There are many types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (sometimes called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). Your doctor needs to know which type you have so that they can give you the best treatment.
What are B-Cell and T-cell lymphomas?
Lymphomas develop from abnormal lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are white blood cells. There are two main types of lymphocyte: B-cell lymphocytes and T-cell lymphocytes.
If a lymphoma developed from abnormal B-cell lymphocytes, it is called a B-cell lymphoma. If it developed from abnormal T-cell lymphocytes, it is called a T-cell lymphoma.
Types of B-cell lymphoma
B-cell lymphomas are more common than T-cell lymphomas. About 9 out of 10 people diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (90%) have a B-cell lymphoma.
The most common types of B-cell lymphoma are:
- diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
- follicular lymphoma (FL).
Other less common types include:
- extra-nodal marginal zone lymphoma (also called MALT lymphoma)
- mantle cell lymphoma
- Burkitt lymphoma
- primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma
- nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma
- splenic marginal zone lymphoma
- small lymphocytic lymphoma
- lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (also called Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia).
Types of T-cell lymphoma
T-cell lymphomas are much less common than B-cell lymphomas. There are a number of different types of T-cell lymphoma. They include:
- peripheral T-cell lymphoma
- skin (cutaneous) lymphomas, including mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome
- anaplastic large cell lymphoma
- angioimmunoblastic lymphoma
- lymphoblastic lymphoma (this is mainly T-cell but can be B-cell).
Lymphoma that starts in the brain
About our information
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References
Below is a sample of the sources used in our non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Guideline NG46. Haematological cancers: improving outcomes. 2016.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Guideline NG52. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: diagnosis and management. 2016.
Treleaven, et al. Guidelines on the use of irradiated blood components prepared by the British Committee for Standards in Haematology blood transfusion task force. British Journal of Haematology. 2011.
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Reviewers
This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer. It has been approved by Senior Medical Editors, Dr Anne Parker, Consultant Haematologist; and Professor Rajnish Gupta, Macmillan Consultant Medical Oncologist.
Our cancer information has been awarded the PIF TICK. Created by the Patient Information Forum, this quality mark shows we meet PIF’s 10 criteria for trustworthy health information.