Types of Cancer » AIDS-Related Lymphoma

AIDS-related cancer (…reh-LATE-id KAN-ser) Certain cancer types that are more likely to occur in people who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The most common types are Kaposi’s sarcoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Other AIDS-related cancers include Hodgkin’s disease and cancers of the lung, mouth, cervix, and digestive system.

AIDS Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (ah-KWY-erd im-YOON-o-de-FISH-en-see SIN-drome). A disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). People with AIDS are at an increased risk for developing certain cancers and for infections that usually occur only in individuals with a weak immune system.

lymphoma (lim-FO-ma) Cancer that begins in cells of the immune system. There are two basic categories of lymphomas. One kind is Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is marked by the presence of a type of cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell. The other category is non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, which includes a large, diverse group of cancers of immune system cells. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas can be further divided into cancers that have an indolent (slow-growing) course and those that have an aggressive (fast-growing) course. These subtypes behave and respond to treatment differently. Both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas can occur in children and adults, and prognosis and treatment depend on the stage and the type of cancer.

stage I AIDS-related lymphoma Stage I AIDS-related lymphoma is divided into stages I and IE. In stage I, cancer is found in one group of lymph nodes. In stage IE, cancer is found in one area of one organ or tissue that is not part of the lymph system.

stage II AIDS-related lymphoma Stage II AIDS-related lymphoma is divided into stages II and IIE. In stage II, cancer is found in two or more lymph node groups on the same side of the diaphragm (the muscle below the lungs and heart that separates the chest from the abdomen). In stage IIE, cancer is found in one area of one organ or tissue that is not part of the lymph system and in nearby lymph nodes. Cancer may also be found in other lymph node groups on the same side of the diaphragm.

stage III AIDS-related lymphoma Stage III AIDS-related lymphoma is divided into stages III, IIIE, IIIS, and IIIS+E. In stage III, cancer is found in lymph node groups on both sides of the diaphragm (the muscle below the lungs and heart that separates the chest from the abdomen). In stage IIIE, cancer is found in lymph node groups on both sides of the diaphragm and in one area of an organ or tissue that is not part of the lymph system. In stage IIIS, cancer is found in lymph node groups on both sides of the diaphragm and in the spleen. In stage IIIS+E, cancer is found in lymph node groups on both sides of the diaphragm, in the spleen, and in one area of an organ or tissue that is not part of the lymph system.

stage IV AIDS-related lymphoma In stage IV AIDS-related lymphoma, the cancer is found (1) in several areas throughout one or more organs that are not part of the lymph system, and it may be in nearby lymph nodes; or (2) in one organ that is not part of the lymph system, and it has spread to lymph nodes far away from that organ.