Lymphoma: Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis ...

Getting a Diagnosis · Bone marrow aspiration or biopsy. Your doctor uses a needle to remove fluid or tissue from your bone marrow -- the spongy ... MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsMedicationsFindanOncologistOverview&FactsRisks&PreventionSymptoms&SignsCancerTypesDiagnosis&TestsYourCancerCareTeamCancerTreatmentCutting-EdgeTreatmentsLiving&ManagingRemission&RecurrenceSupport&ResourcesAllGuideTopicsLymphomaHodgkin'sLymphomaNon-Hodgkin'sLymphomaLeukemiaChildhoodLeukemiaPolycythemiaVeraChronicMyeloidLeukemiaMyelodysplasticSyndromeAcuteLymphoblasticLeukemiaBook:TakeControlofYourCancerRiskChronicLymphocyticLeukemiaMultipleMyelomaRadiationTherapyChemotherapyFindaHematologistCancerHealthCenterCancerA-ZGuideCancerLeukemia&LymphomaMenuCausesSymptomsGettingaDiagnosisQuestionsforYourDoctorTreatmentTakingCareofYourselfWhattoExpectGettingSupport(Resources)MoreRelatedArticlesLymphomaHodgkin'sLymphomaNon-Hodgkin'sLymphomaLeukemiaChildhoodLeukemiaPolycythemiaVeraChronicMyeloidLeukemiaMyelodysplasticSyndromeAcuteLymphoblasticLeukemiaLymphomaiscancerthatbeginsininfection-fightingcellsoftheimmunesystem,calledlymphocytes.Thesecellsareinthelymphnodes,spleen,thymus,bonemarrow,andotherpartsofthebody.Whenyouhavelymphoma,lymphocyteschangeandgrowoutofcontrol.Therearetwomaintypesoflymphoma:Non-Hodgkin:Mostpeoplewithlymphomahavethistype.HodgkinNon-HodgkinandHodgkinlymphomainvolve differenttypesoflymphocytecells.Everytypeoflymphomagrowsatadifferentrateandrespondsdifferentlytotreatment.Lymphomaisverytreatable,andtheoutlookcanvarydependingonthetypeoflymphomaanditsstage.Yourdoctorcanhelpyoufindtherighttreatmentforyourtypeandstageoftheillness.Lymphomaisdifferentfromleukemia.Eachofthesecancersstartsinadifferenttypeofcell.Lymphomastartsininfection-fightinglymphocytes.Leukemiastartsinblood-formingcellsinsidebonemarrow.Lymphomaisalsonotthesameaslymphedema,whichisacollectionoffluidthatformsinbodytissueswhenthereisdamageorblockagetothelymphsystem.CausesScientistsdon'tknowwhatcauseslymphomainmostcases.Youmightbemoreatriskifyou:Areinyour60sorolderfornon-HodgkinlymphomaArebetween15and40orolderthan55forHodgkinlymphomaAremale,althoughcertainsubtypesmaybemorecommoninfemalesHaveaweakimmunesystemfromHIV/AIDS,anorgantransplant,orbecauseyouwerebornwithanimmunediseaseHaveanimmunesystemdiseasesuchasrheumatoidarthritis,Sjögren'ssyndrome,lupus,orceliacdiseaseHavebeeninfectedwithavirussuchasEpstein-Barr,hepatitisC,orhumanT-cellleukemia/lymphoma(HTLV-1)HaveacloserelativewhohadlymphomaWereexposedtobenzeneorchemicalsthatkillbugsandweedsWeretreatedforHodgkinornon-HodgkinlymphomainthepastWeretreatedforcancerwithradiationSymptomsWarningsignsoflymphomainclude:Swollenglands(lymphnodes),oftenintheneck,armpit,orgrointhatarepainlessCoughShortnessofbreathFeverNightsweatsFatigueWeightlossItchingManyofthesesymptomscanalsobewarningsignsofotherillnesses.Seeyourdoctortofindoutforsureifyouhavelymphoma.GettingaDiagnosisBeforeyouhaveanytests,yourdoctorwillwanttoknow:Howhaveyoubeenfeeling?Whendidyoufirstnoticechanges?Doyouhavepain?Where?Howisyourappetite?Haveyoulostanyweight?Doyoufeeltiredorweak?Whatareyourcurrentmedicalproblemsandtreatments?Whatisyourpastmedicalhistoryincludingconditionsandtreatments?Whatisyourfamilymedicalhistory?Yourdoctorwilldoaphysicalexam,includingacheckforswollenlymphnodes.Thissymptomdoesn'tmeanyouhavecancer.Mostofthetime,aninfection--unrelatedtocancer--causesswollenlymphnodes.Youmightgetalymphnodebiopsytocheckforcancercells.Forthistest,adoctorwillremoveallorpartofalymphnode,oruseaneedletotakeasmallamountoftissuefromtheaffectednode.Youmightalsohaveoneoftheseteststohelpdiagnose,stage,ormanagelymphoma:Bonemarrowaspirationorbiopsy.Yourdoctorusesaneedletoremovefluidortissuefromyourbonemarrow--thespongypartinsidebonewherebloodcellsaremade--tolookforlymphomacells.ChestX-ray.Itwillbedoneusinglowdosesofradiationradiationtomakeimagesoftheinsideofyourchest.MRI. Atechnicianwillusepowerfulmagnetsandradiowavestomakepicturesoforgansandstructuresinsideyourbody.PETscan. Thisimagingtestusesaradioactivesubstancetolookforcancercellsinyourbody.Moleculartest.Thistestisusedtofindchangestogenes,proteins,andothersubstancesincancercellstohelpyourdoctorfigureoutwhichtypeoflymphomayouhave.Bloodtests. Thesecheck