Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma NHL, is the 5th most common...

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

NHL, is the 5th most common cancer in children and 7th most common cancer in adults. Because lymph tissue is found in so many parts of the body, NHL can start almost anywhere and can spread to almost any organ in the body. It most often begins in the lymph nodes, liver, or spleen but can also involve the stomach, intestines, skin, thyroid gland, or any other part of the body.

Some of the more common forms of NHL includes:

Burkitt’s lymphoma. This type of B-cell lymphoma commonly affects the bone marrow and central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and is one of the fastest growing types of cancer in humans. It most often develops in the abdomen and may spread to other organs including the brain. Burkitt’s lymphoma accounts for about 40% of NHL in children in the United States.

Large cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (LCL). LCL, which accounts for about 25% of childhood NHL, may develop in the throat, abdomen, lymph tissue of the neck, or near the thymus (behind the breastbone). LCL is further classified into subtypes. The most common subtypes of LCL include large B-cell lymphoma (15%), which develops from B-cells, and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL; 10%), which commonly develops from T-cells but can arise rarely from B-cells.

Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL). LBL accounts for about 30% of all childhood NHL. It most often develops in the chest area behind the breastbone (near the thymus gland) and can spread to the surface of the brain, the bone marrow, other lymph nodes, and the membranes surrounding the heart and lungs.

The treatment for NHL can vary in a wide array of the spectrum. The type of lymphoma, stage of the cancer, and your general health can all affect it. The most common forms of treatment for NHL is initial removal of any tumors, and then treatment with radiation for early cancer that is confined to one area. And then chemotherapy is used for general treatment.