Hodgkin Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system. It is found in lymph nodes, mostly in children and young adults, and compromises the body's ability to fight infection. Most patients are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 35 and typically have a family history of lymphoma.

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Hodgkin Lymphoma originates from cells in the part of the immune system known as the lymphatic system. Because lymphatic tissue is in many parts of the body, Hodgkin Lymphoma can start almost anywhere.

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Signs / Symptoms

If one or more of these symptoms occur and persist for up to two weeks, contact your doctor immediately. Hodgkin Lymphoma symptoms include:

• Swelling of lymph nodes in your neck, armpits, or groin

• Fire

• Shake

• night sweats

• unexplained weight loss

• Pain in the lymph nodes after drinking alcohol

• Itching

• recurrent fatigue

• cough or chest pain

• Loss of appetite

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Diagnosis

To diagnose Hodgkin Lymphoma, a doctor may perform a physical exam where they will check for swollen lymph nodes. They may take a blood sample to be tested in the lab or complete a biopsy, from which they remove a small amount of bone marrow for testing. Imaging tests are also common, including X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET).

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Treatment

Most patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma treated with conventional radiation therapy recover, but may experience significant side effects.

With pen beam capabilities that precisely target cancerous areas, proton therapy is less likely to cause significant side effects such as heart disease and secondary cancers than conventional radiation methods. Less healthy tissue is exposed to radiation, which allows doctors to successfully treat cancerous cells and reduces the chance of secondary cancer.