August 15, 2023
Cancer Treatment is More Than Medicine
Cancer treatment extends beyond clinical care. Explore how Takeda Oncology supports patients through mental health, well-being, and holistic approaches to care.
Lymphoma Education | Hodgkin & Non-Hodgkin Types
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a blood cancer that originates from abnormal lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that help defend the body against foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses.1
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. 2
Hodgkin Lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma, when active, often travels from one group of lymph nodes to the next in a predictable path. 3 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. 4 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. 5
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. 6 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). 7 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. 8
Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) comprise a group of more than 25 subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. PTCL makes up less than 15% of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases in various regions. 9 The most commonly used treatment options are combination chemotherapy regimens or other multidrug regimens. 10
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. 11
Most people with ALK- ALCL initially respond to treatment as well, but the disease is more likely to relapse. 11 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. 12
Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL) most commonly affects the skin as one or multiple skin lesions but can impact each patient differently. Most CTCL types are generally treatable, but not curable. Patients with CTCL can receive either skin-directed or systemic therapies, depending upon the stage of their disease. 13
Patient Resources for Lymphoma
By listing these resources, Takeda Oncology is not endorsing any particular service or group, and we are not responsible for the content of these sites or services. They are provided here for informational purposes and are not meant to replace your healthcare provider's medical advice.
Related Stories
May 29, 2024
Living is More Than Surviving: Balancing Clinical Outcomes with Patient Impact in Cancer Care
Balancing clinical outcomes with quality of life. Explore how Takeda Oncology prioritizes patient impact alongside survival rates in cancer treatment approaches.
February 2, 2022
Facing Health Disparities Head On: An Industry-Wide Responsibility
Health inequity in oncology demands action. Explore how Takeda Oncology addresses health disparities as an industry-wide responsibility to improve cancer care access.
References
- Lymphoma Research Foundation. About Lymphoma. Available at: https://lymphoma.org/aboutlymphoma/
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- National Health Service (NHS) Hodgkin lymphoma treatment. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hodgkin-lymphoma/treatment/. Accessed July 2025.
- Swerdlow SH, et al. Blood 2016;127:2375-2390. Accessed July 2025.
- Vose J, et al. J Clin Oncol 2008;26(25):4124-4130. Accessed July 2025.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Cleveland Clinic. Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17940-cutaneous-t-cell-lymphoma. Accessed July 2025.