A new approach to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas continues to rise and the number of deaths attributable to these malignancies currently rank in the top five causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Recent insights into the pathogenesis and molecular characterization of these disorders have led to improvements in a clinicopathologically relevant classification system, as well as in the ability to accurately diagnose specific entities. Several new treatment modalities have been developed which may improve the outcome for selected patients. A better understanding of the biology of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas will hopefully translate into different therapies with improved outcomes. This article describes a new system for classifying the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, highlights key aspects of the pathogenesis of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and briefly reviews clinical and therapeutic approaches to the most common of these lymphomas.