Hodgkin Lymphoma vs Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma are easy to mix up on the boards. Here's a side-by-side comparison — presentation, workup, imaging, and first-line treatment — drawn from our full outlines.
Hodgkin Lymphoma vs Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma at a glance
- Hodgkin Lymphoma: B-cell lymphoma defined by Reed-Sternberg cells in a reactive inflammatory background — highly curable with combined modality therapy.
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Heterogeneous group of lymphoid malignancies (mostly B-cell) — DLBCL most common aggressive type, follicular lymphoma most common indolent.
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Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Hodgkin Lymphoma | Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | B-cell lymphoma defined by Reed-Sternberg cells in a reactive inflammatory background — highly curable with combined modality therapy. | Heterogeneous group of lymphoid malignancies (mostly B-cell) — DLBCL most common aggressive type, follicular lymphoma most common indolent. |
| Classic presentation | Young adult (15-35) with painless cervical lymphadenopathy, mediastinal mass on CXR, and nodular sclerosing histology with Reed-Sternberg cells.; Painless… | Rapidly enlarging supradiaphragmatic node in an older adult with B symptoms — biopsy reveals diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Burkitt: jaw mass in pediatric… |
| Workup / key labs | Histologic identification of Reed-Sternberg cells (or lymphocyte-predominant variants in NLPHL) with characteristic immunophenotype on excisional biopsy.;… | Tissue diagnosis with WHO-defined histologic and immunophenotypic criteria specific to subtype. Ann Arbor staging used; International Prognostic Index (IPI)… |
| Imaging | PET/CT — gold standard for staging and response assessment (Deauville 5-point score); CT chest/abdomen/pelvis if PET unavailable; Bone marrow biopsy NO LONGER… | PET/CT — staging and response assessment (Deauville 5-point score); CT chest/abdomen/pelvis with contrast; MRI brain for primary CNS lymphoma or suspected CNS… |
| First-line treatment | Early-stage (I-II) favorable: 2-4 cycles ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) + involved-site radiation (ISRT); response-adapted approach… | DLBCL: R-CHOP × 6 cycles (rituximab + cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin + vincristine + prednisone); polatuzumab vedotin + R-CHP (POLARIX trial) improves PFS in… |
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