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Saturday, January 15, 2011

All you need to know about lymphoma

Swollen glands in the neck can be a sign of lymphoma

Chronic fatigue, repeated infections, weight loss and inflammation of one or more nodes are symptoms that should be taken into account, because you can hide the presence of lymphoma.

Lymphoma is a form of cancer affecting the lymphatic circulatory system that is part of the body's natural defense mechanism. This consists of a network of tiny channels, lymph vessels, through which the antibodies, cells that destroy viruses and bacteria. In case of lymphoma, there is an excessive multiplication of lymphocytes (which make up the lymph), which accumulates both lymph and of some organs
Not yet known the exact cause leading to the development of lymphoma. Immune system diseases are offending, serious infections, such as immunotherapy treatments, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. And exposure to solvents or pesticides could be to blame for the installation of this disease.

Symptoms may go unnoticed

Because of nonspecific symptoms, like chronic fatigue, fever, night sweats, weight loss and difficulty breathing may go unnoticed lymphoma.

An event you need to send a doctor is painless swelling of the glands in the neck, armpit or abdomen. Only microscopic examination of a lymph node in a biopsy allows the diagnosis and possibly the type of lymphoma.

90% at non-Hodgkin's type

There are two types of lymphoma: Hodgkin's lymphoma (lymph nodes in the neck, underarms and bikini area) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (case does not destroy tissue lymphomas, but thrive around bodies). Annually, the world record 62,000 new cases of Hodgkin lymphoma and 25,000 results in death. In contrast, non-Hodgkin's form is 90 percent of the total cases of lymphoma. The world occur each year 286,000 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 161,000 deaths are recorded.

Depending on the disease, non-Hodgkin lymphomas are also divided into two categories: slow-moving (indolent) and fast-moving (aggressive). Aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma requires immediate treatment, or life expectancy ranging from six months to two years. In case of indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a slower spread of cancer cells in the body leads to a longer life expectancy, those affected may live 10 years with this condition. To assist those who have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was created www.viataculimfom.ro site.

What is therapy

In case of Hodgkin's lymphoma, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are indicated. In contrast, treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is chemotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, radiotherapy, biological therapy, and sometimes in bone marrow transplant.

When aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, standard chemotherapy is effective in about four out of ten patients.

Lymphoma is the generic name for cancer of the lymphatic system. There are non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma and lymphocytic leukemia. Symptoms of this type of pathology are: painless peripheral adenopathy (ie, peripheral lymph swelling), fever and weight loss over 10 percent. Also, there may be pallor and fatigue, bleeding and bruising, headache, nausea and respiratory tract infections.

As methods of treatment using radiotherapy, chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant or stem cell therapy, monoclonal antibodies, lymphocytes or activated NK cells or vaccines induce specific immunity against tumor cells. Thanks to modern therapies, the cure rate is good. For example, with proper treatment, approximately 85 percent of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma are curable.

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