Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a general term for a cancer that begins in the lymphatic system. There are many forms of lymphoma; the two main types are Hodgkin’s disease and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL). Both of these forms involve a malignant growth of cells in the lymph system, however the cells involved in NHL are specifically B- or T-cells of the lymph system. NHL is the most common form of lymphoma.

The lymphoma incidence rate has increased over the last 20 years by 37%, however the mortality rate associated with lymphoma has fallen by 16%.
In 2004, lymphomas were the sixth most common cancers in Australia, with 4272 new cases reported.
In 2005, lymphomas were responsible for 1454 deaths, with the majority caused by NHL (1390 deaths compared to 64 deaths from Hodgkin’s disease).