Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Who's affected

In the UK, more than 13,000 people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma each year.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can occur at any age, but your chances of developing the condition increase as you get older, with just over a third of cases diagnosed in people over 75.

Slightly more men than women are affected.

What causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma?

The exact cause of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is unknown.

But your risk of developing the condition is increased if:

• you have a medical condition that weakens your immune system
• you take immunosuppressant medication
• you have previously been exposed to a common virus called the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes glandular fever

You also have a slightly increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma if a first-degree relative (such as a parent or sibling) has had the condition.

Read more about the causes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

How non-Hodgkin lymphoma is diagnosed

The only way to confirm a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is by carrying out a biopsy.

This is a minor surgical procedure where a sample of affected lymph node tissue is removed and studied in a laboratory.

Read more about diagnosing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Treatment and outlook

There are many subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but they can generally be put into 1 of 2 broad categories:

• high-grade or aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma – where the cancer grows quickly and aggressively
• low-grade or indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma – where the cancer grows slowly and you may not experience any symptoms for many years

The outlook and treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma varies greatly, depending on the exact type, grade and extent of the lymphoma, and the person's age.

Low-grade tumours don't necessarily require immediate medical treatment, but are harder to completely cure.

High-grade lymphomas need to be treated straight away, but tend to respond much better to treatment and can often be cured. 

The main treatments used for non-Hodgkin lymphoma are:

• chemotherapy
• radiotherapy 
• a type of targeted treatment called monoclonal antibody therapy

Overall, most cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are considered very treatable.

You can read more detailed information about the outlook for non-Hodgkin lymphoma on the Cancer Research UK website.

But there's a risk of long-term problems after treatment, including infertility and an increased risk of developing another type of cancer in the future.

Read more about: 

• treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma 
• complications of non-Hodgkin lymphoma