Types of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

FROM THE CLEVELAND CLINIC:

What are the types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)?

NHL comes in many types, but is often divided into indolent (slow-moving, usually with few symptoms) or aggressive (growing quickly, often causing symptoms). These two forms of NHL behave quite differently and are treated differently. Some types of indolent NHL (i.e., follicular lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic leukemia, and marginal zone lymphomas) can occasionally change or “transform” into more aggressive lymphomas.

NHL is also grouped by types based on whether the cancer has started in the B cells (B lymphocytes) or the T cells (T lymphocytes). The majority of cases begin in the B cells, which are responsible for creating antibodies that are able to stop foreign substances from causing problems in the body. T cells, on the other hand, attack foreign substances directly.

What are types of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)?
Types include:
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL)
Burkitt lymphoma

What are types of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)?

• Follicular lymphoma
• Marginal zone lymphoma
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphomcytic lymphoma (SLL) are interchangeable terms for an indolent B-cell cancer that is found mostly in the blood or tissues of the body, respectively
• Cutaneous B-cell lymphoma

What are types of T-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)?
These types of T-cell NHL are relatively rare and include:

• Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
• Peripheral T-cell lymphoma
• Anaplastic large cell lymphoma. There is a version of this cancer that is associated with breast implants called breast-implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma.
• Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma
• Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma
• Lymphoblastic lymphoma, which more often develops in T-cells but can develop in B-cells