B-cell Lymphoma: Types, Symptoms & Prognosis

B-cell lymphoma makes up 85% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas, one of the most common cancers in the United States. B-cell lymphoma survival ... ComingtoaClevelandCliniclocation?Visitation,maskrequirementsandCOVID-19information Home / HealthLibrary / Disease&Conditions B-cellLymphoma B-celllymphomamakesup85%ofallnon-Hodgkinlymphomas,oneofthemostcommoncancersintheUnitedStates.B-celllymphomaaffectsyourlymphaticsystem,whichisanetworkoflymphnodes,lymphvesselsandtissuesthatmovefluidaroundyourbody. B-celllymphomasurvivalratesaresteadilyimprovingasresearcherslookformoreeffectivetreatments. CancerAnswerLine866.223.8100 Appointments&Locations RequestanAppointment DownloadaTreatmentGuide SearchClinicalTrials Overview SymptomsandCauses DiagnosisandTests ManagementandTreatment Prevention Outlook/Prognosis LivingWith B-cellLymphoma Overview SymptomsandCauses DiagnosisandTests ManagementandTreatment Prevention Outlook/Prognosis LivingWith BackToTop Overview WhatisB-celllymphoma? B-celllymphomareferstoagroupofcancersthataffectyourimmunesystem.B-celllymphomamakesup85%ofallnon-Hodgkinlymphomas,whichareamongthemostcommoncancersintheUnitedStates. B-celllymphomafrequentlyaffectsyourlymphaticsystem,whichisanetworkoflymphnodes,lymphvesselsandtissuesthatmovefluidaroundyourbody.Lymphisoneofthefluidsyourlymphaticsystemcarriesthroughyourbody.Lymphcontainswhitebloodcellscalledlymphocytes.B-cells,orB-lymphocytes,makeantibodiesthatfightinfection.Normally,healthyB-cellsdietomakeroomformoreB-cells. B-celllymphomahappenswhenhealthyB-cellschangeintofast-growingcancercellsthatdon’tdie.Thecancercellsduplicate,eventuallyoverwhelminghealthycells.Thecancercellscanalsospreadtootherareasofyourbodyincludingthebonemarrow,spleenorotherorgans. B-celllymphomasurvivalratescontinuetoimproveasresearchersidentifymoreeffectivetreatments.Approximately65%ofpeoplediagnosedwiththemostcommonformofB-celllymphomaarealivefiveyearsafterdiagnosisandconsideredcured. WhatarethemostcommonB-celllymphomatypes? Therearemorethan70typesofB-celllymphoma.Herearethemostcommon: DiffuselargeB-celllymphoma.ThisisthemostcommontypeofB-celllymphoma.Itaccountsfor1in3lymphomas.Itusuallyappearsinyourlymphnodes.Eachyear,approximately6peoplein100,000arediagnosedwithdiffuselargeB-celllymphoma.Mostinformationaboutnon-Hodgkin’slymphomacomesfromwhatweknowaboutdiffuselargeB-celllymphoma. Follicularlymphoma.Thisisaslow-growingB-celllymphomathatmayappearinyourlymphnodesand/oryourbonemarrowandotherorgans. Chroniclymphocyticleukemia(CLL)orsmalllymphocyticlymphoma(SLL).Thisisaslow-growingB-celllymphomathatdevelopsinyourbloodandbonemarrow.CLL/SLLmayappearinyourlymphnodesandspleen. Mantlecelllymphoma.Thislymphomaisusuallyfoundinyourlymphnodes,bonemarrowandspleen. Marginalzonelymphomas.Thisisaslow-growinglymphoma.Someformsofmarginalzonelymphomasarefoundinyourstomach,lungs,skin,thyroid,salivaryglandsandtissuesaroundyoureyes. Burkittlymphoma.Thisisafast-growinglymphomathat’susuallyfoundinyourstomach. Lymphoplasmacyticlymphoma(WaldenstrommacroglobulinemiaorWM).Thisisarare,slow-growinglymphomathatdevelopsinyourliverandspleen.ThislymphomaproducesanantibodyorimmunoglobulincalledM-proteinthatmaycauseothersymptoms. WhoisaffectedbyB-celllymphoma? Peoplebetweenages65to74representmorethan25%ofalldiffuselargeB-celllymphomacases,themostcommontypeofB-celllymphoma.MorementhanwomendevelopdiffuselargeB-celllymphoma,withHispanicmenrepresentingthelargestethnic/racialgroupaffectedbyB-celllymphoma. SymptomsandCauses