Hodgkin Lymphoma

Key points

• • It is a malignant lymphoma whose hallmark is the Reed-Sternberg cell, a large cell with two mirror-image nuclei giving an owl-eye appearance.
• • The Reed-Sternberg cells are the true tumour cells but form only a minority of the mass; most of the swelling is reactive lymphocytes and other immune cells.
• • It usually arises in a single group of lymph nodes, often in the neck, and spreads in an orderly way to the next contiguous group, unlike non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
• • Classic Hodgkin lymphoma has several subtypes, of which nodular sclerosis is the commonest, and the outlook depends mainly on the stage, the tumour burden and the presence of B symptoms.
• • Painless enlargement of lymph nodes is typical, sometimes with fever, night sweats and weight loss, which together are called B symptoms.
• • A described but non-specific feature is pain in the involved nodes soon after drinking alcohol.