This Article Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kingston, J E Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Kingston, J E

Lymphoma in children: special considerations

Department of Paediatric Oncology, St Bartholomew's and The Royal London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK

Summary

• Lymphoma is the third commonest malignancy in childhood.
  
• Excellent 5-year survival rates can be achieved: 90% for Hodgkin's disease (HD) and 80% for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).
  
• Childhood NHL is nearly always of diffuse high grade histology with predominantly extranodal distribution of disease and rapid progression.
  
• Childhood HD is of nodular sclerosing histology in 60% of UK cases with predominantly nodal distribution of disease. Children often present with an indolent history.
  
• Epstein–Barr virus is implicated in the aetiology of a proportion of cases of both NHL and HD.
  
• CT scanning is the most important imaging modality for staging at diagnosis and subsequent assessment of response.
  
• An important aim of therapy in childhood lymphoma is to minimize late effects, particularly growth impairment, cardiotoxicity, infertility and second malignancies, without compromising survival.