Surgery for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Surgery is often used to get a biopsy sample to diagnose and classify a lymphoma, but it’s rarely used as a form of treatment.

In rare cases surgery may be used to treat lymphomas that start in the spleen or in certain organs outside of the lymph system, such as the thyroid or stomach, and that have not spread beyond these organs. But for treating lymphoma that’s completely confined to one area, radiation therapy is usually preferred over surgery.

For more information about treating cancer with surgery, see our document Understanding Cancer Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Families.