LymphomaLymphoma or lymphatic cancer is a very serious and life-threatening disease. There are an estimated 63,900 new cases in this country, of which 7,100 are Hodgkin's lymphomas compared to non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Since the 1970s, the incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has nearly doubled while the incidence of Hodgkin's disease has decreased. (Steen, 1993) Lymphoma is the name given to a cancer that infects the lymphatic system. In a case of lymphoma the lymphatic system has cells that multiply and cannot be stopped. There are two main types of lymphoma, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is called lymphoma, and Hodgkin-type lymphoma is called Hodgkin disease. Hodgkin's disease is different from non-Hodgkin's disease in that Hodgkin's disease has a Reed-Sternberg cell present in the cancer-infected areas. Hodgkin's disease occurs mainly in people between the ages of 15 and 40 or over 55. Non-Hodgkin's cancer is much more common than Hodgkin's disease. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma includes a group of more than 29 types of lymphomas. These are classified by the National Cancer Society of the United States as aggressive or fast-multiplying or indolent and slow-multiplying. (Lymphoma Information Network) The lymphatic system protects the body from disease-causing agents such as bacteria or viruses. Within this system, which consists of organs such as the spleen and tonsils, there are organs that destroy foreign agents, these organs are called lymph nodes. The lymphatic system works as follows; the bone marrow produces blood cells including white blood cells. White blood cells are the cells that find and destroy pathogens. Both B and T cells change a lot to defend the body from pathogens. It is during the transformation of B cells that tumors can infect them. (Lymphoma Information Network) The causes of Hodgkin's disease are not known, but the symptoms are well known and fairly easy to detect. Lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, or chest begin to swell. The swelling should be painless to the touch, not painful or tender, if it was painful it would most likely be caused by... middle of paper... University of Birmingham) Lymphoma is diagnosed by taking tissue from an inflamed area and looking at it under a microscope. It is treated much like Hodgkin's disease, with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. However, lymphoma can be treated in very different ways than Hodgkin's disease. Observation is a method in which a slow-growing lymphoma is simply observed until it affects or affects an organ. If a recurrence occurs, a stem cell transplant is performed. (Mayo Health Clinic) Bibliography Buckman, R. (1995). What you really need to know about cancer. London: John Hopkin Press ltd.Cancebacup. September. 1999. http://www.cancerbacup. org.uk/info/hodgkins.htm Cancerhelp UK. April. 1999. http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/cancerhelp/public/specific/lymphoma/treat/ Which.html Lymphoma Information Network. October 3. 1999. http://www.lymphomainfo.net Mayo Clinic. 1999. http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/9609/htm/nonhodge.htmSteen, R. (1993). The Cells conspiracy. New York: Plenum Press.