Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Types, Stages, and Treatment | Takeda Oncology
Lymphoma
Overview
Lymphoma originates from abnormal lymphocytes, a key component of the human immune system. There are two main types — Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma can occur in children, teens and adults of any age. 1
Hodgkin Lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma, when active, often travels from one group of lymph nodes to the next in a predictable path. 2 The diagnosis process includes a series of tests to decipher the disease stage which can range from Stage I to Stage IV. In Stage I, only one lymph node region or single organ is affected. As the stages progress, more lymph node regions are affected, and in Stage IV, multiple organs and lymph node regions above and below the diaphragm are affected. 3
Hodgkin lymphoma treatment generally consists of combination chemotherapy plus/minus radiotherapy. After initial treatment, the majority of Hodgkin lymphoma patients will be considered cured, as many will achieve not only complete remission, but a long-term remission. 4
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
More than 60 non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes have been identified and assigned names by the World Health Organization (WHO), characterized by appearance, anatomical localization and cell composition. 5
These subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphomas are divided into two major groups: T-cell lymphomas, which develop from abnormal T-lymphocytes, or B-cell lymphomas, which develop from abnormal B-lymphocytes. There are many different forms of T-cell lymphomas, some of which are extremely rare. T-cell lymphomas can be aggressive (fast-growing) or indolent (slow-growing). 6
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Subtypes can vary so much that they present as a practically different disease altogether, so treatment options also vary greatly. 7
Section Accordion Title
Peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas (PTCLs) Information
Systemic Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (sALCL) Information
Systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL) is a common subtype of PTCL, and patients with sALCL are divided into two groups: anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase-negative (ALK-) ALCL. ALK+ ALCL occurs in younger individuals and responds well to standard chemotherapy treatments, putting most patients into long-term remission. 10
Most people with ALK- ALCL initially respond to treatment as well, but the disease is more likely to relapse. 10 Initial treatment for sALCL is a combination chemotherapy regimen. However, relapse occurs in approximately 40-65% of patients after initial frontline therapy, and outcomes are poor among patients. In many cases, prescribers turn to combination therapies as a treatment option. 11
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) Information
Resources
1 Mayo Clinic. Lymphoma. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lymphoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20352638#:~:text=Common%20symptoms%20of%20having%20lymphoma,portion%20of%20the%20bone%20marrow. Accessed July 2025. 2 UpToDate. Patient education: Hodgkin lymphoma in adults (Beyond the Basics). https://www.uptodate.com/contents/hodgkin-lymphoma-in-adults-beyond-the-basics/print#:~:text=In%20Hodgkin%20lymphoma%2C%20a%20cancerous,option%20that%20best%20describes%20you:. Accessed July 2025. 3 Moffit Cancer Center. Hodgkin Lymphoma Stages. https://www.moffitt.org/cancers/hodgkin-lymphoma/diagnosis/stages/#:~:text=The%20staging%20system%20used%20for,the%20liver%2C%20lungs%20or%20bones. Accessed July 2025. 4 National Health Service (NHS) Hodgkin lymphoma treatment. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hodgkin-lymphoma/treatment/. Accessed July 2025. 5 Swerdlow SH, et al. Blood 2016;127:2375-2390. Accessed July 2025. 6 Vose J, et al. J Clin Oncol 2008;26(25):4124-4130. Accessed July 2025. 7 Chen AI, Advani RH. Beyond the guidelines in the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma: new drug development. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 2008;6(4):428-435. Accessed July 2025. 8 Anup Kumar Trikannad, Sruthi Vellanki, Jim Zhongning Chen, Alan Baltz, Mamatha Gaddam, Ankur Varma, Muthu V. Kumaran, Cesar Giancarlo Gentille Sanchez; Cutaneous Involvement By Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: Incidence, Characteristics, Treatment Trends, and Outcomes in the United States (2000-2021). Blood 2024; 144 (Supplement 1): 3074. doi: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2024-211559. Accessed July 2025. 9 Laribi K, Alani M, Truong C, Baugier de Materre A. Recent Advances in the Treatment of Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma. Oncologist. 2018 Sep;23(9):1039-1053. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2017-0524. Epub 2018 Apr 19. PMID: 29674443; PMCID: PMC6192612. Accessed July 2025. 10 Greg Hapgood, Kerry J. Savage; The biology and management of systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Blood 2015; 126 (1): 17–25. doi: https://doi.org/10.1182/blood-2014-10-567461. Accessed July 2025. 11 Savage KJ, Harris NL, Vose JM, et al. ALK- anaplastic large-cell lymphoma is clinically and immunophenotypically different from both ALK+ ALCL and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified: report from the International Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Project. Blood. 2008;111(12):5496–5504. Accessed July 2025. 12 Cleveland Clinic. Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17940-cutaneous-t-cell-lymphoma . Accessed July 2025.
