How to treat lymphoma

• April 23, 2024

Experts say that apart from getting familiar with the symptoms of lymphoma, this condition can be difficult to notice because the usual signs can be quite common. Some may even be confused with diseases such as fever and colds.

But if you suspect you are at risk, or someone in your family has a history of cancer or those who have weakness in the immune system are more prone to infections, it would be best to consult with your doctor.

The most common signs of lymphoma include swollen nodes that can be seen as lumps in the neck, groin, or underarms, constant fever, loss of appetite, drastic weight loss, excessive sweating at night, itching on all sides of the body, exhaustion or the constant sensation of weakness and shortness of breath that is usually accompanied by swelling of the face and neck.

It is advisable that the person experiencing at least three of the above symptoms go to the doctor for a review. Once you suspect you may be suffering from lymphoma, you will be instructed in the diagnostic procedures, including a biopsy to confirm the suspicions and also to determine the extent of the damage that the cancer cells have caused in your body.

Once the final diagnosis has been made, a series of tests will take time to arrive in order to obtain detailed accounts of the disease. These reports are crucial to determine what type of treatment should be given to the patient.

Treatment options

For those who are diagnosed with lymphoma, it is a must to undergo treatment in order to have more chances of recovery. However, because there are almost 35 different types of lymphoma, the treatment options may also vary.

Experts say it would be possible to use the same treatment for at least three or more types, depending on its nature and the way the patient reacts. To obtain a better understanding in the treatment of lymphoma, the four main available options are listed below:

1. Chemotherapy In this case, the drugs are administered in the patient's veins or in pills. The most frequent types are ABVD, R-CHOP and CHOP chemotherapy.
2. Radiotherapy. This is one of the treatment options where the energy rays are directed exactly towards the tumor. Experts say that this can be done through small areas involving field radiation or in large areas that involves radiation spread over the ground.
3. Antibody therapy. Also known as biological therapy, this type of treatment makes use of drugs such as Rituximab, which is specially designed to attack the molecules present on the surface of cancer cells.
4. Bone marrow or stem cells. This is probably the most painful, not to mention that it is also the most expensive available. Here, high doses of radiation or chemotherapy are used to kill all the cancer cells, killing them.

Video Medicine: Lifestyle Factors Impact Survival of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Patients, Mayo Study Finds (April 2024).