WhatareB-celllymphomasymptoms? B-celllymphomahasmanysymptoms,andmanyofthesymptomsbelowmayberelatedtootherconditions.SymptomsthatmayberelatedtoB-celllymphomainclude: Fever. Drenchingnightsweats. Unintentionallossofmorethan10%ofbodyweightover6months. Painlessswellinginoneormorelymphnode(s). Persistentfatigue. Lossofappetite. Coughorchestpain. Stomachpain. Asensationofbloatingorfullnesscausedbyanenlargedspleen. Itchyskin. Enlargementofthespleenorliver. Rashesorskinlumps. WhatcausesB-celllymphoma? Sometimesrandomeventsthatcan’tbetracedtoaspecificcausewilltransformB-cellsfromhealthy,infection-fightingwhitebloodcellsintocancercells.Butresearchershaveturnedupconnectionsbetweenthefollowingconditionsand/oractivities: VirusesincludingHIV(humanimmunodeficiencyvirus),Epstein-Barr(mononucleosis)andKaposisarcomahumanimmunodeficiencyvirus. AfamilyhistoryofHodgkinlymphoma. Havingobesity. CanbeingexposedtocertainchemicalscauseB-celllymphoma? Someresearchindicatespeoplewhohaveprolongedandextensiveexposuretocertainherbicidesusedinagriculturemayhaveaslightlyincreasedriskofdevelopinglymphoma.Thatbeingsaid,it’snotlikelythatlymphomaiscausedbyinfrequentoroccasionalherbicideexposure. DiagnosisandTests HowisB-celllymphomadiagnosed? HealthcareprovidersusearangeofteststodiagnoseB-celllymphoma: Completebloodcount(CBC).ACBCmeasuresandcountsyourbloodcells.ProvidersuseCBCtodetectavarietyofillnesses. Bloodchemistrytest.Thistestmeasuresthenumberofcertainsubstancesinyourblood. Computedtomography(CT)scan.CTscansuseaseriesofX-raysandacomputertocreatethree-dimensionalimagesofyoursofttissuesandbones. Positronemissionstomography(PET)scan.Providersinjectaradioactivetracerintoyourbodytodetectearlysignsofcancer. Magneticresonanceimaging(MRI).Thisisapainlesstestthatusesalargemagnet,radiowavesandacomputertoproduceveryclearimagesoforgansandstructureswithinyourbody. Lumbarpuncture(spinaltap).Todothistest,yourhealthcareproviderinsertsaneedleintoyourlowerbacktogetasampleofcerebrospinalfluid,theclearliquidthatsurroundsyourspineandbrain. Bonemarrowbiopsy.Todothistest,providersinsertaspecialneedlethroughyourskinandintoyourpelvicboneorbreastbonesotheycanremoveasmallsampleofbonemarrowfrominsideit. ManagementandTreatment WhattreatmentsarethereforB-celllymphoma? B-celllymphomatreatmentoptionstypicallyincludethefollowing: Chemotherapy.Healthcareprovidersuseseveraltypesofdrugstokillcancercells. Radiationtherapy.Healthcareprovidersusestrongbeamsofenergy(radiation)tokillcancercellsorstopthemfromgrowing. Targetedtherapy.Thistreatmentinvolvesmedicationsthattargetspecificchangesincancercells. Immunotherapy.Thiscancertreatmentusesyourimmunesystemtofightcancerbyhelpingyourbodyproducecancer-fightingcellsorhelphealthycellsidentifyandattackcancercells. Stemcelltransplantation.Astemcelltransplantreplacesunhealthystemcellswithhealthystemcells. WhatarethesideeffectsofB-celllymphomatreatment? EachB-celllymphomatreatmenthasdifferentsideeffects.Andpeopleoftenreactdifferentlytoanygiventreatment.Talktoyourhealthcareproviderabouteachtreatmentoptionandpotentialsideeffects.Understandinghowyourtreatmentmightaffectyoucanhelpyoufeelmoreconfidentaboutmanagingsideeffects. Prevention HowcanIreducemyriskofdevelopingB-celllymphoma? Unfortunately,thereisnoprovenstrategytoreduceyourriskfordevelopinglymphoma.TalktoyourhealthcareprovideraboutyourmedicalhistoryandyourconcernsthatyoumightbeatriskforB-celllymphoma. Outlook/Prognosis