Download Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

N ON- H ODGKIN L YMPHOMA
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph system. The lymph system is a group of tissues
and organs throughout the body. The lymph system makes and stores lymphocytes, kinds of
white blood cells that help fight infection. With non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the body makes
abnormal lymphocytes, which are cancer cells that grow out of control. These cancer cells collect
and cause swelling in the lymph nodes (glands that trap cancer cells and other harmful matter).
As more cancer cells are made, they fill up the bone marrow and keep normal cells from growing.
Types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
lymph system makes 3 kinds
cells
Some lymphomas grow slowly. Others grow very fast. It is important to know what type of
non-Hodgkin llymphoma a person has in order to plan the right treatment.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma usually starts with
a swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, under
the arms, or in the groin area.
In children, it often starts in the neck,
chest, or abdomen area around the
stomach.
The cancer may spread through the
lymph system to the bone marrow and
other parts of the body.
The dotted lines (left) show the sections
in the body where the disease may be
present.
The location and number of lymph nodes
affected in thses areas help determine
its stage. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is
divided into 4 stages. Staging
information is used to plan treatment.
What happens with treatment?
of enough cancer cells to restore health and
remission.
Some cases can be cured by using one or
more of these therapies:
Chemotherapy — uses drugs to kill cancer
cells. Drugs that go into the bloodstream
can reach cancer cells in most parts of the
can reach cancer cells that spread to the
brain and spinal cord. When several drugs
works well for fast-growing lymphomas
Who gets non-Hodgkin
Lymphoma?
Children and adults of any age may get
non-Hodgkin lymphoma. But it is most
Radiation therapy— uses high-energy
x-rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy
may sometimes be given to treat tumors if
cancer comes back.
Immunotherapy — uses proteins made in
the laboratory that attach to cancer cells and
chemotherapy or radiation
High-dose chemotherapy and radiation with
stem cell transplantation— uses high doses
of drugs and radiation to kill all cancer cells
in the body and replace them with stem cells
option if the lymphoma does not respond to
N ON- H ODGKIN L YMPHOMA
How do we know if the treatment is working?
tests can show how well the treatment is working and check for
any health problems.
How to make it easier to get through treatment
treatments for non-Hodgkin lymphoma can cause side
, such as:
Infection
Fever
Bleeding
Hair loss
Mouth sores
Cough
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Constipation
Skin rashes
Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
Complete blood
count
Measures the number of each type of
blood cell
Blood chemistry
studies
Check for abnormal levels of certain chemicals
in the body that could be signs of health
problems
Patients who have certain types of cancer or are starting some kinds of
chemotherapy may also be at risk for tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). TLS
may damage the kidneys, heart, and other organs when large numbers of
Imaging studies
(such as chest x-ray,
CT scan, Gallium
scan, bone scan,
MRI, or PET scan)
Take pictures of the body to show if there are
tumors (masses of cancer cells) in any organs
or tissues or if the cancer has spread to the
bones, brain, or spinal cord
risk patients are treated before they start chemotherapy.
Bone marrow
aspiration
Shows if there are cancer cells in the
bone marrow
Lumbar puncture or
spinal tap
Shows if there is any sign of cancer in the
brain or spinal cord
Where to learn more
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
www.lls.org 800-955-4572
Tips on how to cope with the side effects of treatment:
Report signs of infection, such as fever, and health concerns to the doctor
or nurse as soon as you notice them
Report signs of redness or skin changes
doctor or nurse
er radiation therapy to the
Tell the medical team about all other medicines the patient is taking
Learn how to care for the central line (the tube in the chest through which
chemotherapy is given). And be sure to ask the nurses for other self-care
tips. Nurses are great teachers
Try to drink lots of fluids, eat well, and take care of the teeth and gums
getting worse
Share feelings with others
National Cancer Institute
www.cancer.gov/lymphoma
800-4-CANCER (422-6237)
Patient
Counseling
Program
National Comprehensive Cancer Network
www.nccn.org 888-909-6226
Provided as an educational service by
©2006-2011
aventis U.S. LLC
US.RAS.11.05.020
May 2011
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