Cancer is primarily a disease of the cells. The cells in any body part can become cancerous, and they may spread to the other parts of the body. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) starts from inside the white blood cells, which are known as lymphocytes and are a very important constituent of the immune system. It is a group of blood cancers that includes all different types of lymphomas, except Hodgkin’s lymphoma or Hodgkin’s disease.

NHL is used to refer to the various categories of lymphomas that share many similar features. Another popular type of lymphoma is known as Hodgkin’s lymphoma or Hodgkin’s disease, and it has a different way of being treated. NHL is most commonly found in adults, but that does not mean that children are not affected by it. This cancer starts in the lymph tissues or the nodes in the lymphatic system, but it may also spread to the skin.

Types of NHL
It is very important to understand the different types of NHL in order to understand and take the right treatment. The lymphoma type will decide the course of treatment for the patient. It will also depend on the maturity of the cells that have become cancerous.

B-cell lymphoma and T-cell lymphomas
The lymphatic system comprises, primarily, of lymphocytes, which help in fighting the infections in the body. There are mainly two types of lymphocytes, which are as follows:

• B lymphocytes : The B cells help in protecting the body from germs by producing antibodies, which are a certain type of proteins. These antibodies work by attaching themselves to different germs that are trying to destruct the immune system. However, the cancerous growth in the lymphocytes of the B cells is a type of NHL.
• T lymphocytes : The body has different T cell types. Some of these T cells damage the abnormal cells as well as the germs. The other types of T cells help in boosting and also in slowing the activity of the other immune system cells. Lymphoma can originate in all types of lymphocytes; however, the B cell lymphomas are the most common.

Indolent versus aggressive lymphomas
While the types of NHL are divided on the basis of the cell they originate from, they can also be categorized based on the speed at which they spread and grow. For example, aggressive lymphoma spreads and grows quite rapidly, and one needs to be treated as soon as the symptoms start to occur. The most common type of this lymphoma in the country is the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Indolent lymphoma, on the other hand, grows slower as compared to the aggressive one.

Classifying types of NHL
One of the main issues of NHL is the classification of this cancer. As there are many types, it is tough to categorize one. However, as per the World Health Organization (WHO), it can be divided based on the following:

• The lymphocyte in which lymphoma starts
• How the lymphoma is visible under the microscope
• The proteins present in the lymph
• The chromosome features of the lymphatic system’s cells