Lymphoma, or cancer of the lymphatic cells of the immune system, was one of the first types of cancer to be considered curable. In the 1970s, the success of combination chemotherapy in curing patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma helped inspire the nation's new investments in cancer research. Since then, continued advances have led to high cure rates for some forms of lymphoma, while helping to reduce side effects and improve patients' lives.

Despite these advances, lymphoma is not always curable and more than 20,000 Americans still die from the disease annually. However, researchers are gaining a deeper understanding of the biology of lymphoma, with more than 60 unique cancer subtypes now known. This information is guiding the search for new treatments and helping to determine which patients need more aggressive therapy.