Adult Hodgkin's Disease: The Basics

What are lymph nodes?

Lymph nodes are small, grape-sized glands that exist throughout the body and make up part of the lymphatic fluid circulation system. Lymphatic fluid is a clear fluid that leaks out of blood vessels, and in order for the body to keep the blood volume constant, lymphatic fluid is collected and returned to the blood via the lymphatic circulation. Lymph nodes are connected to each other by lymph vessels that transfer the lymphatic fluid. Before returning the lymph to the blood, lymph nodes clean up the fluid, looking for possible infection-causing germs (bacteria, viruses, etc.) the body using cells of the immune system. Most people can remember having swollen "glands" under their neck when they had an infection. Those "glands" were swollen lymph nodes that were reacting to the infection. In most cancers, this network of lymph nodes is one of the first areas to which cancer can spread. However, in Hodgkin’s Disease (also known as Hodgkin’s Lymphoma) the cancer arises from the lymph nodes themselves.

Clusters of lymph nodes exist in particular parts of the body, like the neck, the underarm, and the groin. There are also specific organs in the body that are considered part of the lymphatic system, like the spleen and the tonsils; however, small amounts of lymph tissue can also be found in many of the other organs in the body.

What is Hodgkin's disease?

Hodgkin's disease, or Hodgkin’s lymphoma, is a disease of lymph nodes and lymphatic tissues, and is named after the pathologist who originally described the disease in 1832, Dr. Thomas Hodgkin. There are other types of lymphomas besides Hodgkin's disease, known as Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL). Although NHLs are also a cancer of the lymph nodes, they are treated differently and are discussed in another overview. Hodgkin's disease occurs when cells in the lymph nodes begin to grow out of control and compress nearby tissues or spread throughout the body via the lymphatic circulation. Hodgkin's disease is distinguished from the other types of lymphomas by the way it looks under a microscope and by the way it grows and spreads.

Hodgkin’s disease itself can be broken down into several categories. The two main categories are classical Hodgkin’s disease and nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease. Which type of Hodgkin’s disease a person has is determined by a pathologist who examines the biopsy of the involved node(s). Pathologists look for a particular abnormal cell known as a Reed-Sternberg cell in order to diagnose classic Hodgkin’s disease. The different types of Hodgkin’s disease behave slightly differently, but are generally approached in a similar fashion regarding treatment.

Am I at risk for Hodgkin's disease?

Hodgkin's disease is a fairly uncommon cancer, with 7,800 cases diagnosed annually in the United States.Hodgkin’s disease causes approximately 1400 deaths annually. Hodgkin's disease occurs slightly more commonly in men, and much more frequently in Caucasians. Hodgkin’s lymphoma most commonly affects people in two age groups, those in their 20-30’s and those in their 50’s.

No one knows what causes Hodgkin's disease, however several factors have been identified to be associated with Hodgkin’s disease It is important to note that these factors may increase the risk of developing Hodgkin’s disease, but that the majority of people with these conditions still do not develop Hodgkin’s disease. Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus may play a role in the development of certain types of Hodgkin’s disease. Epstein-Barr virus also causes mononucleosis, also known as “mono” or “kissing disease.” It appears that the relatives of people who develop Hodgkin’s disease at a very young age may be at increased risk of developing Hodgkin’s disease.

People with depressed immune function, such as patients with AIDS or with organ transplants ( and thus are taking medications which suppress the immune system), appear to be at increased risk for developing Hodgkin’s disease. It has been recognized that Hodgkin's disease in HIV-infected patients is generally more aggressive and advanced than in non-HIV-infected patients. However, researchers disagree as to the importance of this finding.

«Previous | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next »