Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas, (NHL) are tumors of the peripheral lymph nodes, thymus or abdominal organs, such as the bowel, but can appear in other sites. These tumors differ substantially from lymphomas seen in adults. In children, NHL may behave similarly to acute leukemia in that both cancers can involve bone marrow, blood, skin and the central nervous system.

Lymphomas are the third most common malignant disease of children, after acute leukemia and brain tumors. Fifty-five percent of childhood lymphomas are non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Approximately nine in one million children under age 15 will develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma each year. Children with immunodeficiencies have a greatly increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Approximately 80 percent of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma can be cured with treatment. Children with early, localized stages of the disease have about a 90 percent chance of cure. Therapy varies depending on subtypes and stages of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Chemotherapy, using a combination of drugs, has proven effective. Because of the effectiveness of chemotherapy, there is little role for radiation treatment. Researchers are looking for better ways to refine treatment for lymphoma according to the extent of the disease and the tissue subtype. Specific therapies are being developed to target against cell surface antigens expressed by lymphoma cells or their molecular lesions. Molecular studies are being conducted to search for the mechanisms of the development of lymphoma.