Both lymphomas are a type of cancer that begins in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. These lymphocytes make up part of the immune system, which defends us from germs.
The main difference between these lymphomas is the particular type of lymphocytes involved in each one. A pathologist can tell the difference between Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma by examining the cancer cells under a microscope.
What are the symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
This type of lymphoma can cause different signs, depending on the type of lymphoma and its location in the patient’s body.
There are cases in which no symptoms are seen until the lymphoma grows quite large. Some of the most common symptoms may be
- Fever
- Swelling of the lymph nodes
- Sweating and chills
- Extreme exhaustion
- Weight loss
- Swelling of the abdomen
- Chest pressure or pain
- Feeling of fullness after eating a small amount of food
- Shortness of breath or cough
Although swollen lymph nodes are a common sign of lymphoma, it is more commonly caused by infections.
How many people are affected?
For several years now, lymphoma has been the seventh most common type of cancer in both men and women. Specifically in Spain, 5,400 new cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are diagnosed each year.
In terms of mortality, it is the ninth most common cause of death by tumor, also in both sexes, accounting for 3% of all cancer deaths.
The overall relative survival rate at 5 years for patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is 70% and at 10 years is 60%.
What types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are there?
This lymphoma grows and spreads at different rates, it can be fast or slow growing. Treatment varies depending on whether it is one kind of growth or the other.
There are many varieties of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, so determining the type of lymphoma can be confusing (even for specialists). In general, the most common types of lymphomas are classified according to whether they originate from B or T lymphocytes.
Most B-cell lymphomas (approximately 85%) are non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas and T-cell lymphomas account for less than 15%. There are many types of T-cell lymphoma, most of which are rare.
Advances in the treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Chemotherapy: several new chemotherapy drugs are being studied in clinical trials, combining drugs or using different doses or sequences of administration.
- Stem cell therapy: Stem cell transplantation methods are improving, as well as new ways of collecting stem cells prior to transplantation.
- Targeted therapies: These drugs, unlike those used in chemotherapy, attack specific parts of cells. They often have side effects but can work in cases where chemotherapy has no effect.
- Immunotherapy: some types are used to treat lymphoma, such as checkpoint inhibitors or monoclonal antibodies.
- Antibiotics: some lymphomas are closely related to infections. It has been found that treating the infection may help treat the lymphoma.
- Lymphoma vaccines: these vaccines are for treatment, not prevention. They are currently only available in clinical trials.