The lymphatic system are made up of cells known as lymph cells or lymphocytes. When these cells become cancerous, they are known as lymphomas. Lymphomas can occur in any part of the lymphatic system, such as the bone marrow, thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes. More than 70 different types of lymphomas exist. The common types of lymphoma can be classed into two main categories, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

  • Hodgkin’s lymphoma
    These start in the B-cells or the Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells of the immune system. Some of the common types of lymphoma in this category are as follows:
    • Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin’s disease
      This is one of the common types of lymphoma, and it affects more men than women. It is most often detected at an early stage through the presence of RS cells and lymphocytes in diagnostic tests.
    • Lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkin’s disease
      This is a rare and aggressive type of cancer, usually detected by the presence of excess RS cells that show up on diagnostic tests. The average age of diagnosis is 30 years.
    • Mixed cellularity Hodgkin’s lymphoma
      About a quarter of all Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases are of this type. It is more common in older men.
    • Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin’s disease
      Very commonly diagnosed in men between the ages of 30 and 50, this type of cancer very rarely transforms into an aggressive form of NHL.
    • Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin’s lymphoma
      This is the most common type of lymphoma, accounting for 70% of Hodgkin’s cases. It mostly affects young adults and is highly treatable.
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL)
    This form is three times more common than Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Some of the common types of lymphoma in this category are as follows:
    • B-cell lymphoma
      This occurs in the abnormal B-cells in the blood. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a very aggressive form of NHL. It can be cured if detected and treated in time.
    • T-cell lymphoma
      Not as common as B-cell lymphoma, accounting for about 15% of NHL cases, there are several variants of this lymphoma.
    • Burkitt’s lymphoma
      This relates to the existence of rare and aggressive form of NHL that is most common in individuals with a compromised immune system. It is also quite common in children in the region of sub-Saharan Africa.
    • Follicular lymphoma
      With 1 in 5 cases diagnosed as follicular lymphoma, this is among the common types of lymphoma in the country. It affects mostly older adults with the average age of diagnosis being 60 years. This slow-growing cancer starts in the white blood cells.
    • Mantle cell lymphoma
      Usually occurring and affecting the gastrointestinal tract or bone marrow, this aggressive form of cancer is quite rare, accounting for 6% of NHL cases.

Most forms of lymphoma are treatable and curable. Treatment also depends on how far cancer has spread and the type.