Lymphoma

Starting in the lymphatic system—a vital component of the immune system— lymphoma is a form of cancer. It starts when lymphocytes—a kind of white blood cell—start to proliferate wildly. These aberrant cells can gather in lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, and other tissues, compromising the body's defences against infections.
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are the two primary forms of lymphoma. Reed-Sternberg cells set Hodgkin lymphoma apart and usually have a favourable cure rate—especially if discovered early. More often occurring non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a broad spectrum of blood malignancies with different degrees of severity and treatment response.
Typical symptoms are painless lymph node swelling, ongoing tiredness, fever, night sweats, inexplicable weight loss, and repeated infections. Diagnosis calls for physical examination, blood testing, CT or PET scans, and lymph node biopsies.
The type, stage, and severity of the disease will determine the course of treatment; it can call for immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, or chemotherapy. Sometimes, doctors consider stem cell transplantation. More customised treatment approaches resulting from advancements in lymphoma research improve patient outcomes and quality of life.