Facts to Know about Non Hodgkins Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is cancer that originates in your lymphatic system, the disease-fighting network spread throughout your body. In non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, tumors develop from white blood cells (lymphocytes). These tumors can occur at different locations in your body. There are more than 30 types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is more than seven times as common as the other general type of lymphoma – Hodgkin’s disease. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been one of the most rapidly increasing types of cancer in the United States, having more than doubled in incidence since the 1970s.

The good news is that although the incidence has increased, so has the survival rate. As with other cancers, the earlier you receive a diagnosis, the greater your chance for a successful treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Known risk factors explain only a small proportion of lymphoma cases. In specific geographic regions infection with the Epstein-Barr virus is strongly associated with African Burkitt lymphoma in Africa. Epstein-Barr virus infection may play a role in the increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphomas in persons with immune suppression as a result of organ transplantation and its therapy. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori causes stomach ulcers and is associated with the development of mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) lymphoma. HTLV is associated with a type of T-cell lymphoma in certain geographic regions in Southern Japan, the Caribbean, South America and Africa. About a dozen inherited syndromes can predispose individuals to later development of lymphoma. These inherited disorders are rare, but the concept of predisposition genes is under study to determine if they play a role in the sporadic occurrence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in otherwise healthy individuals.

In most cases, patients seek attention because of the appearance of swollen glands in the neck, armpits or groin. These swollen lymph nodes are mostly painless. They are present for several weeks before attention is directed toward them. They are unresponsive to treatment with antibiotics.

Patients may experience loss of appetite and weight loss, along with nausea, vomiting, indigestion and abdominal pain or bloating. Sometimes a feeling of fullness may be present, the result of an enlarged liver, spleen or abdominal lymph nodes. Pressure or pain in the lower back, often extending down one or both legs, is another fairly common symptom. Other symptoms include itching, bone pain, headaches, constant coughing and abnormal pressure and congestion in the face, neck and upper chest.

After the diagnosis is confirmed, the extent of the disease is determined. This is called “staging.” The blood and the marrow are examined. Blood cell counts assess if anemia or low white cells or platelets are present or if lymphoma cells are in the blood. Examination of the bone marrow can detect the presence of lymphoma cells, as well. Other tests include: imaging studies of the chest and abdomen using CT or MR imaging to detect enlarged lymph nodes, liver, spleen, or kidneys.

The medical history provides strong clues to the diagnosis of lymphoma. In a thorough physical examination the lymphoma reveals itself by node or liver and/or spleen enlargement. Blood samples are also taken to determine overall disease composition, cell count, and how well the kidneys and liver are functioning.

Read more about Cancer – Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma