What is Primary non-Hodgkins Lymphoma of Bone?
Primary non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of bone (PLB) is a rare type of cancer starting in bone, it accounts for about 7% of all primary bone tumours. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) usually starts in the lymph nodes and lymph glands (part of the immune system). PLB, however, starts in the bone. This is distinct from NHL which started in the lymph notes and then spread to the bones (bone metastases). The peak age of people diagnosed with PLB is in the 50-60 yr age group, the disease is slightly more common in men than in women. Symptoms are usually bone pain and sometimes swelling. The majority of people with PLB are diagnosed with a single localised tumour. PLB has higher survival rates compared to other types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
