Hodgkin's Disease - Introduction

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Other Structures in the Lymphatic System. The tonsils and adenoids are secondary lymphatic organs. They are composed of masses of lymph tissue that also play a role in the lymphatic system. The spleen is another important organ that processes lymphocytes from incoming blood.

Spread of Cancer. Unfortunately, tumor cells may be collected in the lymph fluid and brought to the lymph nodes. Hodgkin's disease usually progresses in an orderly way from one lymph node region to the next. This process may be slow, particularly in younger people, or very aggressive. The disease typically spreads downward from the initial site.

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• If it spreads below the diaphragm, it usually reaches the spleen first; the disease may then spread to the liver and bone marrow.
• If the disease starts in the nodes in the middle of the chest, it may spread outward to the chest wall and areas around the heart and lungs.

Click the icon to see an animation about lymph nodes.

Click the icon to see an image of an antibody.

Click the icon to see an image of the immune system structures.

Review Date: 01/27/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).