Lymphoma Treatment on the Gulf Coast

Lymphoma affects around 80,000 Americans each year and is a serious cancer. Infirmary Cancer Care is prepared to help you through this cancer treatment and ensure that you have the information, support and knowledge you need to beat lymphoma. Our lymphoma specialists are highly trained in the newest treatments and our state-of-the-art facilities and patient programs allow you the assurance of knowing that everything possible is being done for your health.

Symptoms & Risks

Lymphoma is cancer that affects the white blood cells that travel through the body’s lymph system. This can happen in either two of the white blood cells: B cells or T cells. There are two types of lymphoma: Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs when large white blood cells named Reed-Sternberg cells turn into cancer cells. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs when smaller B and T cells turn cancerous. Hodgkin's lymphoma is further broken into classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma and the rarer Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma.

It is hard to state specific risk factors for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and scientific studies on these factors are still ongoing. However, an individual may be at risk for developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma if they are male, older, have a weaker immune system or suffer from an autoimmune disease, suffer from pesticide or fertilizer exposure or suffer from hepatitis or Epstein-Barr virus. While this cancer cannot be prevented completely, those who meet these risk factors should be more aware of the possibility of developing this disease and take proactive preventative steps.

The symptoms of lymphoma can include swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin, armpits or neck that is painless, fatigue, night sweats, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss and itchy skin. Like some cancers, lymphoma may have no early symptoms and it may only manifest itself when the cancer is quite advanced. This is why it is important to screen yourself for early warning signs to ensure your health.

Diagnosis & Staging

While most cancer can be diagnosed through normal physical exams and imaging exams, lymphoma can also be diagnosed through lymph node biopsies and blood tests. Once cancer has been detected and diagnosed your doctor will stage the cancer based upon its aggression and what type of lymphoma it is. For a helpful guide on how your doctor will stage your cancer, see these guides from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society:

Treatment Options

Because lymphoma affects the lymph system and blood cells, the treatments are more diverse. The treatment that your doctor prescribes will depend heavily on whether the cancer is Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and what your health at the time of diagnosis is.

Common treatments for lymphoma include:

Chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Targeted therapy
Bone marrow transplants
Radiation therapy

While chemotherapy and radiation seek to target and eradicate cancer cells, the other treatments are much more specific in their targeting of the cancer cells. Immunotherapy attacks cancer cells by spurring the body's immune system to kill only the cancer cells. Targeted therapy uses the specific genetic composition of the cancer cell to target only those cells and destroy them. While this therapy does not work for every type of lymphoma, if your lymphoma bears a certain genetic makeup, you may be eligible for this treatment.

Another way to treat lymphoma is through bone marrow transplants. Bone marrow is the area inside the bones where the white cells are created. Bone marrow transplants are intended to replace diseased marrow with healthy marrow and thereby solving the cancer. However, as the side effects of this procedure may be severe, discuss the benefits and detriments of this treatment with your doctor.

Call Today to Begin Your Lymphoma Fight. Our specialists are available to answer any of your questions on available lymphoma treatments.

Related Doctors

View All

Related Locations

View All