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Definition:
Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic
system drains excess fluid from the blood and protects against
infection. Hodgkin's lymphoma is different from other forms of
lymphoma.
Cancer occurs when cells in the body
(in this case lymph cells, or lymphocytes) divide without control or
order. If cells keep dividing uncontrollably when new cells are not
needed, a mass of tissue forms, called a growth or tumor. The term
cancer refers to malignant tumors, which can invade nearby tissues and
can spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor does not invade
or spread.
Causes:
The cause of Hodgkin's lymphoma is unknown. It is likely related to
complex genetic and environmental factors that lead to alteration of
the immune system. There are some compelling pieces of data to suggest
that it is caused by a virus and the Epstein-Barr Virus has been
implicated.
Risk Factors:
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a
disease or condition.
- Sex: Male
- Ages: 15- 40 and over 55
- Family history
- History of infectious
mononucleosis
- Weakened immune system
Symptoms:
Symptoms include:
- Painless swelling of the lymph nodes
in the neck, armpit or groin
- Persistent fatigue
- Night sweating
- Coughing
- Unexplained fever
- Weight loss
- Itching
- Decreased appetite
Diagnosis:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and
perform a physical exam. In particular, the doctor will carefully
examine your lymph nodes. Most enlarged or swollen lymph nodes result
from infection, not lymphomas. If infection is suspected, you may be
given medication and instructed to return for re-examination.
If swelling persists, your doctor may
order a lymph node biopsy. The biopsy results will show whether there
is cancer, and if so, the type and extent of the cancer that is
present.
Treatment:
Hodgkin's lymphoma is generally considered one of the more curable
forms of cancer. The two primary ways of treating this cancer are:
- Chemotherapy - the use of drugs to
kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be given in many forms
including: pill, injection, and via a catheter. The drugs enter
the bloodstream and travel through the body killing mostly cancer
cells, but also some healthy cells.
- External Radiation Therapy -
radiation directed at the tumor from a source outside the body to
kill the cancer cells.
In many cases, both chemotherapy and
radiation are used to cure a patient of Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The choice
of treatments will be based on the extent of disease (the stage), the
location of the affected lymph node(s), and many other patient-related
features that your doctor will discuss with you. It is very important
that you be seen by both the medial oncologist to discuss chemotherapy
and the radiation oncologist to discuss the radiation therapy. It is
not wise to see only one of these specialists, since the best
treatment results come from a discussion and integrated approach.
If the cancer does not respond to
chemotherapy or radiation, the outcome is usually very poor. There are
some other treatment options available including:
- Bone Marrow Transplantation - bone
marrow is removed, treated, and frozen. Large doses of
chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy are then applied to kill the
cancer cells. After treatment, the bone marrow is replaced via a
vein. Transplanted bone marrow may be marrow of the patient's that
was treated to remove cancer cells or marrow from a healthy donor.
- Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation
(PSCT) - stem cells (very immature cells that produce blood cells)
are removed from circulating blood before chemotherapy or
radiation treatment, and then replaced after treatment.
Prevention:
There are no guidelines for preventing Hodgkin's Lymphoma because the
cause is unknown.
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