IsB-celllymphomacurable? TherearemanywaystotreatB-celllymphomaandsurvivalratescontinuetoimproveasresearchersfindmoreeffectivetreatments. LivingWith HowdoItakecareofmyself? TreatmentforB-celllymphomacanincludechemotherapy,radiationtherapyandnewertreatmentssuchastargetedtherapies,immunotherapiesandCART-celltherapy.Understandinghowtomanagetreatmentsideeffectsisanimportantpartofself-care.Inaddition,thereareotherthingsyoucandototakecareofyourself: Haveaplanforlivingwithcancer.Thatplanmightbeliningupsupportduringtreatment,whetherthat’sarrangingforspecialmeals,transportationtoappointmentsorsomeonetokeepyoucompanyduringtreatment. Cancerisstressful.Youmightfindactivitiessuchasmeditation,relaxationexercisesordeepbreathingexerciseshelptoeaseyourstress. Findwaystoincorporateregularphysicalactivityintoyourday. Reachoutforsupportfromotherswho'vebeeninyoursituation.Yourhealthcareprovidercandirectyoutosupportgroupsandprogramswhereyoucanexpressyourfeelingsandconcernswithpeoplewhounderstandwhatyou'regoingthrough. Chemotherapytreatmentsmightaffectyourappetite.Trytoeatahealthydiet,andtalktoanutritionistifyou'rehavingtroubleeating. Radiationtreatmentcanleaveyoufeelingexhausted.Plantorestasmuchaspossibleduringyourtreatment. WhenshouldIseemyhealthcareprovider? Askyourhealthcareprovideriftherearephysicalchangesyoushouldlookforasyougothroughtreatmentorphysicalchangesthatmightindicateyourcancerisprogressing.Letyourproviderknowanytimeyouhavequestionsorconcerns.Youshouldalsocontactthemanytimeyouhaveunexpectedorunusualsideeffectsfromtreatmentorchangesinyourbody. WhenshouldIgototheemergencyroom? Manycancertreatmentsaffectyourimmunesystem,increasingthechanceyou'lldevelopinfections.Youmayalsohaveunusuallystrongsideeffectsfromyourcancertreatment.Whileyourhealthcareproviderlikelygaveyoumedicationtohelpcontrolyoursideeffects,youshouldgototheemergencyroomifyoursideeffectscontinuedespitemedication.Symptomsthatmightrequireanemergencyroomvisitare: Feverof100.4֯Fahrenheit(38.3֯Celsius)andabove. Chills. Productiveor"wet"cough. Stomachpain. Persistentdiarrhea. WhatquestionsshouldIaskmyhealthcareprovider? AdiagnosisofB-celllymphomaencompassesalotofdifferentcancersub-types.Understandingyourspecificdiagnosiswillhelpyoufeelconfidentaboutyourchoicesandhelpyoucreateaplanforlivingwithcancer.Herearesomequestionstoconsider: WhatisB-celllymphoma? WhatkindofB-celllymphomadoIhave? Whereismycancerlocated? Hasmycancerspread? Whataremyoptionsfortreatment? Whydoyourecommendthattreatment? Whatarethesideeffectsforeachtreatment? Whatistheprognosisforthatcancer? AnotefromClevelandClinic B-celllymphomasymptomscanlookandfeeljustlikemanylessseriousillnesses,soitcanbeashockwhenyourseeminglysimplehealthissueturnsouttobecancer.Youmightneedsometimetoworkthroughyouremotions.Whenyou’reready,yourhealthcareproviderswillbetheretohelpyouunderstandyourdiagnosisandyourtreatmentoptions.Understandingyourillnesscanhelpyoufeelmoreconfidentaboutyournextsteps. Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Getuseful,helpfulandrelevanthealth+wellnessinformation enews ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. Policy RelatedInstitutes&Services ClevelandClinicCancerCenter ClevelandClinicCancerCenterprovidesworld-classcaretopatientswithcancerandisattheforefrontofnewandemergingclinical,translationalandbasiccancerresearch. ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. 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