What are lymphomas?
Lymphoma is a kind of cancer that starts in the lymphatic system. There are 2 main types of cancer of the lymphatic system: Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In either type, cells in the lymphatic system grow out of control. Usually, the body makes new cells only when they are needed. Sometimes the body starts making cells when they are not needed. When this happens, a tumor, or mass, will grow.
Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system, a network of lymph nodes, organs (including the spleen, thymus, and tonsils), and vessels that help make up the immune system. There are many different types of lymphoma, and they can be divided into two categories: Hodgkin’s disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). The major difference between the two is the type of cells involved. Generally speaking, HD is easier to treat than NHL. Lymphoma is easiest to treat in its early stages, when the cancer hasn’t spread beyond the lymphatic system. Lymphoma that either spreads to the bone marrow or develops in the brain can be more difficult to treat. HIV-infected people are at a slightly higher risk for developing NHL than non-HIV-infected people. NHL can also progress (get worse) faster in HIV-positive people and can be more difficult to treat. It is not clear if HIV-positive people are at a higher risk for developing HD. However, HD does occur in HIV-infected people and, because of underlyin
