The National Cancer Institute estimated that in 2024, approximately 80,620 people in the U.S. would be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and 8,570 with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). NHL is the eighth most common type of cancer in the United States, making up about 4 percent of new cancers in 2024. In contrast, HL is less common, accounting for 0.4 percent of new cases. However, HL is the most common cancer among teens 15 to 19 years old.

What Is Lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a group of blood cancers that develop when certain types of white blood cells called lymphocytes develop abnormally and crowd out healthy cells. Lymphoma is divided into two main types: HL, also known as Hodgkin disease, and NHL. Lymphoma is related to other blood cancers, including leukemia, myeloma, and myeloproliferative neoplasms.

HL and NHL develop in the lymphatic system, a part of the circulatory and immune systems. The lymphatic system includes bone marrow and organs such as the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus. It also has vessels that carry fluids throughout the body. When working properly, the lymphatic system removes bacteria, excess fluid, and waste material from old and damaged cells.

What Causes Lymphoma?

Lymphoma starts in the lymph nodes and vessels of the lymphatic system. When lymphocytes develop genetic mutations (changes), they can grow faster and live longer than healthy cells. Like other types of cancer, lymphoma is caused by genetic mutations that allow cells to divide and grow uncontrollably. Mutations can be inherited or acquired. Acquired mutations are caused by normal aging, as well as exposure to carcinogens, such as radiation, certain chemicals, cigarette smoke, and some viruses.

Risk Factors for Developing Lymphoma

Risk factors vary by the type of lymphoma. Some are associated with HL and NHL in general, and some are specific to certain types of HL or NHL.

Some risk factors for developing HL and NHL include:

• Age
• Inherited factors
• Sex
• Ethnicity
• Infections like HIV and Epstein-Barr virus (which causes mononucleosis)
• Autoimmune conditions
• Some chemotherapy drugs — It’s unclear whether this is due to the disease itself or a side effect of the treatment.
• High levels of radiation exposure
• Chemical exposure

Most risk factors, including age, genetic predisposition, and ethnicity, are beyond anyone’s control. If you are concerned you may have a high risk of developing lymphoma, focus on lowering your risk by changing the environmental factors within your control.

How Is Lymphoma Diagnosed?

Several tests are used to diagnose HL and NHL. Some tests are used to confirm a diagnosis, while others are used to determine the type of lymphoma and the stage of the illness. Not everyone experiences obvious symptoms of lymphoma, and their cancer is found when routine blood work or other tests return abnormal results.

Tests used to diagnose HL and NHL include:

• Physical exam and medical history — A doctor’s initial evaluation, looking for swollen lymph nodes and reviewing symptoms and family history
• Lymph node biopsy — Removal of lymph node tissue to examine for cancerous cells under a microscope
• Immunophenotyping — Testing to identify specific proteins on cancer cells to help classify the type of lymphoma
• Chromosome tests — Analysis of the genetic makeup of cancer cells to detect abnormalities that can guide treatment
• Lumbar puncture — Collection of spinal fluid to check for the presence of lymphoma in the central nervous system

The following tests may be used to stage your lymphoma:

• Bone marrow aspiration — Drawing a sample of liquid bone marrow to check for the spread of lymphoma
• Bone marrow biopsy — Removing a small piece of bone marrow tissue to assess for lymphoma involvement
• Imaging tests — Using various imaging techniques, such as X-ray, PET scan, or CT scan, to locate and evaluate the extent of lymphoma in the body
• Blood tests, such as a complete blood count — Measuring different blood cell levels to detect abnormalities that may indicate lymphoma

Learn more about the path to lymphoma diagnosis.

What Are the Symptoms of Lymphoma?

Many lymphoma symptoms are similar to those caused by illnesses like the flu or by other types of cancers. Some can also be side effects of treatment. Lymphoma symptoms vary depending on which parts of your body are affected and the type of lymphoma. Some symptoms are local, meaning they only affect a specific area of the body, while others are systemic, affecting the entire body.

Some common symptoms of lymphoma include:

• Swollen lymph nodes — Swollen lymph nodes often appear as lumps in the armpits, neck, or groin.
• Unexplained weight loss — Lymphoma-related weight loss may happen rapidly and without any intentional effort.
• Night sweats — Intense night sweats that can leave a person soaked with sweat.
• Fatigue — Persistent fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest.
• Fever — Recurring or unexplained fevers that may come and go, often without an obvious infection.

Night sweats, fever, and unexplained weight loss, known as B symptoms, can influence the staging of your cancer.

Symptoms of Hodgkin Lymphoma

Enlarged lymph nodes around the neck, underarms, or groin are the most common symptoms of HL. Other symptoms may include:

• Coughing or breathing difficulty
• Itchy skin or lymph node pain after drinking alcohol

Symptoms of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

In addition to swollen lymph nodes and B symptoms, people with NHL may also experience the following:

• Swollen abdomen
• Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain
• Frequent infections

Read more about the symptoms of lymphoma.

What Are the Different Types of Lymphoma?

There are two primary types of HL and dozens of types of NHL.

Subtypes of Hodgkin Lymphoma

HL can be divided into two primary subtypes: classical HL and nodular lymphocyte-predominant HL. Classical HL accounts for approximately 95 percent of people with Hodgkin lymphoma. Classical HL can be further broken down into the categories below, listed from most to least common:

• Nodular sclerosis classical HL
• Mixed cellularity classical HL
• Lymphocyte-rich HL
• Lymphocyte-depleted HL

HL can be treated with chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and occasionally stem cell transplant. Your treatment plan will be influenced by your type of HL, stage of disease, and other factors like age and health.

