n WHAT IS HODGKIN LYMPHOMA? Hodgkin lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin’s disease, is a cancer of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the body’s immune system, which protects the body from infection and disease. The lymphatic system is made up of a network of tissues and organs, including lymph nodes, tonsils, bone marrow, the spleen, and the thymus. Lymph tissue also is found in other parts of the body including the gut, skin, and brain. The lymphatic system circulates watery fluid called lymph throughout the body. This lymph fluid includes a type of white blood cells called lymphocytes that help the immune system filter viruses, bacteria, and other foreign substances out of the body. Because lymph tissue is found throughout the body, Hodgkin lymphoma can develop almost anywhere and spread to almost any tissue or organ. Researchers have determined it is a cancer that develops from an abnor- mal lymphocyte (i.e., white blood cell) that divides too rapidly and grows without order or control. The diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma depends on the presence of a particular kind of abnormal blood cells called Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells. These large, abnormal lymphocytes are seen when the involved tissue from a person with Hodgkin lymphoma is examined under a microscope.
The Lymphatic System
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