Leukemia and lymphoma are both forms of blood cancer, but they affect the body in different ways. Leukemia affects the blood and bone marrow, while lymphomas mainly affect the lymph nodes.

Though there are some similarities between the two types of cancer, their causes and origins, symptoms, treatment, and outlook are different.

This article explains the similarities and differences between leukemia and lymphoma, including prevalence, risk factors, and more.

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Leukemia and lymphoma are two types of cancer that affect the blood and the immune system. Both typically affect the white blood cells.

Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the cells in the bone marrow that form blood. It usually affects white blood cells, although it can affect other blood cells in some cases.

There are different types of leukemia, depending on how fast it develops and the type of cells it starts in. The types of leukemia include:

  • acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
  • chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
  • acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
  • chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
  • chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML)

Chronic leukemia develops more slowly, while acute cancers start suddenly and develop rapidly. Leukemia can affect children and adults, depending on the type.

Lymphoma

Lymphoma starts in the immune system and affects the lymph nodes and lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. The two main types of lymphocytes are B cells and T cells.

The two main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. They affect different types of white blood cells.

Under a microscope, cells known as Reed-Sternberg cells will be visible if someone has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Someone with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma will not have these cells in their blood.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is the more common type.

Hodgkin’s lymphoma usually occurs in young adults, but the risk increases again after the age of 55. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a common cancer in children, teens, and young adults, but over half of all cases are in people ages 65 and older.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that, in the United States in 2025, there will be around:

  • 66,890 new cases of all types of leukemia
  • 90,390 new cases of all types of lymphoma
    • 8,720 new cases of Hodgkin’s lymphoma
    • 80,350 new cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

The symptoms of leukemia and lymphoma differ and vary according to the type.

Chronic leukemia

This type develops slowly. People may find out they have it before symptoms appear, for example, during a routine blood test.

Possible symptoms include:

  • swelling of the spleen, liver, and lymph nodes
  • bleeding and bruising
  • other symptoms, depending on the type

Acute leukemia

Symptoms tend to be non-specific, which means they are common to a range of conditions. They may include:

  • fever
  • lethargy
  • bleeding and bruising
  • swollen liver, spleen, and lymph nodes
  • bone pain, especially in the spine and long bones
  • muscle pain
  • anemia
  • shortness of breath
  • heavy bleeding during menstruation

Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Around 25% of people with Hodgkin’s lymphoma experience the following early signs:

  • fever
  • night sweats
  • unexplained weight loss

After this, other symptoms may appear, including:

  • swollen lymph nodes, starting in the area where cancer begins
  • skin rash
  • pain in the areas of the affected lymph nodes after consuming alcohol
  • diseases of the diaphragm, which may cause:
    • breathing difficulty
    • pain in the chest, shoulder, or abdominal area
    • lack of oxygen in the blood
  • problems with the bones, bone marrow, lungs, and liver as cancer spreads
  • in rare cases, it can affect the brain and nervous system

Lymph nodes are all connected to each other. Hodgkin’s lymphoma spreads from one lymph node to the next.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Enlarged lymph nodes are a key symptom of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The extent will depend on the stage of the disease, but it tends to spread out from around the diaphragm, the muscle just below the ribs that expands and contracts when a person breathes.

Symptoms may include:

  • swollen lymph nodes
  • fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell
  • symptoms in the lung, liver, kidney, and bone marrow as the disease progresses
  • in some cases, symptoms in the:
    • digestive tract
    • thyroid
    • bones
    • brain
    • testes
    • kidney
    • liver
    • breast
    • skin

Leukemia and lymphoma are cancers that affect the blood cells. Different types impact the body in different ways. However, they have some common features.

In leukemia, cancer develops in the bone marrow, causing it to produce too many white blood cells. The cells keep dividing and eventually outnumber healthy blood cells. It mostly affects white blood cells, which play a key role in the immune system.

In lymphoma, cancer develops in the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system.

White blood cells known as B cells and T cells start to reproduce too quickly. Eventually, they outnumber the healthy cells and prevent the immune system from working correctly. As they accumulate, they can form tumors.

Eventually, cancer can also spread to the bone marrow, lungs, or liver. These are some of the most common destinations, but it can also affect other parts of the body.

Leukemia and lymphoma have different risk factors.

Leukemia

Factors that may increase the risk of developing leukemia depend on the type of leukemia. However, they may include:

  • exposure to radiation
  • exposure to benzene
  • past treatment with chemotherapy
  • a history of blood cancer
  • viral infections, such as the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)
  • some genetic syndromes, such as Down syndrome and Fanconi anemia, which may increase the risk of ALL and AML

Lymphoma

The risk factors vary for different types of lymphoma. However, there are some overall risk factors, which include:

  • exposure to toxins, such as pesticides or herbicides
  • persistent infection with EBV or cytomegalovirus
  • some bacterial infections, such as Helicobacter pylori
  • a weakened immune system, for example, due to HIV
  • the use of drugs that impact the immune system
  • auto-immune diseases, such as:
    • inflammatory bowel disease
    • rheumatoid arthritis
    • Sjögren syndrome

If someone has symptoms that may indicate leukemia or lymphoma, a doctor will most likely:

  • ask more about the symptoms
  • ask about personal and family medical history
  • run medical tests

The tests may include:

  • blood tests for lymphoma or leukemia
  • a bone marrow biopsy if the doctor suspects leukemia
  • a tissue biopsy if they suspect lymphoma

The doctor may also carry out tests to rule out other possible causes.

Specific treatment will depend on whether a person has leukemia or lymphoma and which subtype they have. However, there are some common approaches. These include:

  • radiation therapy
  • chemotherapy
  • targeted therapy
  • antibody treatment
  • stem-cell therapy, in some cases

The outlook for leukemia and lymphoma will depend on which condition a person has, as well as which subtype, the stage at diagnosis, and other factors.

A 5-year survival rate measures the chance of a person with a disease living 5 years or more after a diagnosis, compared with a person who does not have the disease.

According to the National Cancer Institute, a person with leukemia has an 67.8% overall chance of living at least 5 more years. However, this varies between types.

For example, the survival rate for childhood AAL is now around 90%. Moreover, if a child lives for 5 years after treatment, there is a good chance that cancer will not return, according to the ACS.

For a person with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the overall chance of living at least another 5 years is 74.2%, while for Hodgkin’s lymphoma it is 89%.

It is worth noting that researchers base these estimates on historical data. This means 5-year survival rates may be more favorable than statistics suggest, due to advancements in treatments.

Racial disparities in outlook

Outcomes can vary according to population groups. For example, a 2025 study looked at trends in death due to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma between 1999 and 2020 in the United States.

According to the study, white Americans have the highest incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. However, Black people with the cancer have a less favorable outlook and 5-year survival rate than white people.

Black people may also present with a more advanced stage of cancer at diagnosis than white people. Socioeconomic barriers that delay treatment may influence this.

The study also highlights that research may underrepresent non-white individuals, which may affect perceptions of trends. More research is necessary to understand the effect and extent of these disparities for both leukemia and lymphoma.

Leukemia and lymphoma are both types of cancer that affect white blood cells and the immune system. However, they differ in their effects on the body.

Treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy can all help manage these conditions and, in some cases, cure them. However, the treatment approach and outlook will vary depending on the type of cancer a person has.

Survival rates are increasing all the time as scientists learn more and develop new ways of treating cancer.