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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 Printed in USA