Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer of the lymphoid tissue, which includes the lymph nodes, spleen, and other organs of the immune system. Like other cancers, lymphomas, occur when cells divide too much and too fast. Growth control is lost, and the lymphatic cells may overcrowd, invade, and destroy lymphoid tissues and metastasize (spread) to other organs.

There are many different types of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is classified according to how fast the cancer spreads.

· The cancer may be low grade (slow growing), intermediate grade, or high grade (fast growing). Burkitt's tumor is an example of a high-grade lymphoma.

· The cancer is further sub-classified by how the cells look under the microscope, for example, if there are certain proteins or genetic markers present.

Symptoms

· Night sweats

· Fever and chills that come and go

· Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, groin, or other areas

· Unintentional weight loss and loss of appetite

· Coughing or shortness of breath may occur if the cancer affects the thymus gland or lymph nodes in the chest.

Medications

· Blood chemistry tests

· Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy

· CBC to check for anemia and low white blood cell count

· CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis

· Gallium scan

· Lymph node biopsy

· PET (positron emission tomography) scan

· X-rays

Treatments

· Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a type of local therapy. It affects cells only in the treated area. Radiation therapy is used alone for small tumors or for patients who cannot have surgery. It may be used before surgery to kill cancer cells and shrink the tumor. It also may be used after surgery to destroy cancer cells that may remain in the area.

· Surgery: Physicians at Mayo Clinic typically recommend that liposarcomas be surgically removed whenever possible. Surgeons try to remove the primary cancer completely while minimizing the impact on the function and appearance of the affected part of the body. Patients who undergo surgery receive a thorough evaluation by an anesthesiologist prior to surgery.

· Computed tomography (CT) is a medical imaging method employing tomography created by computer processing. Digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the inside of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation.