Non Hodgkins Lymphoma Symptoms, Grades and Causes of Aggressive NonHodgkins Lymphoma
Non Hodgkins lymphoma or NHL is a large group of cancer affecting both B and T lymphocytes. It can be slow growing, mildly aggressive or aggressive. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss and more. NonHodgkins lymphoma is caused by many factors such as exposure to certain herbicides and human viruses.
NHL can occur at any age unlike Hodgkins. But NonHodgkins is more common in people between 40 to 70 years old. In fact, about 95% of diagnosed cases are among those in that age range.
Just like HL, NonHodgkins is also more common in men, especially Caucasians. But it is more aggressive and less predictable than HL. Non Hodgkin is more likely to spread beyond the lymph nodes.
NonHodgkins is more common than HL. NHL cases has gone up by more than 70% over the past 20 years compared to HL which has declined during the same period.
Non Hodgkin is classified according to the cell type it starts from and to how it progresses.
Classifications of NonHodgkins Disease
Progression of Non Hodgkins lymphoma is classed into 3 grades...Low grade - indolent and slow growing
Low grade NHL may take 10 years before it worsens but it can't be cured with chemotherapy alone.
Intermediate grade - moderately aggressive
At this grade, NHL grows quite rapidly if left untreated. But with proper treatment, the cancer can go on a remission.
High grade - aggressive
Chemotherapy can cure high grade aggressive Non Hodgkin disease but it's not guaranteed. If the cancer doesn't respond to chemo drugs, it can lead to rapid death. An example of high grade aggressive NonHodgkins is Burkitt, which is a B cell type of lymphoma.
NHL can either be B cell or T cell lymphoma. 85% of diagnosed cases are B cell while 15% are T cell. B cell lymphomas are cancers affecting your B lymphocytes. There are 10 subtypes of B cell lymphomas.
