The lymphomas: Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

This review presents an overview of a heterogeneous group of disorders that fall under the general heading of lymphomas. Many specific subtypes and presentations exist; their presentations, treatments, and prognoses vary greatly. Patients with lymphomas are generally treated with external beam radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these two modalities. The community pharmacist may play an important role in management of patients by recognizing and alleviating the distressing side effects of treatment. Unfortunately, prevention and early detection play little role in the management of lymphomas. The improvement in survival rates of patients with all but indolent NHL is a direct result of advances in chemotherapy.