Key Facts
There are many different types of lymphomas.
Lymphomas are cancers that develop from cells of the lymphatic system.
There are two main groups of lymphomas - Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
Back to top
Key Figures
Each year in Europe approximately 95,000 people are diagnosed with lymphoma.
For Hodgkin's Lymphoma, the European incidence is approximately 3 per 100,000 per year.
For Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, the European incidence is appproximately 12 per 100,000 per year.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is about four times as common as Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Back to top
Cancer Types
There are two main groups of lymphoma:
B-cell lymphomas, including large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma, are more common than T-cell lymphomas.
The main T-cell lymphomas are:
Back to top
Causes of Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a disease of both children and adults.
The majority of people with lymphoma are over the age of 60.
Immune system diseases such as the HIV infection and AIDS weaken the immune system and make the body more susceptible to some forms of lymphoma.
Lymphomas are not hereditary.
Back to top
Prevention of Lymphoma
There are no practical steps that can be taken to reduce the chances of developing lymphoma.
Back to top
Common Symptoms
The classic symptoms of lymphoma are:
- Swelling of the lymph nodes - usually most noticeable in the neck, armpit or groin. The swelling is usually painless. However, occasionally the swollen glands can be sore. Painful swollen glands are more likely to be due to infections.
- Pain in the lymph nodes after drinking alcohol – This is a peculiar symptom which is more common in Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Fever and sweating – These are common symptoms (especially with infections) but in lymphoma the fever and sweating typically occur at night. They are also more common in Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Persistent itching – This is another symptom that occurs in a wide range of conditions.
- Abdominal swelling and pain - With lymphoma, this is due to an enlarged spleen and/or lymph glands.
- Weight loss, poor appetite and tiredness – These are all very general symptoms which can be due to a number of causes, but also commonly occur with lymphomas.
Back to top
Diagnostic Tests
Diagnosis is confirmed by a biopsy of the enlarged lymph nodes.
Back to top
Treatment
Different treatments will be recommended according to the type of lymphoma and the stage of development that it has reached.
Available treatments include:
Chemotherapy
Many different combinations of drugs are used to treat lymphomas including: doxorubicin, vinblastine, vincristine, bleomycin, etoposide and steroids. However, for B-cell lymphomas, treatment with rituximab is the first line treatment.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be used in combination to increase the effectiveness of treatment. However for B-cell lymphomas, the monoclonal antibody rituximab is the first line treatment.
Radiotherapy
External radiotherapy is normally given as a series of short regular treatments in a radiotherapy department (each treatment may be referred to as a fraction).
Radiotherapy can be combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of lymphoma.
Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
Monoclonal antibodies are a form of immunotherapy which are now commonly used in conjunction with chemotherapy in treating B-cell lymphoma.
Bone Marrow Transplant
Autologous bone marrow transplants are sometimes used in the treatment of lymphoma so that high dose chemotherapy can be given to destroy lymphoma cells.
Back to top
Key Trends
The main recent development has been the introduction of monoclonal antibodies and radioimmunoconjugates in the treatment of B cell lymphomas.
Important research areas include the further use of various monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of lymphomas.
An increasing number of cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities are now being identified in various subtypes of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Some of these abnormalities may provide prognostic information, and be useful as tumour markers to check for the presence of residual disease after treatment.
Back to top
Current Developments
The main recent development has been the introduction of monoclonal antibodies and radioimmunoconjugates in the treatment of B-cell lymphomas.
Back to top
Important Research Areas
The important research areas for the treatment of lymphoma are:
- Further use of various monoclonal antibodies.
- An increasing number of cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities are now being identified in various subtypes of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Some of these abnormalities may provide prognostic information and may be useful as tumour markers to check for the presence of residual disease after treatment.
- Defining the place of radiotherapy in the treatment of lymphoma.
Back to top