What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)?
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is cancer in the lymphatic system. According to estimates by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 88 percent of lymphomas diagnosed in the US in 2008 were non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system and functions to fight disease and infections. The lymphatic system includes the following: • lymph fluid – fluid containing lymphocyte cells. • lymph vessels – thin tubes that carry lymph fluid throughout the body. • lymphocytes – specific white blood cells that fight infections and disease. • lymph nodes – bean-shaped organs, found in the underarm, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen, that act as filters for the lymph fluid as it circulates through the body. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma causes the cells in the lymphatic system to abnormally reproduce, eventually causing tumors to grow. Non-Hodgkin disease cells can also spread to other organs and tissues in the body. Lymphomas are the third most common childhood cancer. They occur most often in children
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is cancer in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system and functions to fight disease and infections. The lymphatic system includes the following: • lymph fluid – fluid containing lymphocyte cells. • lymph vessels – thin tubes that carry lymph fluid throughout the body. • lymphocytes – specific white blood cells that fight infections and disease. • lymph nodes – bean-shaped organs, found in the underarm, groin, neck, chest, abdomen, and other parts of the body, that act as filters for the lymph fluid as it circulates through the body. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma causes the cells in the lymphatic system to abnormally reproduce, eventually causing tumors to grow. The cells can also spread to other organs and tissues in the body. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are the fifth most common childhood cancer. About 500 cases are diagnosed in children in the US each year. They occur most often in children between the ages of 7 and 11, but can occur at any age f
