Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In fact, “cancer” is a generic name for various tumors with specific characteristics, diagnosis and treatment. While it is classified in three ways. Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer. September 15 is marked as World Lymphoma Awareness Day. Lymphoma is a disease that affects many parts of the body. That’s why it’s important to know everything from symptoms to treatment.
Understand what lymphoma is
There are three groups of blood cancers: leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma. Leukemia affects the bone marrow, which produces blood cells. Myeloma is a blood cancer of the cells found in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside bones, which normally makes up different parts of our blood. While lymphoma affects the lymphatic system.
There are two types of lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin
- Hodgkin
Basically lymphoma starts in the throat. Cells that strengthen the immune system are called lymphocytes. When these cells become cancerous, the disease is called lymphoma cancer.
To find out more about this, we talked to Dr. Sainath Bhethanabhotla, Consultant Medical Oncologist at Care Hospitals. He says: “In this condition, the lymph nodes increase in size and are present in the neck, chest and abdomen. In addition to swelling, about 30 percent of patients may have fever, weight loss, and night sweats. Sometimes the patient’s bed becomes wet. Most of the time we don’t know the cause, but lymphoma varies with age.”
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Symptoms of lymphoma are very late and confusing
Says Sainath, “Symptoms of lymphoma cancer appear quite late. Also, they are so confusing that in most cases another disease is suspected. Which is why people ignore him. like –
- Sore throat and swelling around it
- swollen lymph nodes
- feverish
- cough and shortness of breath
- excessive shortness of breath
- night sweats
- Fatigue and sudden weight loss
- Itching and burning in the throat
If you recognize the symptoms of lymphoma and start treating it at the right time, then this disease can be cured. But delay and neglect can also lead to death.
Which people are at greater risk?
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma can appear between the ages of 15 and 40. After this, the chances of this disease are higher in people over 55 years of age.
- People with HIV or AIDS, or who have had an organ transplant, have a higher risk of developing lymphoma. Because such people have very weak immunity.
How is lymphoma treated?
Lymphoma can be treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In addition, cancer cells are destroyed by injecting antibodies through immunotherapy. The biggest advantage of this treatment is that the drug identifies and destroys only cancerous cells.
If a person suffering from lymphoma is treated in time, then they have a very good survival rate. The chances of survival in this stage are 90 percent in the first stage, and 60-70 percent of patients can live a better life even in the fourth stage.
