Hodgkin's Lymphoma (Morbus Hodgkin/Hodgkin's Disease)
Author: Dipl. Biol. Maria Yiallouros, erstellt 2006/07/15, Reviewer: PD Dr. med. Christine Mauz-Körholz, English Translation: Heidi Krumland, Last modification: 2006/09/08 doi:10.1591/poh.patinfo.mh.1.20060715 , Kurz-URL: www.kinderkrebsinfo.de/Hodgkin-Lymphom
Malignant lymphomas are malignant diseases of the lymphatic system. With about 12%, they rank third among the most common cancer types occurring in childhood and adolescence. The malignant lymphomas can be divided into Hodgkin's lymphoma (also known as Morbus Hodgkin or Hodgkin's disease) and the large group of Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Hodgkin lymphoma accounts for about 5% of the malignant diseases that affect children and young adults. The following text on Hodgkin's lymphoma is intended for patients and their families and should help explain this disease and its treatment options.
Hodgkin's lymphoma, also known as Morbus Hodgkin, Hodgkin's disease, or lymphogranulomatosis, is a malignant disease of the lymphatic system. Like the large group of Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), Hodgkin's disease belongs to the malignant lymphomas. With approx. 12%, they rank third among cancers affecting children and adolescents (behind leukaemias and the tumours of the Central Nervous System). Hodgkin's lymphoma accounts for about 5% of malignant diseases occurring in children and young adults and thus occurs more rarely than Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
In general, Hodgkin's lymphoma begins in a lymph node and, within several weeks or months, spreads from there via the blood and lymphatic vessels to the entire body. It can affect almost all organs of the body. If untreated, Hodgkin’s lymphoma will be fatal in most cases.
Patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma have, however, a very good probability of being cured. In fact, Hodgkin's disease belongs to those cancer types which can be treated best during childhood and adolescence. Thanks to modern diagnostic methods and standardised treatment schedules (combination chemotherapy) more than 95% of these patients can be cured. [DöR2003] [KAA2005].
Explanatory Note on the Text
The following text on Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease) is written for patients and their families. It is intended to explain the disease and its treatment options. It cannot substitute the necessary conversations with the physicians in charge and other members of the treatment team. The information might however help to prepare such conversations and to foster understanding. The text was written based on the bibliography listed below and on the updated guidelines for treatment of children and adolescents with Morbus Hodgkin (therapy optimising trials GPOH-HD 2002 Pilot and GPOH-HD 2002 Pilot/VECOPA). Further bibliographic information is cited in the text. The text was reviewed by the above-mentioned editors on 3 July 2006 and has been approved for publication on the Internet for the period of one year. It is intended to be revised and updated this year.
Table of contents 
[KAA2005] Kaatsch P, Spix C: Jahresbericht 2004 des Deutschen Kinderkrebsregisters. Technischer Bericht, Universität Mainz 2005 [URI: http://www.kinderkrebsregister.de/]
