September is Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month
Joining hands to help patients cope: improving the quality of life of patients and their families. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) offers the most comprehensive array of services to patients and families touched by blood cancers.
A diagnosis of leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma brings many daily challenges. LLS is committed to providing support and guidance to patients and the health professionals who care for them.
What Is Leukemia?
Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, the spongy center of bones where our blood cells are formed. The disease develops when blood cells produced in the bone marrow grow out of control.
What Is Lymphoma?
Lymphoma is the name for a group of blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. The two main types are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
In 2010, about 628,415 people are living with lymphoma or are in remission (no sign of the disease). This number includes about 153,535 people with Hodgkin lymphoma and 474,880 people with NHL.
Hodgkin lymphoma has characteristics that distinguish it from other diseases classified as lymphoma, including the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. These are large, cancerous cells found in Hodgkin lymphoma tissues, named for the scientists who first identified them. Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most curable forms of cancer.
NHL represents a diverse group of diseases distinguished by the characteristics of the cancer cells associated with each disease type. Most people with NHL have a B-cell type of NHL (about 85 percent). The others have a T-cell type or an NK-cell type of lymphoma. Some patients with fast-growing NHL can be cured. For patients with slow-growing NHL, treatment may keep the disease in check for many years.
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