Hodgkin's Lymphoma Support Group

The incidence of Hodgkin's disease is about 4 per 100,000 people per year, and accounts for slightly less than 1% of all cancers worldwide.

Swollen, but non-painful, lymph nodes are the most common sign of Hodgkin's lymphoma, often occurring in the neck. The lymph nodes of the chest are often affected and these may be noticed on a chest X-ray.

Splenomegaly, or enlargement of the spleen, occurs in about 30% of people with Hodgkin's lymphoma. The enlargement, however, is seldom massive. The liver may also be enlarged due to liver involvement in the disease in about 5% of cases.

About one-third of people with Hodgkin's disease may also notice some systemic symptoms, such as low-grade fever, night sweats, weight loss, itchy skin (pruritus), or fatigue. Patients may also present with a cyclic high-grade fever known as Pel-Ebstein fever, although there is debate as to whether or not this truly exists. Systemic symptoms such as fever and weight loss are known as B symptoms.

After Hodgkin's lymphoma is diagnosed, a patient will be staged: that is, they will undergo a series of tests and procedures which will determine what areas of the body are affected. These procedures will include documentation of their histology, a physical examination, blood tests, chest x-ray, CT scans or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, and a bone marrow biopsy. Positron emission tomography (PET) scan is now used instead of the gallium scan for staging. In the past, a lymphangiogram or surgical laparotomy (which involves opening the abdominal cavity and visually inspecting for tumors) were performed. Lymphangiograms or lapartomy are very rarely performed, having been supplanted by improvements in imaging with the CT scan and PET scan.