What Are Lymphomas: A Detailed Guide
Lymphoma is a kind of blood cancer that can develop in the lymphatic system. It can be either Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Some of these lymphomas are curable, while others can be handled with medication.
Here’s what you need to know about lymphomas:
Some Signs And Symptoms
One of the most common signs of these lymphomas is swollen lymph nodes. These can be seen in the groin, abdomen, armpits, upper chest, and neck. The appearance of this is usually painless. Once you see these signs, a doctor may prescribe further tests to verify the diagnosis. Other physical symptoms may include itchy skin, weight loss, tiredness, night sweats, cough, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
Your doctor will do a lymph node biopsy to check if you have Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and then do a stage test to see how far you are in the cancer stage. They’ll also test your blood and bone marrow.
Your treatment will depend on whether cancer has spread from one lymph node region or more or affected different organs with or without lymph node involvement.
Treatment Options For Lymphoma
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is treatable in almost 75% of patients. However, in non-Hodgkin lymphomas, each lymphocyte is growing at a different rate. So, it responds differently to each treatment. That’s why most doctors apply a wait-and-see approach to determine if the treatment works.
They may prescribe a different medication, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy depending on the aggression of the lymphoma cells.
What Can You Expect?
The treatments for this kind of cancer have improved, and many people respond positively after treatments. So, you shouldn’t lose hope and take this diagnosis as a death sentence. Try to take care of yourself by adjusting your diet and exercise. Also, focus on your mental health and spend time with loved ones.
It would help if you also tried to get your doctor’s opinion on what the outlook looks like and your goals while you get treatment. Factors like your previous health problems, age, type of treatment, the spread of cancer, and the kind of Lymphoma will impact your treatment and recovery plan.
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