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Non‑Hodgkin lymphoma
Free study guide for medical students and educators
~2 min readLast reviewed 2026-02-23
Also known as:Non-Hodgkin's lymphomaB/T/NK lymphomaNHL
Heterogeneous group of mostly B‑cell lymphomas (also T/NK) with non‑contiguous spread and frequent extranodal disease.
- Big umbrella that includes Burkitt, follicular, mantle, DLBCL, marginal zone, etc.
- Generalized lymphadenopathy ± extranodal sites (GI, skin, CNS)
- Immunocompromised states (HIV, post‑transplant), autoimmune disease
- Biopsy and subclassify (IHC/genetics) → therapy depends on specific subtype
- Look for hallmark translocations (MYC, BCL2, CCND1) to narrow dx
| Condition | Distinguishing Feature |
|---|---|
| hodgkin-lymphoma | RS cells; contiguous spread |
| leukemia | primarily marrow/blood process |
⚡At a Glance
SpecialtyHematology & Oncology
Key findingsGeneralized lymphadenopathy ± extranodal sites (GI, skin,...; Immunocompromised states (HIV, post‑transplant), autoimmune...