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← Hodgkin Lymphoma

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Source: Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.

Source updated: February 27, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.

Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.

Context: Stages of Hodgkin Lymphoma / Hodgkin lymphoma may be grouped for treatment as follows:

Advanced Hodgkin lymphoma is stage III or stage IV. Advanced favorable Hodgkin lymphoma means that the patient has 0–3 of the risk factors below. Advanced unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma means that the patient has 4 or more of the risk factors below. The more risk factors a patient has, the more likely it is that the cancer will come back after it is treated:

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Having a low blood albumin level (below 4).

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Having a low hemoglobin level (below 10.5).

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Being male.

Being aged 45 years or older.

Having stage IV disease.

Having a high white blood cell count (15,000 or higher).

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Having a low lymphocyte count (below 600 or less than 8% of the white blood cell count).

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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice