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Lymphomas

The term ‘lymphoma’ refers to cancers of white blood cells (lymphocytes) that travel around the body in lymph.

Lymph is a clear fluid that carries food to cells and takes waste materials away via the lymphatic system (see diagram). It also contains lymphocytes, which the body uses to fight infection.

The lymphatic system

Although many other types of cancer eventually spread to parts of the lymphatic system, lymphomas are distinct because they originate there. Lymphomas are more than twice as common in boys as in girls, and very rarely occur before the age of two.

Common types of lymphoma in children and young people

There are about 20 different types of lymphoma, but the most common are Hodgkin’s disease, (named after Dr Hodgkin, who first described it), and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.


	There are about 20 different types of lymphoma, but the most common are Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Hodgkin’s disease

Hodgkin’s disease is more common in teens than children, and is defined by the presence of specific cancerous cells, called ‘Reed-Sternberg cells’, found in the lymph nodes or another part of the lymphatic system. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a combination of the two are usually used to treat this type of cancer.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is more common than Hodgkin’s disease and affects both children and young people. It is different from Hodgkin’s disease because ‘Reed-Sternberg cells’ are not found in this type of lymphoma. This means that doctors treat the cancer slightly differently. Chemotherapy is usually the main treatment for this type of cancer.

For more information, see the pages on lymphoma on the main Macmillan website.