Hodgkin lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic tissue. Usually, it starts in a lymph node and the first detected sign is an enlarged lymph node.

Hodgkin lymphoma is most typically diagnosed in young adults. Today, its prognosis is good. Hodgkin lymphoma is classified into subcategories (classic and lymphocyte-predominant) by stage.
Risk of disease
The exact cause of Hodgkin lymphoma is not known. It is found more frequently than average in people with a disease that leads to immunodeficiency (such as AIDS) and people who are using medication that causes immunodeficiency (such as organ transplant medication). Epstein-Barr infection (mononucleosis) has been found to be a risk factor.
Symptoms
The only initial sign of Hodgkin lymphoma may be a swollen lymph node in the neck. Most patients are symptom-free at the time of diagnosis. The symptoms partly depend on the location of the tumor. A painless cough may be associated with the disease if mediastinal lymph nodes are enlarged. Some patients experience general symptoms, so-called ‘B’ symptoms, such as fever, sweating and tiredness.
Diagnosis
The disease is diagnosed by examining a piece of tissue, usually obtained by removing a swollen lymph node. Once the diagnosis is established, the cancer is staged. Usually, this involves a CT scan of the body and an FDG-PET/CT scan. A bone marrow biopsy may also be performed to ensure successful staging.
Treatment
The choice of treatment depends on the stage of disease and the symptoms. The most common treatments include chemotherapy and radiotherapy and combinations thereof. If the disease recurs, biological targeted agents may be used, and stem cell transplantation may be included in the treatment.
Read more

Individually planned physiotherapy for cancer patients
Physiotherapy offers versatile methods and treatments that improve the quality of life and functional capacity of cancer patients during all...
Read more
The most aggressive cancers: pancreatic, lung and liver cancer show the fastest progression
The most aggressive cancers with the shortest life expectancy from diagnosis are pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma or...
Read more
Meet the staff at Docrates Cancer Center – Introducing Chief Physician of Medical Oncology Tuomo Alanko
Tuomo Alanko, specialist in oncology and chemotherapy as well as clinical drug trials, has been a part of the skilled...
Read more
Docrates Cancer Center expands its hospital in Helsinki
June 26, 2023 | Docrates Cancer Center has decided to invest in a considerable expansion of its facilities in Jätkäsaari,...
Read moreWhy come to Docrates Cancer Center?
- Top cancer experts and effective treatments without delay.
- Individual care. You have your own care team - your doctor and your nurse.
- Front line cancer treatment. Latest medical technology combined with proven expertise in cancer care.
- Experience in treating international patients from over 60 countries. Multilingual personnel.
Contact us!
Mon-Thu 8:00-18:00, Fri 8:00-16:00
