Which of the following is a key difference between Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in children?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is more commonly associated with painless, enlarged lymph nodes than Hodgkin's lymphoma is incorrect because both HL and NHL can present with painless lymphadenopathy, so this is not a distinguishing feature. B. Hodgkin's lymphoma presents with a more aggressive course than Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is incorrect because, in children, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma generally has a more aggressive and rapid course compared with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which usually progresses more slowly. C. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma typically involves the Reed-Sternberg cells is incorrect because Reed-Sternberg cells are characteristic of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, not Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Their presence is a key diagnostic feature of HL. D. Hodgkin's lymphoma usually has a more predictable and localized spread than Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is correct. Hodgkin’s lymphoma tends to spread in a contiguous, orderly fashion from one lymph node group to another, often starting in cervical or supraclavicular nodes. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in contrast, tends to spread more diffusely and rapidly, involving extranodal sites such as the gastrointestinal tract, mediastinum, and bone marrow.