lymphom

Lymphom, in English commonly called lymphoma, is a group of cancers that originate in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays a key role in the immune system. Most lymphomas arise in the lymphatic system, including lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and other tissues, but they can occur in virtually any organ. The disease is broadly divided into Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). HL is characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells on biopsy and tends to have a predictable pattern of spread, whereas NHL encompasses many different subtypes, primarily B-cell and T-cell lymphomas, with variable behavior from indolent to highly aggressive.

Common risk factors include older age, immune suppression (as in HIV infection or organ transplantation), certain infections (such as Epstein-Barr virus), and a family history of lymphoid cancer. Symptoms often include painless swelling of lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, and unintentional weight loss, but many people present with localized disease or systemic symptoms (B symptoms) depending on the subtype and stage.

Diagnosis typically involves physical examination, imaging (such as CT or PET-CT), and confirmation by lymph node biopsy with histology and immunophenotyping. Staging uses systems such as Ann Arbor with refinements to describe the extent of disease. Treatment is tailored to the type and stage; HL is usually treated with chemotherapy and sometimes radiotherapy, while NHL treatment may involve chemo-immunotherapy (for example, R-CHOP for CD20-positive B-cell lymphomas), targeted therapies, radiation, and, in some cases, stem cell transplantation. Prognosis varies widely by subtype and stage.