Subtypes of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

There are more than 60 different subtypes of NHL. NHL is usually grouped by the type of lymphocytes in which the cancer originates and the aggressiveness of the cancer. The broad categories are B-cell lymphoma and T-cell lymphoma and aggressive and indolent (slow-growing) lymphomas.

B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

B-cell lymphomas account for between 85 percent and 90 percent of NHL cases. B-cell lymphomas begin in B lymphocytes (B cells). B lymphocytes are white blood cells that create proteins called antibodies.

The following are examples of aggressive B-cell lymphomas:

• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common form of NHL globally
• Mantle cell lymphoma — This type is typically aggressive but can sometimes be indolent.
• Burkitt lymphoma

The following are examples of indolent B-cell lymphomas:

• Follicular lymphoma
• Marginal zone lymphoma
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small-cell lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL)
• Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia/lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma

T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

T-cell lymphomas are caused by changes to T lymphocytes, or T cells. The various types of T cells play a key role in the body’s immune response. Some T cells directly attack infected cells while others help to regulate the immune system.

The following are examples of aggressive T-cell lymphomas:

• Peripheral T-cell lymphoma
• Lymphoblastic lymphoma

The following are examples of indolent T-cell lymphomas that affect the skin:

• Mycosis fungoides
• Sézary syndrome

Staging Lymphoma

Each type of HL and NHL can be assigned a stage from 1 to 4, depending on how advanced it is. Sometimes, stages are rendered in Roman numerals, e.g., stage III instead of stage 3. Stage 1 means the cancer is limited to one area, and stage 4 is the most advanced and has spread to other parts of the body. Additional letters can be added to the staging number to describe symptoms. Staging is important for determining treatment.

Hodgkin Lymphoma vs. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

HL and NHL share many of the same symptoms and treatment methods and are often diagnosed using similar methods. However, they have many distinguishing features.

• NHL occurs most frequently in older adults, whereas most HL cases are diagnosed between ages 15 and 34.
• In the United States, NHL is more common than HL. In 2024, 80,620 people were expected to be diagnosed with NHL compared to 8,570 people diagnosed with HL.
• HL usually spreads from cancerous lymph nodes to nearby lymph nodes. NHL spreads more unpredictably to lymph nodes across the body.
• The five-year relative survival rate for HL is nearly 89 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute. For NHL, the five-year relative survival rate is 74 percent.

How Is Lymphoma Treated?

Many therapies are used to treat the many types of lymphoma, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies, radiation therapy, and stem cell transplantation. Clinical trials — research studies that test new treatments or new combinations of treatments — may also be an option.

The best treatment for you will be determined by your specific type of cancer as well as several additional factors, including your prognosis (outlook), age, and personal preferences. You may be treated with a combination of therapy types.

Aggressive lymphomas will likely require treatment right away, while indolent lymphomas may be treated with a watch-and-wait approach. During watch and wait — also called watchful waiting or active surveillance — your doctor will monitor you closely with regular appointments and blood tests. You may continue with this approach until signs or symptoms indicate cancer is beginning to grow more quickly.

There are different treatment goals for different forms of HL and NHL. In some cases, the goal of treatment is complete remission, meaning lymphoma is undetectable after treatment. In other cases, the goal may be to slow the growth of the lymphoma.

Learn more about treatments for lymphoma.

Treatment Side Effects

Chemotherapy, radiation, drug therapies, and stem cell transplants can all cause difficult side effects. Common side effects of lymphoma treatment include:

• Hair loss
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Cognitive challenges — Sometimes called “chemo brain”
• Peripheral neuropathy — Often experienced as pins-and-needles sensations or numbness
• Anemia (low levels of red blood cells)
• Leukopenia (low levels of white blood cells)

How Do Other Health Conditions Affect Lymphoma?

When you have more than one health condition at the same time, these are called comorbidities. They can affect your treatment options and prognosis.

A Dutch study of 904 people with NHL found the following conditions were prevalent in people with NHL:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease

A British study including more than 7,000 people with HL found the following comorbidities to be common:

• COPD
• Hypertension
• Other cancers
• Diabetes

HIV-Related Lymphomas

In addition to the comorbidities listed above, HIV infection can greatly increase the likelihood of developing lymphoma. Nearly all HIV-related lymphomas are types of NHL. The two most common lymphomas in people with HIV are Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Lymphoma treatments are generally just as effective for people with HIV as they are for those without it.

Treatment-Related Health Conditions

Other health conditions may be more likely to develop after lymphoma treatment. These include heart damage, lung damage, osteoporosis (weakening and thinning of bones), and depression. Your doctor can help you better understand your risk factors for developing related conditions and recommend steps to lower your risk.

Read more about other health conditions related to lymphoma.

What Is the Prognosis for Lymphoma? Can It Be Cured?

Many people diagnosed with aggressive lymphoma achieve complete remission and are even cured. Some indolent lymphomas, like CLL/SLL, are not curable but can be managed like a long-term illness. More effective treatments for lymphoma and other blood cancers have increased survival rates and rates of remission over the past decade.

Find Your Team

On MyLymphomaTeam, the social network for people with lymphoma and their loved ones, more than 19,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lymphoma.

Have you been recently diagnosed with lymphoma? Do you have questions for members of MyLymphomaTeam? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.