Lymphoma risk factors: non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma

What lymphoma is

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph system, which is part of the immune system. There are many types. One type is Hodgkin lymphoma (also called Hodgkin disease); the rest are called non-Hodgkin lymphomas (MedlinePlus). Non-Hodgkin lymphomas begin when a white blood cell called a T cell or B cell becomes abnormal and keeps dividing (MedlinePlus). Most types begin in B cells (NCI PDQ).

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can be indolent or aggressive. Indolent lymphoma tends to grow and spread slowly and has few signs and symptoms. Aggressive lymphoma grows and spreads quickly, and its symptoms can be severe (NCI PDQ).

Risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Most of the time, doctors do not know why a person gets non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MedlinePlus). NCI lists these and other risk factors that may raise the risk of certain types (NCI PDQ):

• being older, male or White
• an inherited immune disorder, such as hypogammaglobulinemia or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
• an autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis or Sjögren syndrome
• HIV/AIDS
• human T-lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-1) or Epstein-Barr virus infection
• Helicobacter pylori infection
• taking immunosuppressant drugs after an organ transplant

MedlinePlus sums it up the same way: you are at increased risk if you have a weakened immune system or certain types of infections (MedlinePlus). See also rheumatoid arthritis risk factors.

Some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

NCI describes many types. A few that people search for (NCI PDQ):

• Follicular lymphoma is the most common indolent type. It begins in B cells, and most patients are 50 or older when diagnosed.
• Gastric MALT lymphoma usually begins in the stomach. Patients may also have Helicobacter gastritis or an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto thyroiditis or Sjögren syndrome.
• Burkitt lymphoma grows and spreads very quickly and occurs most often in children and young adults. The endemic form, common in Africa, is linked to Epstein-Barr virus; the immunodeficiency-related form is most often seen in people who have AIDS.

Risk factors for Hodgkin lymphoma

NCI lists 4 risk factors for Hodgkin lymphoma (NCI PDQ):

• Age. It is most common in early adulthood (age 20 to 39) and in late adulthood (65 and older).
• Being male. The risk is slightly higher in males than in females.
• Past Epstein-Barr virus infection in the teenage years or early childhood.
• A family history of Hodgkin lymphoma: a parent, brother or sister with it.

For both groups, NCI notes that not everyone with a risk factor gets lymphoma, and it can develop in people with no known risk factor (NCI PDQ) (NCI PDQ).

Does smoking raise the risk of lymphoma?

The NCI and MedlinePlus lymphoma pages we use do not list smoking as a risk factor for non-Hodgkin or Hodgkin lymphoma (NCI PDQ) (NCI PDQ) (MedlinePlus). We do not add claims they do not make. If you smoke and want help quitting, see the quit smoking check.

Symptoms to check with a doctor

For non-Hodgkin lymphoma, NCI lists (NCI PDQ):

• swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, groin or stomach
• fever for no known reason
• drenching night sweats
• feeling very tired
• weight loss for no known reason
• skin rash or itchy skin
• pain in the chest, abdomen or bones for no known reason

Fever, drenching night sweats and weight loss together are called B symptoms (NCI PDQ). For Hodgkin lymphoma, NCI lists painless swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarm or groin, fever, drenching night sweats, weight loss for no known reason in the past 6 months, itchy skin (especially after bathing or drinking alcohol) and feeling very tired, when they do not go away (NCI PDQ). These symptoms can have other causes, so see a doctor rather than guess.

How lymphoma is found

A doctor diagnoses lymphoma with a physical exam, blood tests, a chest x-ray and a biopsy (MedlinePlus). Our cancer screening hub covers the cancers that have screening checks for people without symptoms.

Common questions

Is lymphoma the same as leukemia?

No. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph system (MedlinePlus). Leukemia starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow (MedlinePlus); see leukemia risk factors. For a cancer of plasma cells, see multiple myeloma risk factors.

Does lymphoma run in families?

For Hodgkin lymphoma, having a parent, brother or sister with it raises the risk (NCI PDQ). For non-Hodgkin lymphoma, NCI lists inherited immune disorders, not family history in general (NCI PDQ).

Who gets lymphoma most often?

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk rises with older age (NCI PDQ). Hodgkin lymphoma has 2 peaks, ages 20 to 39 and 65 and older (NCI PDQ).