lymphoma


lymphomasearch for term

Cancer that begins in cells of the immune system. There are two basic categories of lymphomas. One kind is Hodgekin lymphoma, which is marked by the presence of a type of cell called Reed-Sternberg cell. The other category in non-Hodgkin lymphomas, which includes a large, diverse group of cancers of immune system cells. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas can be further divided into cancers that have an indolent (slow-growing) course and those that have an aggressive (fast-growing) course. These subtypes behave and respond to treatment differently. Both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas can occur in children and adults, and prognosis and treatment depend on the stage and the type of cancer.