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- Lymphoma is a cancer of
the lymph glands. The lymph glands are located throughout the body and help fight infection. The cells that make up the lymph glands are called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are manufactured in the bone marrow.
- Lymphoma is divided into two major types, Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is actually a collection of many different lymph cancers. Lymphoma may be slow growing or aggressive, depending on the cell type.
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- Enlarged lymph glands that are usually painless
- Fever
- Drenching night sweats
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal fullness
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- Chest X-Ray may show widening of the mediastinum.
- A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is used to detect enlarged lymph nodes.
- Bone marrow biopsy is used to check for infiltration of the bone marrow.
- Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) may be considered.
- Biopsy will establish the diagnosis. Histologic (specific cell type) will be determined. The histologic type determines the aggressiveness of the Lymphoma.
- Blood work: LDH (a chemical enzyme) level indicates extent of the disease. Lymphocyte count may be elevated.
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- For low-grade Lymphoma, no treatment is usually undertaken initially. As the disease progresses, Chlorambucil is prescribed every three weeks, or CVP combination chemotherapy (Cyclophophamide, Vincristine, and Prednisone). Bone marrow transplants are sometimes recommended for younger individuals.
- Low grade MALT (mucosa associated
lymphoid tissue) is a specific type of Lymphoma localized to the stomach and is sometimes completely cured with the use of antibiotics.
- For intermediate/high-grade Lymphoma, radiation
treatment for local areas of the disease is sometimes given. Traditional treatment includes chemotherapy using the CHOP regimen (Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine, and Prednisone). Other chemotherapy regimens may be considered. Bone marrow transplant may also be considered.
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