Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma – Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment
What is non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is cancer that starts in the lymphatic system. It mostly starts in the lymph tissue, which is found in the lymph nodes, spleen, and other organs of the immune system.
NHL mostly affects adults, but children can also develop some forms of NHL. NHL develops in more men than women.
What causes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
What causes non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is not clearly known. What is known is lymphomas may develop in people with weakened immune systems, including people who have had an organ transplant or people with HIV infection. Most lymphomas start in a type of white blood cell called the B lymphocyte, or B cell.
There are many types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. NHL is classified into low grade (slow growing), intermediate grade, or high grade (fast growing) based on how fast cancer grows and spreads. NHL is further based on the type of white blood cell it originates from, how the cells look under the microscope, and whether there are certain DNA changes in the tumor cells.
What are the symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
Symptoms of NHL depend on what area of the body is affected by the lymphoma and how fast it is growing.
The following are the common symptoms:
- Soaking night sweats
- On and off fever and chills
- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, groin, or other areas
- A headache, concentration problems, personality changes, or seizures(when cancer affects the brain)
- Coughing or shortness of breath( if cancer affects the thymus gland or lymph nodes in the chest).
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain or swelling
- Loss of appetite, constipation, nausea, and vomiting
How is non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosed?
The doctor will perform a physical exam and review the symptoms. He/she will check body areas with lymph nodes to feel if they are swollen.
The doctor may order a biopsy of the suspected tissue (usually a lymph node) to diagnose cancer.
The doctor may also do the following tests:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Other blood tests (to check protein levels, liver function, kidney function, and uric acid level)
- CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis
- PET scan
- Bone marrow biopsy
If tests confirm NHL, the doctor may order more tests to stage cancer based on how far cancer has spread. Staging is important, as it helps guide treatment.
How is non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma treated?
Treatment of NHL depends on several factors, such as the type of lymphoma, the stage at the time of diagnosis, symptoms, and age and overall health status of the patient.Sometimes, the patient may not need immediate treatment.
Based on the above factors, the doctor may recommend chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both.
Sometimes, the following treatments may also be recommended by doctors:
- Radioimmunotherapy: This involves linking a radioactive substance to an antibody that targets the cancerous cells and injecting the substance into the body.
- Targeted therapy: This is a type of chemotherapy, which involves using a drug to zero in on specific targets (molecules) in or on cancer cells. Using these targets, the drug disables the cancer cells so they cannot spread.
- High-dose Chemotherapy: This therapy is usually given when NHL recurs or fails to respond to the first treatment. This is followed by an autologous stem cell transplant (using your own stem cells) to rescue the bone marrow after the high-dose chemotherapy.
This feature is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute the expert guidance of a doctor. We advise seeing a doctor if you have any health concerns.