Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. It is sometimes called Hodgkin disease.

There are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Most lymphomas are non-Hodgkin lymphoma and only about 1 in 5 (20%) are Hodgkin lymphoma. Nearly 1500 people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in the UK each year.

The difference between Hodgkin lymphoma and NHL

There is only one way to tell the difference between Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). The difference can be seen when the cells are looked at under the microscope. Often the cells need to be stained with dyes to show their structures. Usually the cells will also be tested for the presence of particular proteins – this is known as immunohistochemistry.

In most cases of Hodgkin lymphoma, a particular cell known as the Reed-Sternberg cell is found in the tests done to see if you have the disease. This cell is not usually found in other lymphomas, so they are called non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This difference is important, because the treatment for Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas can be very different. It is thought that Reed-Sternberg cells are a type of white blood cell – a B-lymphocyte that has become cancerous. B-lymphocytes normally make antibodies to fight infections.

Cancerbackup has a separate section about non-Hodgkin lymphoma.