Hodgkin lymphoma
Find out about Hodgkin lymphoma, symptoms to look out for, how it’s diagnosed and how it’s treated.
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- Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops when certain types of white blood cells stop working properly
- Common symptoms can include a lump in your neck, armpit or groin, sweating at night, losing weight and feeling tired all the time
- Hodgkin lymphoma is usually diagnosed with a biopsy of the lump
- It’s usually treated with chemotherapy, sometimes combined with radiotherapy.
What is Hodgkin lymphoma?
Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most common cancers diagnosed in 13-24-year-olds.
Hodgkin lymphoma develops in the lymphatic system – a network of glands and thin tubes that run through your body.
Lymphomas can be grouped into either Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma depending on what the lymphoma cells look like when doctors examine them under a microscope. If you have Hodgkin lymphoma, certain types of white blood cells in your lymphatic system – called Reed-Sternberg cells – stop working properly.
The cells multiply and collect around glands and other parts of the lymphatic system, causing tumours to form.
What are the symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma?
The most common sign of Hodgkin lymphoma is a lump in your neck, armpits or groin that may or may not be painful.
Having these symptoms, or any of the symptoms below, doesn’t mean you definitely have cancer. They can be caused by other issues but it’s important to have things checked by a doctor.
Other symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma are:
Sweating at night
Having these symptoms doesn’t mean you have cancer. They can be caused by other issues but it's important to have things checked by a doctor.
A high temperature
Losing weight without trying
Feeling tired a lot of the time
Feeling itchy a lot of the time
Coughing
Breathlessness
Pain or vomiting when you drink alcohol
Hear about Jordan's Hodgkin lymphoma symptoms, before her diagnosis
@teenagecancertrust Jordan shares the signs and symptoms she experienced before her Hodkin lymphoma diagnosis #Hodgkinlymphoma #BloodCancer #TeenageCancerTrust #TeenageCancer
♬ original sound - Teenage Cancer Trust
How is Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed?
The only way to know if the problem is caused by Hodgkin lymphoma is by having a biopsy.
This means giving you a local anaesthetic (where part of your body is made numb), taking cells from the tumour using a needle and then looking carefully at the cells under a microscope for signs of cancer.
You may also have the whole lump taken out to look at, in which case you’ll be given a general anaesthetic (where you’re sent to sleep for a controlled amount of time and you can’t feel anything).
You can find out more about biopsies in our Getting diagnosed section.
How is Hodgkin lymphoma treated?
Treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma has a high success rate.
The exact treatment depends on how far the cancer has spread, but it normally involves chemotherapy, sometimes combined with radiotherapy.
You might also be given steroid tablets or injections as part of your chemotherapy treatment.
You can find a lot more information about the different types of lymphoma on the Lymphoma Action website and the Blood Cancer UK website.
Find out more about cancer treatments.
This page was reviewed in 2024. It will reviewed again in 2027.