A complete cure is the goal for all of us with Hodgkin’s disease--and that's a reasonble goal. More than 85% of us will still be alive five years after our initial diagnosis, with 80% cancer-free, and considered cured!

Prognosis by stage
When we are first diagnosied with Hodgkin's lymphoma, we're told the stage of the disease, or how far advanced it is. The stage also tell us about our overall chances for survival (see statistics below).

5 year survival rates
Stage 1 - 95% chance
Stage 2 - 90% chance
Stage 3 - 80% chance
Stage 4 - 65% chance

Getting better all the time
Survival rates for Hodgkin's disease have increased by over 60% since the 1970s. Although those of us who survive Hodgkin's -- like all people who have undergone a treatment that suppresses the immune system, such as chemotherapy -- are at slightly higher risk for developing other forms of cancer later in life.

We are also finding that the long-term side-effects of our treatments are diminishing every year. Still, about 1,400 deaths can be attributed to Hodgkin’s lymphoma each year. Most of them can be attributed to:

• Misdiagnosis, or diagnosing symptoms as something other than Hodgkin's
• Ignoring symptoms, resulting in a late-stage diagnosis
• Refusing or delaying treatment

By working to call attention to the symptoms of Hodgkin's disease and to follow through after a diagnosis, we can hopefully begin to whittle that admittedly small number of deaths down to almost nothing. That would be a true victory over cancer.

See also

• Hodgkin's lymphoma - introduction
• Hodgkin's lymphoma - prevalence and prevention
• Hodgkin's lymphoma - symptoms
• Hodgkin's lymphoma - causes and risk factors
• Hodgkin's lymphoma - detection and diagnosis
• Hodgkin's lymphoma - treatment options
• Hodgkin's lymphoma - support