![A Photo of Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090507154340im_/http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/summer08/images/jon_lester.jpg)
Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester came back from successful treatment for lymphoma in 2006 to pitch a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals on May 19, 2008. Lester had been diagnosed in 2006 with a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma called anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). After undergoing four rounds of chemotherapy at Massachusetts General Hospital, the pitcher was found to be cancer-free and reported to Major League Baseball spring training in 2007.
Photo: Getty Images
Leukemia & Lymphoma
Most cancers are named for where they start. For example, lung cancer starts in the lung, and breast cancer starts in the breast. Leukemia and lymphoma are named for parts of your blood and lymphatic systems.
Leukemia
Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. White blood cells help your body fight infection. Your blood cells form in your bone marrow. In leukemia, however, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells. These cells crowd out the healthy blood cells, making it hard for blood to do its work.
Leukemia can develop quickly or slowly. Chronic leukemia grows slowly. In acute leukemia, the cells are very abnormal and their number increases rapidly. Adult acute leukemia can often be cured. Treatments may include chemotherapy, radiation, and stem cell transplantation. Even if symptoms disappear, you might need therapy to prevent a relapse.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer of the white blood cells, especially in the lymph nodes and spleen. There are many types of lymphoma. One type is called Hodgkin's disease, which is marked by the presence of a special type of cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell. The rest are called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas begin when a type of white blood cell, called a T cell or B cell, becomes abnormal. The cell divides again and again, making more and more abnormal cells. These abnormal cells can spread to almost any other part of the body.
Non-Hodgkin lymphomas can have an indolent (slow-growing) course or an aggressive (fast-growing) course. These subtypes behave and respond to treatment differently. Both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas can occur in children and adults, and treatment and outcome depend on the stage and the type of cancer.