Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer. Lymphoma is a general term for cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. Hodgkin's disease is one type of lymphoma. All other lymphomas are grouped together and are called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Lymphomas account for about 5 percent of all cases of cancer in the United States.

Diagnosis

If non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is suspected, the doctor asks about the person's medical history and performs a physical exam. The exam includes feeling to see if the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin are enlarged. In addition to checking general signs of health, the doctor may perform blood tests.

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The doctor may also order tests that produce pictures of the inside of the body. These may include:

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• X-rays: Pictures of areas inside the body created by high-energy radiation.
• CT scan (computed tomography scan, also known as a "CAT scan"): A series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body. The pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.
• PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): This is an imaging test that detects uptake of a a radioactive tracer by the tumor. More often, the PET scan can be combined with the CT scan.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): Detailed pictures of areas inside the body produced with a powerful magnet linked to a computer.
• Lymphangiogram: Pictures of the lymphatic system taken with x-rays after a special dye is injected to outline the lymph nodes and vessels. This test is not used as often because of the adoption of CT scan and the PET scan technologies

A biopsy is needed to make a diagnosis. A surgeon removes a sample of tissue so that a pathologist can examine it under a microscope to check for cancer cells. A biopsy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is usually taken from lymph nodes that are enlarged, but other tissues may be sampled as well. Rarely, an operation called a laparotomy may be performed. During this operation, a surgeon cuts into the abdomen and removes samples of tissue to be checked under a microscope.

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A patient who needs a biopsy may want to ask the doctor some of the following questions:

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• Why do I need to have a biopsy?
• How long will the biopsy take? Will it hurt?
• How soon will I know the results?
• If I do have cancer, who will talk with me about treatment? When?