thenumberofcertaincells,levelsofothersubstances,orevidenceofinfectioninyourblood.QuestionsforYourDoctorWhattypeoflymphomadoIhave?Whatstageismylymphoma?Haveyoutreatedpeoplewiththiskindoflymphomabefore?Whataremytreatmentoptions?Howwillthetreatmentsmakemefeel?Whatwillhelpmefeelbetterduringmytreatment?ArethereanycomplementarytreatmentsIcouldconsider alongwiththeusualmedicalcare?ArethereanyIshouldavoid?TreatmentThetreatmentyougetdependsonwhattypeoflymphomayouhaveanditsstage.Themaintreatmentsfornon-Hodgkinlymphomaare:Chemotherapy,whichusesdrugstokillcancercellsRadiationtherapy,whichuseshigh-energyraystodestroycancercellsImmunotherapy, whichusesyourbody'simmunesystemtoattackcancercellsTargetedtherapy thattargetsaspectsoflymphomacellstocurbtheirgrowthThemaintreatmentsforHodgkinlymphomaare:ChemotherapyRadiationtherapyImmunotherapyIfthesetreatmentsdon'twork,youmighthaveastemcelltransplant.Firstyou'llgetveryhighdosesofchemotherapy.Thistreatmentkillscancercells,butitalsodestroysstemcellsinyourbonemarrowthatmakenewbloodcells.Afterchemotherapy,youwillgetatransplantofstemcellstoreplacetheonesthatweredestroyed.Twotypesofstemcelltransplantscanbedone:Anautologoustransplantusesyourownstemcells.Anallogeneictransplantusesstemcellstakenfromadonor.TakingCareofYourselfLymphomatreatmentcancausesideeffects.Talktoyourmedicalteamaboutwaystorelieveanysymptomsyouhave.Alsoaskyourdoctoraboutchangestoyourdietandexercisethatcanhelpyoufeelbetterduringyourtreatment.Askadietitianforhelpifyou'renotsurewhattypesoffoodtoeat.Exerciseslikewalkingorswimmingcanrelievefatigueandhelpyoufeelbetterduringtreatmentslikechemotherapyandradiation.Youmightalsotryalternativetherapieslikerelaxation,biofeedback,orguidedimagerytohelprelievepain.WhattoExpectTreatmentshaveimprovedalot,andmanypeopledoverywellaftertreatment.Yourdoctorwilltalktoyouaboutasurvivorshipcareplan. Youroutlookdependson:ThekindoflymphomayouhaveHowfarthecancerhasspreadYourageThetypeoftreatmentyougetWhatotherhealthproblemsyouhaveGettingSupport(Resources)Youcangetsupportfrompeoplewhohavegonethroughthiskindofillness.ContacttheLeukemia&LymphomaSocietyorLymphomaResearchFoundationtolearnmore.NextInLeukemia&LymphomaNextHodgkin'sLymphomaDealingWithChemoNauseaChemo:3ThingsYouNeedtoKnowComplementaryTreatmentsforCancerInformationAboutNHLClinicalTrialsWatchfulWaiting:IsThistheChoiceforYou?TreatingNon-Hodgkin'sLymphoma:YourOptionsLymphoma:Symptoms,Causes,Diagnosis,TreatmentRheumatoidArthritisandLymphomaNon-Hodgkin’slymphomaandHIVBurkittLymphoma:Diagnosis,Prognosis,Symptoms,andTreatmentsAnaplasticLarge-CellLymphoma:Causes,Symptoms,andTreatmentsFollicularLymphomaSmallLymphocyticLymphomaLymphomaTopicsStemCellTransplantsWhataretheyandwhydoweneedthem?LungCancerSeeitinpictures,plusreadthefacts.TopCancer-fightingFoodsFightcanceroneplateatatime.OvarianCancerDoyouknowthesymptoms?VitaminD:Nutrition’sNewestStarTreatmentsforNon-Hodgkin'sLymphomaFeelingDown?TipstoGetYourFightingSpiritBackHowPetsCanHelpYourHealthWhatAreStemCellTransplants?Non-Hodgkin'sLymphomaSymptomsChronicMyelogenousLeukemiaPhasesandTreatmentGettoKnowYourLymphNodesCancerHealthCheckDealingwithChemoNauseaCancerandSleepProblemsWhat’sYourCancerIQ?ComplementaryMedicineQuizHandlingtheStressofCancerHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads