Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that starts in the lymphatic system – a network of glands and thin tubes that run through your body and fights infection. It forms part of your immune system.  

Lymphomas are among the most common cancers in 13-24 year-olds. There are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).  

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma develops when certain types of white blood cells, called lymphocytes, stop working properly.  White blood cells are the cells that help fight infection. The cells multiply and build up. You can often feel this in your glands but they can be in almost any part of your body. There are over 60 different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Your care team should talk to you about the specific type of lymphoma that you have because it might need a different type treatment. If you have any questions about the type of lymphoma you have you can speak to you care team.  

You can find out more about non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and each of the specific types, on the Lymphoma Action website. 

Symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma depend on the type and where it is in the body.  

The most common symptom is a painless lump in your neck, armpits or groin. 

Other non-Hodgkin lymphoma symptoms could include:  

• Drenching sweats, especially at night   
• A high temperature
• Losing weight without trying to   
• Fatigue – extreme tiredness that doesn’t get better when you rest   
• Feeling itchy a lot of the time
• Picking up infections more easily and finding them harder to get rid of   
• Coughing
• Breathlessness  

You might sometimes hear the term ‘B symptoms’ to describe a group of symptoms: a high temperature, weight loss and night sweats. You can find out more about B symptoms here. Knowing whether or not you have B symptoms can help your doctors work out how the lymphoma is affecting your body and how likely it is to respond to treatment. 

Having one or more of these symptoms doesn’t mean you definitely have cancer. They can be caused by other issues but if you’re worried it is important you speak to your GP.   

The only way to diagnose non-Hodgkin lymphoma is by doing a biopsy.  

This usually involves giving you a local anaesthetic (where the area is made numb) and taking a sample of cells from a swollen gland using a needle. The cells are then examined under a microscope for signs of cancer. 

You can find out more about the different types of biopsy you might have on the Lymphoma Action website.   

Treatment depends on the type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma you have, where it is in your body and how it is affecting you. 

Treatments could include active monitoring, chemotherapy, steroids, targeted therapies, radiotherapy, a stem cell transplant, or CAR-T cell therapy.  

Active monitoring means you might not start treatment straight away but you’ll have appointments to check in on your lymphoma. Find out more here. 

You can find out more about the specific treatments used for each type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma on the Lymphoma Action website.  

This page was reviewed in January 2026. It will reviewed again in January 2029.