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Word Document

1>Hodgkin disease is a type of lymphoma. Lymphoma is a cancer of a part of the immune system called the lymph system. The first sign of Hodgkin disease is often an enlarged lymph node. The disease can spread to nearby lymph nodes. Later it may spread to the lungs, liver, or bone marrow. The exact cause is unknown. Hodgkin disease is rare.
2>Like all types of cancer, Hodgkin's disease affects the body's cells. Healthy cells grow, divide and replace themselves in an orderly manner. This process keeps the body in good repair. In Hodgkin's disease, cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and can spread to other organs. As the disease progresses, the body is less able to fight infection.
Hodgkin's disease is rare. It accounts for less than 1 percent of all cases of cancer in this country. It is most often seen in young people aged 15 to 34 and in people over the age of 55.
3>Symptoms include:
Painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin
Fever and chills
Night sweats
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Itchy skin
4>Hodgkin's disease is generally treated using chemotherapy, radiation therapy or a combination of both. The role of each depends on the stage, or extent, of disease. Surgery may be used to diagnose the disease, but rarely to remove the diseased organs. Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma may be treated, if it is localized, using involved-field radiotherapy (where radiation targets only the diseased area while sparing nearby healthy tissue).
To diagnose Hodgkin disease, doctors use a physical exam and history, blood tests, and a biopsy. Treatment depends on how far the disease has spread. It often includes radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment. In most cases, Hodgkin disease can be cured.
5>Infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is known to increase risk, so one way to limit your risk is to avoid known risk factors for HIV, such as...

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