Our understanding of the tumorigenesis of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and the formation of Reed-Sternberg cells (RS-cells) has evolved drastically in the last decades. More recently, a better characterization of the signaling pathways and the cellular interactions at play have paved the way for new targeted therapy in the hopes of improving outcomes. However, important gaps in knowledge remain that may hold the key for significant changes of paradigm in this lymphoma. Here, we discuss the past, present, and future of cHL, and review in detail the more recent discoveries pertaining to genetic instability, anti-apoptotic signaling pathways, the tumoral microenvironment, and host-immune system evasion in cHL.
Keywords: Hodgkin cells; Lamin A/C; Reed–Sternberg cells; TRF2; classical Hodgkin lymphoma; genetic instability; shelterin; telomere dysfunction.