Hodgkin’s disease is a cancer of the lymphatic system that is commonly diagnosed in individuals aged between 15 and 40 years old. This disease originates in the lymphocytes (white blood cells) in the bloodstream and affects the immune system’s ability to fight off disease and infection. Fortunately, advancements in diagnostic and treatment methods for Hodgkin’s disease have significantly improved prognosis. Read on for the causes, symptoms, types of, and risk factors for Hodgkin’s disease:
1. Causes of Hodgkin’s disease
Researchers aren’t clear on what causes this disease; however, they do know that Hodgkin’s disease often occurs when a lymphocyte develops a genetic mutation. This mutation causes the affected cell to multiply rapidly, increasing the number of diseased cells that further grow and divide. Eventually, these rogue cells pile up in the lymphatic system, overwhelming the healthy cells.
2. Symptoms of Hodgkin’s disease
Most often, patients with cancer of the lymphatic system, or lymphoma, are diagnosed when they notice a lump, or lumps, in the neck, armpit, or groin area and make an appointment with their doctor. These lumps are swollen lymph nodes, which are typically painless.
Further symptoms of Hodgkin’s lymphoma include the following:
- Pain in the lymph nodes after consuming alcohol
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Severe itching
- Unexplained weight loss
- Extreme fatigue
- Enlarged spleen
- Trouble breathing, persistent cough, and chest pain
The severity and pattern of the symptoms will vary between patients. Moreover, these signs could also be an indicator of another health problem. Therefore, it is always important to seek a doctor’s counsel for a correct diagnosis.
3. Types of Hodgkin’s disease
There are two main types of Hodgkin’s disease: classical and nodular lymphocyte-predominant. What type of Hodgkin’s disease one is suffering from will often determine the treatment plan that is implemented. Classical Hodgkin’s disease is more common; patients who have it typically develop large-sized, abnormal cells, known as Reed-Sternberg cells, in their lymph nodes. In addition to these main types, there are several different subtypes of classical Hodgkin’s disease:
- Lymphocyte-rich: A rare type, lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin’s lymphoma attacks many lymph nodes of the body situated in the upper half of the body.
- Lymphocyte-depleted: Like lymphocyte-rich, lymphocyte-depleted is a rare condition that is primarily seen in elderly individuals and patients with HIV. It is an aggressive type of cancer that often impacts the lymph nodes in the abdomen, liver, bone marrow, and spleen.
- Nodular sclerosis: The most common type of classical Hodgkin’s disease, nodular sclerosis is frequently spotted in teens and young adults. However, it can affect a person of any age. Typically, it starts to occur in the lymph nodes that are situated in the neck or chest.
- Mixed cellularity: After nodular sclerosis, mixed cellularity is regarded as the second-most common type of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It usually affects patients with HIV, but it is also observed in children and older individuals. Mixed cellularity can stem from any lymph node, but it generally starts in the ones located in the upper half of the body.
- Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin’s disease: This uncommon form of Hodgkin’s disease involves the formation of abnormal cells that are large and appear like popcorn. Doctors might use different treatment methods to treat this type of Hodgkin’s disease. Patients have a better chance of making a full recovery if this lymphoma is detected in the initial stages.
4. Risk factors of Hodgkin’s disease
Apart from the age factors mentioned above, a family history of Hodgkin’s lymphoma makes individuals more susceptible to developing the disease. Interestingly, men are more likely to suffer from this type of cancer than women. Likewise, Hodgkin’s lymphoma is more commonly observed among people who have previously suffered from infections caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, such as infectious mononucleosis.