Trends in Hodgkin's Disease Research

Hodgkin''s disease, sometimes called Hodgkin''s lymphoma, is a cancer that starts in lymphatic tissue. Lymphatic tissue includes the lymph nodes and related organs that are part of the body''s immune and blood-forming systems. The lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped organs found underneath the skin in the neck, underarm, and groin. They are also found in many other places in the body such as inside the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Lymph nodes make and store infection-fighting white blood cells, called lymphocytes. They are connected throughout the body by lymph vessels (narrow tubes similar to blood vessels). These lymph vessels carry a colourless, watery fluid (lymphatic fluid) that contains lymphocytes. Eventually the lymphatic fluid is emptied into the blood vessels in the left upper chest. There are 5 different types of Hodgkin''s lymphoma: Nodular sclerosing Hodgkin''s lymphoma; Mixed cellularity Hodgkin''s lymphoma; Lymphocyte depletion Hodgkin''s lymphoma; Lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin''s lymphoma; Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin''s lymphoma. This volume examines and presents leading-edge research in this field.