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Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease) is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system. In Hodgkin's lymphoma, cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond the lymphatic system. Because of technological advances in the diagnosis and treatment, the disease is though it can be fatal, but can now be treated with complete healing. Prognosis or possible cure of this disease continues to increase. Hodgkin's lymphoma has two main types, namely classical and nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma is the most common, and subdivided into several types, among others:
1. Nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's lymphoma
2. Mixed cellularity Hodgkin's lymphoma
3. Lymphocyte depleted Hodgkin's lymphoma
4. Lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin's lymphoma Causes The cause of Hodgkin's lymphoma is not known with certainty. The lymphatic system consists of the spleen, thymus, bone marrow and lymph nodes, also known as lymph nodes located throughout the body and connected by small vessels called lymphatics. Lymph nodes are located in the upper body is where the Hodgkin's lympoma usually begins.

Some lymph nodes in an area easily visible, like in the neck, above the collarbone, under arm or in the groin area, and lymph nodes in the chest can also be enlarged. Ultimately, the disease can spread beyond the lymph nodes to almost all parts of the body. abnormal B cells are abnormal B cell development is the cause of primary Hodgkin's lympoma. B cells is a type of lymph cells that became an important part of the immune system response against foreign substances. To fight infection, B cells normally work with T cells that mature in the thymus. Tues Reed-Sternberg cells of B is developed into the abnormally large, become cancer cells. When should these cells undergo normal cell cycle of life and death, but these cells do not die and continues to produce the abnormal B cells progressively. Enlarged lymph nodes because these cells also attract immune cells of other normal.

Symptoms Some signs and symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma, among others:
1. Fever and chills
2. Painless swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin
3. Weight loss as much as 10% or more of body weight
4. Persistent fatigue
5. Itching
6. Chest pain, cough or difficulty breathing
7. Increasing sensitivity to the effects of alcohol or pain in lymph nodes after drinking alcohol
8. Sweating at night
9. Loss of appetite Many other conditions can cause the above symptoms, then you should have to consult with a physician, if :
1. Symptoms lasted for more than two weeks
2. Recurrent symptoms Treatment The important considerations include the amount and regional lymph nodes are affected and whether only one or both sides of the diaphragm are involved.

Several other factors that influence the decision for treatment of disease may include the patient's age, symptoms, whether they are pregnant or not and their overall health status. The goal of treatment of disease is the destruction of malignant cells as much as possible and get a good development of this disease. With proper care, approximately 95% of people with Hodgkin's lymphoma stage I or stage II survived for five years or more, and about 60% -70% of people with Hodgkin's lymphoma that has been extended also to survive up to five years.

Some treatment options may include :
1. Radiation Radiation therapy may be a treatment option in case the disease is yet in a restricted area. Radiation is used in this treatment is high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. Although radiation therapy is usually used in conjunction with chemotherapy, but can also be used alone. Chemotherapy would be necessary in the case of patients relapsed after radiation therapy. The risk of disease , stroke, thyroid problems, infertility and other forms of cancer, such as lung cancer or breast can be enhanced due to some form of radiation therapy. Nearby healthy tissue can also be damaged by radiation. Most children with Hodgkin's lymphoma is usually treated with chemotherapy, but they also can be treated with low-dose radiation therapy.
2. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is a treatment option in cases of progression of disease and involves not only the lymph nodes but also other organs. To kill tumor cells, chemotherapy usually use certain drugs in combination. These drugs could reach virtually all areas of the body by traveling through the bloodstream. Long-term use can cause side effects and complications such as lung damage, liver damage, heart damage, secondary cancer (leukemia), and fertility problems. Despite the fact that the effects generally not severe, however, the researchers sought to find a combination that is as effective, but with lower toxicity. In people who have received a couple of times a program of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, combinations of drugs have been developed for Hodgkin's lymphoma, which basically reduces the possibility of long-term use of complications, such as acute leukemia.
The combination chemotherapy used for, among other things:
1. BEACOPP: consisting of bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincrisitine, procarbazine and prednisone.
2. ABVD: consisting of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine.
3. Stanford V: consists of doxorubicin, vinblastine mechlorethamine,, etoposide, vincristine, bleomycin and prednisone. Patients who took the combination is also treated with radiation therapy.
4. Copp / ABVD: consisting of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone, doxorubicin bleomycin vinblastine, and dacarbazine.
5. MOPP: consists of mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisone. Currently, the treatment most often used is ABVD. However, people can receive more intensive treatment such as BEACOPP in high-risk cases.

3. Bone marrow transplant or stem cell: A person may need a bone marrow transplant or stem cells in case of relapse. In this procedure, the patients had bone marrow or stem cells (autologous) to be captured and treated to kill cancer cells. After that, cell-marrow or stem cells will be frozen and stored for safekeeping. Then, patients will receive high-dose chemotherapy to destroy cancer cells in their bodies. Finally, frozen marrow or stem cells will be thawed and injected into the body intravenously.