Lymphoma refers to cancer that begins in cells of the immune system. There are two basic types of lymphomas.
One kind is Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is marked by the presence of a type of cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell. The other category is non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, which includes a large, diverse group of cancers of immune system cells.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma can be further divided into cancers that have an indolent (slowly progressing) course and those that have an aggressive (rapidly progressing) course.
These subtypes behave and respond to treatment differently. Both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas can occur in children and adults, and prognosis and treatment depend on the stage and the type of cancer.
Some of the more common symptoms of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma include:
- Swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, groin, or stomach
- Unexplained Fever
- Drenching night sweats
- Constant tiredness