NHL Ris Factors

FROM THE CLEVELAND CLINIC:

What are the risk factors for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)?

• Being older, male, or Caucasian
• Having any of the following conditions:
• An inherited immune system disorder
• An autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis
• HIV/AIDS
• Human T-lymphotrophic virus Type I or Epstein-Barr virus
• Repeated bouts of Helicobacter pylori infection, which causes stomach ulcers
• Use of immunosuppressant drugs following an organ transplant
• High levels of exposure to certain pesticides has been found in some observational studies to slightly increase the risk of NHL in in agricultural workers. The risk from low level and/or periodic exposure to these substances is not certain.
• Exposure to radiation
• A diet containing high amounts of meat and fat
• Previous treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

How common is adult non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)?

An estimated 74,200 new cases of NHL are expected to be diagnosed in 2019. About 1,000 people will die from the disease in 2019. NHL is the seventh most common cancer in US adults.

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

• Painless swelling in the lymph nodes of the neck, underarm, groin, or stomach
• Unexplained fever
• Heavy night sweats
• Feeling much more tired than usual for at least several weeks for no apparent reason
• Unexplained weight loss
• Skin rash or itchy skin
• Unexplained pain in the chest, abdomen, or bones
• A feeling of fullness even though you did not eat a lot

These symptoms and signs are common to many conditions. You shouldn’t assume that you have NHL. However, you should contact your healthcare provider when you have symptoms that worry you.

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