Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL)

NHL is not a single disease but rather a group of at least 60 closely related cancers that affect the lymphocytes.

While the different types of NHL share many common features, certain characteristics set them apart from each other, including:

  • How they look when examined under a microscope.
  • Genetic characteristics and other molecular features.
  • How and where they grow in the body.
  • The symptoms they cause.
  • How patients should be treated.

Occurrence

NHL is the fifth most common cancer diagnosed in Canada.  Men are diagnosed slightly more often than women. NHL may develop in children and young adults, but most people diagnosed with NHL are age 50 and older.