Types of Lymphoma
There are two primary types of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL, also called Hodgkin’s disease), which is characterized by the presence of large distinctive cells called Reed-Sternberg cells, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a large group of other lymphomas.
Hodgkin Lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma is most prevalent in two age groups: in those between about 25 and 35 years of age and in those over 55. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about 8,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in one year and about 1,000 people die of it.
There are many different theories concerning the cause and types of HL. Some think that a type of infectious agent, such as a virus, might be involved. Others think that a mutation in a cell is the cause. While this is an area of active research, specific causes have not yet been identified. Likewise, there is no clear understanding of why males seem to be slightly more susceptible to the disease.
HL can be subdivided based on the structure of the abnormal lymph node and the types of cells that are present. Lymph nodes may have a predominance of small lymphocytes, the presence of bands of fibrosis (scarring), a mixture of cell types, or lymphocyte depletion.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the fifth most common cancer in the United States. It is slightly more common in men than women and more common in Caucasians. The incidence of NHL increases with age and is higher in patients with HIV/AIDS and in patients whose immune systems are suppressed. According to the ACS, about 60,000 people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in one year and about 19,000 people die from it.
There are about 30 different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Over the years, different classification systems have been used to describe the different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma as knowledge about the condition has grown. New methods of evaluating the cells involved in non-Hodgkin lymphoma have led to changes in classification systems.
The Revised European American Lymphoma (REAL) looks at the function that the cell should be providing. Some lymphocytes (B-lymphocytes) are responsible for producing antibodies while others (T-lymphocytes) are responsible for cell-to-cell interactions. The newest method, the World Health Organization or WHO Classification, tries to combine all of these characteristics with genetic studies of the cells.
In the 1990’s, the REAL classification was proposed by the International Lymphoma Study Group and adopted by many physicians. Since that time, the WHO classification has expanded on REAL and has been accepted by many as the current standard. Click here to view a table of classifications.
Some Types of Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas
Classification of non-Hodgkin lymphomas can be confusing because there are so many different types and because of the various classification systems that have been developed and amended over the years. In the United States, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas are much more common than T-cell. About 85% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas involve mature B lymphocytes with about 15% affecting T-lymphocytes.
Some of the more common forms of B-Cell lymphomas include:
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL): this form constitutes about 33% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas in the United States. It is a fast growing lymphoma and can affect anyone of any age but occurs mostly in older people.
Follicular lymphomas: these make up about 14% of all lymphomas in the U.S. This is considered a very slow growing lymphoma.
B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL): these are related diseases because they affect the same type of cell (small lymphocytes). However, CLL is found mainly in the bone marrow and the circulating blood while SLL is found mainly in the lymph nodes. These two together make up approximately 24% of all lymphomas.
Some of the more common forms of T-Cell lymphomas include:
Precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (leukemia): a disease that can be considered either a lymphoma or leukemia depending on whether affected cells are found in the blood or whether a certain percentage of bone marrow cells are abnormal. About 1% of all lymphomas are this type.
Mature or peripheral T-cell lymphomas: there are many different kinds of mature T-cell lymphomas that all together make up about 4% to 5% of all lymphomas.
Mycosis fungoides (Sezary syndrome), also called cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: This is a less common form of lymphoma but is unusual because, while most lymphomas begin in lymphoid tissue or internal organs, this type of lymphoma starts in the skin. It is part of a group of skin cancers that make up less than 1% of nonmelanoma skin cancers.
On This Site