Lymphomas

Abstract

Lymphomas are the third most common malignancy in children and adolescents, after acute leukemias and brain tumors; they account for approximately 15 % of all pediatric cancers (Howlader et al. 2012 ). Among children <15 years of age, non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) predominate, accounting for approximately 6 % of childhood cancers, while Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is more rare (3.6 %). In older adolescents, Hodgkin lymphoma incidence increases signifi cantly, such that it represents 17 % of new cancer diagnoses compared to 8.3 % for NHL (Howlader et al. 2012 ). Fortunately, lymphomas are among the most curable of childhood cancers, with 5-year survival rates improving substantially from 1975 (44 % for NHL, 82 % for HL) to 2006 (80 % for NHL, 95 % for HL) (Smith et al. 2010 ). In NHL, improved understanding of the biology of different subtypes (lymphoblastic lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and anaplastic large cell lymphoma) has led to refi ned treatment strategies. In HL, advances in risk-and response-adapted chemotherapy and radiation therapy have contributed to high cure rates for newly diagnosed patients. As a result, there is