linacre

I am sorry to hear about your news. When the doctor says that he suspects lymphoma, what evidence is he going on? A CT scan can reveal tumours or abnormal lymph nodes, but it cannot be used to diagnose lymphoma alone. You will need a biopsy of a suspicious node to determine if indeed you have lymphoma, and to reveal what type it is. If it is confirmed, it will have to be staged. A series of tests are needed to determine how far it has spread and what organs are affected.

Although there are over twenty forms of lymphoma, they fall into three broad categories: Hodgkin's disease, aggressive non-Hodgkin's and indolent non-Hodgkin's. Each have different treatment programmes. Aggressive lymphomas are treated with CHOP chemotherapy followed by radiation to the affected sites. Hodgkin's is treated similarly, although with a different combination of drugs. Treatment for both is immediate following diagnosis. Indolent (or chronic) lymphoma is treated somewhat differently. Unless it is causing symptoms it is often left untreated until such a time that it begins to impair daily activity. Indolent lymphomas sometimes go spontaneously into remission, so chemotherapy is sometimes considered superfluous. If it transforms into an aggressive type, or starts to cause symptoms, it will be treated with chemotherapy. Many people with indolent lymphomas live normal lives for many years without treatment. Surgery for lymphoma is usually resticted to biopsies.

The most important thing to remember is that treatments for lymphomas are among the most effective available for cancers, even if the disease is disseminated.