Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer in the lymphatic system. Sixty
percent of lymphomas are non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. The lymphatic
system is part of the immune system and functions to fight
disease and infections. The lymphatic system includes the
following: - lymph fluid - fluid containing lymphocyte cells. -
lymph vessels - thin tubes that carry lymph fluid throughout the
body. - lymphocytes - specific white blood cells that fight
infections and disease. - lymph nodes - bean-shaped organs,
found in the underarm, groin, neck, chest, and abdomen, that act
as filters for the lymph fluid as it circulates through the
body. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma causes the cells in the lymphatic
system to abnormally reproduce, eventually causing tumors to
grow. Non-Hodgkin's disease cells can also spread to other
organs and tissues in the body. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is the
third most common childhood cancer. It occurs most often in
children between the ages of seven and 11, but can occur at any
age from infancy to adulthood. Non-H