Diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma may involve a variety of medical professionals. Many patients will initially seek diagnosis from their primary care physician, who may specialize in internal medicine or family practice medicine. Depending on symptoms, some patients may seek consultation initially with a dermatologist (specializing in diseases of the skin).
Children may initially be seen by a pediatrician. Often, a general physician will refer patients to specialists for more definitive diagnosis and appropriate treatment. These might include:
- clinical pathologists: studies effects of the disease in the laboratory
- cytopathologists: studies effects of the disease on a cellular level
- pathology-hematology physicians: studies effects of the disease in the blood and bone marrow, as well as the lymphatic system
In some cases, physicians specializing in allergy and immunology may be consulted, as lymphoma is a disease of the immune system.
Once diagnosed, patients may be referred to an oncologist (specializing in the treatment of cancer), specialists in nuclear medicine (for treatments that involve radiation) or diagnostic radiologists (who specialize in administering and interpreting diagnostic imaging procedures, such as CT scan, which utilizes radiation). In rare instances where surgery is indicated, patients will be referred to a surgeon.
Medically Reviewed by: Jennifer Monti, MD, MPH
Published: Sep 13, 2011
Published By: Healthline Networks, Inc.