Understanding the different types of lymphoma
February 25, 2026
You may have already heard about non-Hodgkin lymphoma. But are there other kinds of lymphoma? What makes each one unique? And, are some symptoms common to all types of lymphoma?
We went to lymphoma specialist Ranjit Nair, M.D., for answers to these and other questions. Here’s what he shared.
What is lymphoma?
Because of its name, you might assume that lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph nodes. But lymphoma is actually a cancer of lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell. These white blood cells originate in the bone marrow. Once they mature, they are deployed to live and work within the lymphatic system — primarily the lymph nodes, spleen and thymus.
When a mature lymphocyte becomes cancerous, it tends to settle and multiply in the areas where it was designed to work. That’s why swollen lymph nodes are the most common symptom of lymphoma.
The name itself actually provides a road map of the disease: “lymph” refers to the fluid and system these cells inhabit, while the suffix, “-oma,” is the medical term for a swelling or tumor.
How many different types of lymphoma are there?
Many. But generally speaking, lymphomas are classified as either Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin. They were named in honor of Thomas Hodgkin, the 19th century British physician who first described these abnormalities in 1832. For a long time, any lymphoma that didn’t fit his specific description was simply classified as “non-Hodgkin.”
How is lymphoma broken down beyond those two categories?
Lymphoma is further categorized by the specific type of immune cell involved and its behavior. There are two main types of lymphocytes — B cells and T cells — so each cancer is classified accordingly.
- Hodgkin lymphoma is almost exclusively a B cell malignancy. It has four different subtypes.
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, however, is a mix of both B and T cell varieties. It serves as a much larger umbrella for approximately 140 different diseases.
B cell lymphomas are the most common, while T cell lymphomas are extremely rare. Despite the many varieties, though, lymphoma remains a rare disease. It makes up only about 4% to 5% of all new cancer diagnoses annually.
What are the most common types of lymphoma?
Lymphomas can be further described as either indolent (slow-growing) or aggressive (fast-growing).
The most common type of aggressive lymphoma is diffuse large B cell lymphoma, which actually includes 15 to 20 different genetic varieties. The most common indolent variety is follicular lymphoma.
Some of the rarer types include mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and double-hit lymphoma.
Key takeaways
- Every lymphoma diagnosis is slightly different — and as unique as a fingerprint.
- It’s vital to get an accurate lymphoma diagnosis and personalized treatment.
- Immunotherapy is quickly becoming the most common lymphoma treatment option.
Are any symptoms common to all types of lymphoma?
Swollen lymph nodes are the most common symptom of lymphoma. Between 80% and 90% of patients diagnosed with lymphoma each year have that symptom.
Swollen lymph nodes typically appear in the neck, armpit or groin. Because these nodes are often painless, they can sometimes be overlooked or mistaken for a lingering infection.
Cancerous lymphocytes can also collect in places outside the lymph nodes, such as the liver, lungs, stomach and bone marrow. About 30% to 40% of patients experience this, which is called “extra-nodal involvement.” It is more common among aggressive lymphomas, and it tends to cause pain and discomfort due to the pressure generated by swelling organs.
Beyond physical lumps, many patients also experience warning signs known as "B symptoms," which include drenching night sweats, persistent unexplained fevers, and unintended weight loss.
Are different types of lymphoma treated differently?
Yes. Lymphomas that were once thought to be identical actually have significant differences at the molecular level. This insight has led to the discovery of different subtypes and the evolution of specialized treatments.
That’s why it’ so important to get an accurate diagnosis from someone who specializes in lymphoma. A decade ago, we only had three or four options to offer lymphoma patients as a first-line treatment. Today, we have 10 to 15, and each one is tailored to a different subtype. As our understanding of these cellular drivers continues to grow, treatments evolve, too. This allows for a truly personalized approach to care.
So, what treatments are available now for lymphoma?
Chemotherapy used to be the main lymphoma treatment for more than 60 years. Now, that option is being replaced by or augmented with immunotherapy.
The reason is that chemotherapy is a much cruder tool: it’s like banging down the door of the immune system and damaging it on the way in. Chemotherapy kills growing cancer cells, but it also damages healthy ones, which can lead to significant side effects. Immunotherapy is more like a lock and key. It allows you to gently unlock the immune system to fight cancer more effectively without causing widespread damage, so there are fewer side effects.
We are also in the era of “living drugs” now, in which we can enhance a patient’s own cells to become cancer hunters. This includes:
- CAR T cell therapy, where a patient's T-cells are genetically engineered to seek out and destroy cancer
- CAR NK cell therapy, which uses “off-the-shelf" natural killer cells to provide a faster treatment with potentially fewer side effects.
Additionally, breakthroughs like bispecific antibodies act as a molecular bridge, physically linking a patient’s T-cells directly to the lymphoma cells to trigger a precise and powerful immune attack.
What are the most exciting advances in lymphoma treatment right now?
I think T cell therapy is really going to be a game-changer for treating lymphoma. That’s definitely where the field is headed.
One of the biggest challenges in treating lymphoma is that cancer cells are masters of disguise. They evade detection by masking or changing their surface proteins. To overcome this, we are exploring next-generation multi-target CAR T cells in clinical trials. Instead of just looking for one protein, these genetically engineered drugs can target multiple markers simultaneously. This makes it significantly harder for cancer to escape.
There are also several vaccine trials in process where certain proteins are being injected into participants to trigger a targeted immune response. But these therapeutic vaccines are still in the very earliest phases, so it’s too soon to say how they’ll turn out.
What’s the one thing people should know about lymphoma?
Every lymphoma diagnosis is slightly different — and as unique as a fingerprint. But this disease is highly treatable — and for a good majority of patients, potentially curable.
Today, cure rates for some subtypes have reached 90% or higher, thanks to the rapid evolution of personalized medicine. Even in cases where a permanent cure is more challenging, modern therapies have transformed lymphoma into a manageable, long-term condition that allows patients to lead full, active lives.
Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.
Every lymphoma diagnosis is slightly different — and as unique as a fingerprint.
Ranjit Nair, M.D.
Physician