Lymphoma (also known as Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma or NHL) is a type of cancer which develops in the lymphoid tissue which consists of lymphocytes (white blood cells). The difference between other cancer types, which also spread to the lymphoid tissue and lymphoma is the fact that lymphoma begins developing in the lymphoid tissue.  

There are several different causes of lymphoid cancer. One of the main causes may be radiation therapy or chemotherapy. People who have undergone these treatments are at higher risk of developing lymphoma as the therapy may weaken their lymphoid tissue.

Also, people who have organ transplants are at higher risk as they consume drugs which weaken their immune system.

As lymph nodes can be found almost anywhere in a human body, the symptoms may vary depending on the area of the body – lymph nodes which are directly under the skin are easily noticed when the swell up, however swelling of lymph nodes inside the body is not so easily detected. There are various different tests and scans that can be performed to discover lymphoma, the doctor will choose the appropriate one. One of the most used methods is biopsy, which is analyzing a part of the lymphoid tissue to discover unusual changes that may indicate the growth of cancer cells.