n WHAT ARE SOME SYMPTOMS OF HODGKIN LYMPHOMA? Most patients with Hodgkin lymphoma experience swollen lymph nodes that usually are painless, firm, and movable. These nodes most commonly are found in the neck and chest and less commonly under the arms or in the groin. Other symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include • fever • night sweats • weight loss for no known reason • fatigue • difficulty breathing • itchy skin. n WHAT CAUSES HODGKIN LYMPHOMA? The causes of Hodgkin lymphoma are unknown. Individuals are at greater risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma when they have the following: • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis, often called “mono” (how - ever, most people who have an EBV infection never develop Hodgkin lymphoma) • human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) • a family history of Hodgkin lymphoma (although hereditary cases are very rare). n WHO GETS HODGKIN LYMPHOMA? Hodgkin lymphoma is a rare disease, accounting for about 5% of childhood cancers in the United States. It rarely occurs in patients younger than 5 years, but the risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma increases in the second decade of life, making it one of the most common cancers in teenagers (usually between the ages of 15 and 19 years) and young adults. n IS HODGKIN LYMPHOMA INHERITED? Though rare, some cases of Hodgkin lymphoma have been reported within families of certain ethnic groups. This leads to the premise that there may be some genetic predisposition that can increase the risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma. There is a slightly greater chance that Hodgkin lymphoma will occur in siblings and cousins of those who have or have had the disease. Although the risk is about two to five times higher for siblings com- pared with nonsiblings, the likelihood that a sibling will get Hodgkin lymphoma is still very low.
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