aetiology
Last reviewed 11/2023
Hodgkin's disease is of unknown aetiology.
Because of the origin of the tumour from immune cells there has been put forward the theory that Hodgkin's disease may be immunologically mediated. The mechanism for development of the tumour may be the result of a continuous antigen challenge mechanism or by failure of the innate immunological surveillance system. However, at present this theory remains unproven.
It seems likely that there is a multifactorial mechanism for the development of Hodgkin's lymphoma.