Causes
The exact cause of Hodgkin's lymphoma is still unknown. A key step in
Hodgkin's disease involves the development of abnormal B cells, a type
of lymph cell that is an important part of your immune system's response
to foreign invaders. B cells normally work with T cells, which derive
from the thymus, to fight infection. T cells kill foreign invaders
directly. B cells become plasma cells, which in turn produce antibodies
that neutralize foreign invaders.
In most cases of Hodgkin's disease, B cells develop into large abnormal
cells. These abnormal, cancerous cells are called Reed-Sternberg cells
after the two pathologists who first discovered them. Instead of
undergoing the normal cell cycle of life and death, these Reed-Sternberg
cells don't die, and they continue to produce abnormal B cells in a
malignant process. Doctors and researchers don't know what causes this
process to begin.
People between the ages of 15 and 34, as well as those over 55, are most
at risk of Hodgkin's disease. Also, anyone with a brother or a sister
who has the disease faces an increased risk of developing Hodgkin's.
Hodgkin's disease is among a group of cancers called lymphomas — cancers
of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system includes the lymph nodes
(lymph glands), which are located throughout the body and are connected
by small vessels called lymphatics. The spleen, thymus gland and bone
marrow also are part of the lymphatic system.
Hodgkin's disease commonly begins in the lymph nodes, which are located
throughout the body. Some lymph nodes are in areas more readily noticed
such as in the neck, above the collarbone, under the arms or by the
groin. Enlarged lymph nodes in the chest and abdomen also are common.
Lymphomas may spread outside the lymph nodes to virtually any part of
your body.
