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Facts About Hodgkin's Disease

Hodgkin's disease, also called Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a cancer of the lymphatic system that fends off infections in the body. Hodgkin's disease accounts for less than 1 percent of cancers diagnosed annually in the U.S., with 7,800 new cases reported each year, according to 2009 estimates of the American Cancer Society.

  1. Causes

    • There are few risk factors for Hodgkin's disease, making it difficult to predict. Those factors are genetic predisposition, infection with Epstein-Barre virus and gender (males have a higher risk).

    Diagnosis

    • Hodgkin's disease is diagnosed via biopsy of a lymph node. It is examined under a microscope by a pathologist to check for cancerous cells and to determine the stage of the cancer.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms include painless enlargement of lymph nodes, night sweats, unexplained fevers, back pain and itchy skin.

    Treatment

    • Chemotherapy and radiation are used to treat Hodgkin's disease. Chemotherapy cures 90 percent of newly diagnosed cases, according to the American Cancer Society.

    Prognosis

    • The prognosis for Hodgkin's disease is very good, with an 85 percent five-year survival rate, according to the American Cancer Society. Younger patients and those in the earlier staging of the disease have a better prognosis.

    Famous Sufferers

    • Famous people with Hodgkin's disease include hockey superstar Mario Lemieux and Senator Arlen Specter. Hall of Fame Baseball player Roger Maris died of Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1985 at age 51.

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