In the US, lymph node cancer, or lymphoma, is the most common kind of blood cancer. There are two different types of lymphoma, namely Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) and the far less common Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL).
Lymphoma can develop in patients of any age, including children. HL is most commonly found in young adults, aged between 16 and 34 years, as well as adults aged 55 years or older. NHL is far more likely to be found in older individuals.
In cases of HL, the general outlook is very good, as it is one of the cancers most likely to be cured. The five-year after treatment survival rate (FYTSR) is above 80% in adults, and above 90% in children.
Due to much more refined and more aggressive approaches in therapies, there has been an significant improvement in outlook for NHL. The SYTSR for adults is now around 63% for adults, and up to 90% for children.
Many affected individuals live in remission, which is a reducing or total disappearance of cancers, for many years after receiving treatment. How successful treatment will be and individual life expectancy depend on the severity of the condition. The earlier this condition is diagnosed, the more likely treatment is to be successful.
For the above reason, it is vital to seek medical care as soon as possible if swellings are detected in the groin, leg, armpit, arm or neck are detected. This is particularly the case if symptoms such as fever, chills, lack of energy, unexplained weight loss, night sweats or intense itching are also experienced. Although they may not necessarily be caused by lymphoma, there is a chance that they are, and it is always much better to be safe than sorry.
