Lymphoma Treatment

It can be very frightening when you are diagnosed with lymphoma. You would naturally ask for lymphoma treatment options available to help treat your conditions. Treating lymphoma depends on the stage and severity of symptoms experienced on the time of diagnosis.

Ø Chemotherapy – this form of lymphoma treatment introduces drugs in the body that is designed to destroy malignant cells. These drugs affect the cells by destroying them as they divide, altering their metabolic process, and destroying their DNA/RNA structures. Mostly, this is done when the lymphoma is at Stage III or Stage IV, but can also be used during the first stage of the disease. Chemotherapy is used as lymphoma treatment for its systemic effects which greatly benefit those in later stages of lymphoma. However, this treatment also targets healthy, normal cells. Since these cells attack cells that divide rapidly (a characteristic of malignant cells) they common normal cells targeted are the cells in the mucous lining, gastro-intestinal tract, skin and hair. Common side effects of this lymphoma treatment include nausea and vomiting, alopecia (hair loss), hairy, blackened tongue (oral chemotherapeutic agents), and pruritus (itchy skin).

Ø Radiation therapy – this lymphoma treatment is commonly used when lymphoma is diagnosed at an early stage. The advantage of radiation therapy is that it targets a local area, effectively reducing the rate of metastasis of malignant cells. Common side effects of this lymphoma treatment are itchiness, redness of the skin, sunburn.

Ø Stem cell transplant – this lymphoma treatment involves bone marrow transplant designed to help the body combat the effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can result to severe bone marrow depression, making the body prone to infection and severely weakened by anemia. One side effect of this lymphoma treatment is high risk for infection. Before transplant, patient is given immunosuppressive drugs so that the body’s immune system won’t be able to attack the graft.

Once you start with the treatment, you must stick to your treatment regimen. Relative 5-year survival rate of lymphoma is highly dependent on application of proper treatment basing on symptoms and staging. If you are interested or confused about a current lymphoma treatment, never hesitate to talk to your physician.