. The prognosis continues to improve for people with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma may include:
- Painless swelling of lymph nodes in your neck, armpits or groin
- Persistent fatigue
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Unexplained weight loss
- Severe itching
- Increased sensitivity to the effects of alcohol or pain in your lymph nodes after drinking alcohol
Causes
Doctors aren't sure what causes Hodgkin's lymphoma.
But it begins when an infection-fighting cell called a lymphocyte develops a genetic mutation. The mutation tells the cell to multiply rapidly, causing many diseased cells that continue multiplying.
The mutation causes a large number of oversized, abnormal lymphocytes to accumulate in the lymphatic system, where they crowd out healthy cells and cause the signs and symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Various types of Hodgkin's lymphoma exist. Your diagnosis is based on the types of cells involved in your disease and their behavior. The type of lymphoma you are diagnosed with determines your treatment options.
Risk factors
Factors that can increase the risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma include:
- Your age. Hodgkin's lymphoma is most often diagnosed in people between 15 and 30 years old and those over 55.
- A family history of lymphoma.
- Being male. Males are slightly more likely to develop Hodgkin's lymphoma than are females.
- Past Epstein-Barr infection.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hodgkins-lymphoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20352646
