|
Hodgkin's disease, also known as Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a cancer of the body's lymph tissues. It was named after British doctor Thomas Hodgkin, who first noted its details in 1832. Included in the lymphatic system are multiple components:
- The lymph nodes, groups of specialized cells which help to contain foreign substances
- Lymphocytes, part of the immune system (these cells are produced by the spleen, lymph nodes, and inside of bone marrow, and protected by an organ called the thymus)
- A system of vessels that drains tissue fluid from significant organs
- Other clusters of immune cells within some major organs, such as the tonsils and adenoids
The cancerous Hodgkin's cells seek to infect regions of this system, and spread to other portions as the lymphoma progresses.
Most of the people who contract Hodgkin's are ages 15-34 or over 55. In 2003, around 7,600 new cases were identified.
|
