Hodgkins lymphoma; formerly known as Hodgkins disease, is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system.

In Hodgkins lymphoma, cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond the lymphatic system. As Hodgkins lymphoma progresses, it compromises your body's ability to fight infection.

Hodgkins lymphoma is one of two common types of cancers of the lymphatic system. The other type, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, is far more common.

Advances in diagnosis and treatment of Hodgkins lymphoma have helped to give people with this diagnosis the chance for a full recovery. The prognosis continues to improve for people with Hodgkins lymphoma.

Your cancer stage helps determine your prognosis and your treatment options. Stages of Hodgkins lymphoma include:

Stage I. The cancer is limited to one lymph node region or a single organ.
Stage II. In this stage, the cancer is in two different lymph nodes or the cancer is in a portion of tissue or an organ and nearby lymph nodes. But the cancer is still limited to a section of the body either above or below the diaphragm.
Stage III. When the cancer moves to lymph nodes both above and below the diaphragm, it's considered stage III. Cancer may also be in one portion of tissue or an organ near the lymph node groups or in the spleen.
Stage IV. This is the most advanced stage of Hodgkins lymphoma. Cancer cells are in several portions of one or more organs and tissues. Stage IV Hodgkins lymphoma affects not only the lymph nodes but also other parts of your body, such as the liver, lungs or bones.

Symptoms

Hodgkins lymphoma signs and symptoms may include:

Painless swelling of lymph nodes in your neck, armpits or groin
Persistent fatigue
Fever and chills
Night sweats
Unexplained weight loss; as much as 10 percent or more of your body weight
Coughing, trouble breathing or chest pain
Loss of appetite
Itching
Increased sensitivity to the effects of alcohol or pain in your lymph nodes after drinking alcohol

Causes

It's not clear what causes Hodgkins lymphoma. Doctors know that most Hodgkins lymphoma occurs when an infection-fighting cell called a B cell develops a mutation in its DNA. The mutation tells the cells to divide rapidly and to continue living when a healthy cell would die. The mutation causes a large number of oversized, abnormal B cells to accumulate in the lymphatic system, where they crowd out healthy cells and cause the signs and symptoms of Hodgkins lymphoma.

Various types of Hodgkins lymphoma exist. The type is based on the types of cells involved in your disease and their behavior. Your type determines your treatment options.

Classical Hodgkins lymphoma

Classical Hodgkins lymphoma is the more common type of this disease. It can be broken down further into subtypes. People diagnosed with classical Hodgkins lymphoma have large, abnormal cells called Reed-Sternberg cells in their lymph nodes.

Subtypes of classical Hodgkins lymphoma include:

Nodular sclerosis Hodgkins lymphoma
Mixed cellularity Hodgkins lymphoma
Lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkins lymphoma
Lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkins lymphoma

Lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkins lymphoma

This much rarer type of Hodgkins lymphoma involves large, abnormal cells that are sometimes called popcorn cells because of their appearance. Treatment may be different from the classical type. People with this type of Hodgkins lymphoma may have a better chance of a cure when the disease is diagnosed at an early stage.

Western Medicine Treatment

Which treatment options are appropriate for your Hodgkins lymphoma depends on your type and stage of disease, your overall health and your preferences. The goal of treatment is to destroy as many cancer cells as possible and bring the disease into remission.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill lymphoma cells. Chemotherapy drugs travel through your bloodstream and can reach nearly all areas of your body.

Chemotherapy is often combined with radiation therapy in people with early-stage classical type Hodgkins lymphoma. Radiation therapy is typically done after chemotherapy. In advanced Hodgkins lymphoma, chemotherapy may be used alone or combined with radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy drugs can be taken in pill form or through a vein in your arm. Several combinations of chemotherapy drugs are used to treat Hodgkins lymphoma. Side effects of chemotherapy depend on the specific drugs you're given. Common side effects include nausea and hair loss. Serious long-term complications can occur, such as heart damage, lung damage, fertility problems and other cancers, such as leukemia.

Radiation

Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams, such as X-rays, to kill cancer cells. For classical Hodgkins lymphoma, radiation therapy can be used alone, but it is often used after chemotherapy. People with early-stage lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkins lymphoma typically undergo radiation therapy alone.

During radiation therapy, you lie on a table and a large machine moves around you, directing the energy beams to specific points on your body. Radiation can be aimed at affected lymph nodes and the nearby area of nodes where the disease might progress. The length of radiation treatment varies, depending on the stage of the disease.

Radiation therapy can cause skin redness and hair loss at the site where the radiation is aimed. Many people experience fatigue during radiation therapy. More serious risks include heart disease, stroke, thyroid problems, infertility and other forms of cancer, such as breast or lung cancer.

Stem cell transplant

A stem cell transplant is a treatment to replace your diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells that help you grow new bone marrow. A stem cell transplant may be an option if Hodgkins lymphoma returns despite treatment.

During a stem cell transplant, your own blood stem cells are removed, frozen and stored for later use. Next you receive high-dose chemotherapy and radiation therapy to destroy cancerous cells in your body. Finally your stem cells are thawed and injected into your body through your veins. The stem cells help to build healthy bone marrow.

Adopted from mayoclinic.com