Lymphoma is a form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, the body’s disease-fighting network consisting of multiple lymph nodes and vessels that move lymph fluid across the body. Lymph fluid contains infection-fighting white blood cells called lymphocytes, which can become infected and turn cancerous instead of protecting the body from infections. Lymphomas can affect any part of the lymphatic system, like the lymph nodes, bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and tonsils. Read on to learn more about the disease.
Types
Lymphoma is categorized into two types: Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin. These are further divided into several subtypes.
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Accounting for 95 percent of lymphoma cases, this is the most common type and develops in either the B-cells or the T-cells of the lymphatic system. In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the tumor growth may not affect each lymph node in the system and can randomly grow on some nodes. Some common types are B-cell, T-cell, Burkitt’s, follicular, Mantle cell, and small lymphocytic lymphoma.
- Hodgkin lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma is among the rarest types of cancer, and it is characterized by the growth of Reed-Sternberg cells, which are abnormally large B-cells or lymphocytes. In Hodgkin lymphoma, cancer tends to move from one lymph node to the next. Some common types include lymphocyte-rich, lymphocyte-depleted, and mixed cellularity lymphoma.
Symptoms
Identifying lymphoma at an early stage is difficult because there are no symptoms or they are similar to those of a common cold. Some people may notice swelling in the lymph nodes, often in areas like the neck, upper chest, groin, abdomen, or armpits. Although lymph node swelling may also occur due to common infections like cold, it does not resolve on its own and gradually becomes painful if lymphoma is the cause. Other common symptoms of both non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma include fever, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue, itching, and pain in the lymph nodes after alcohol consumption.
Causes and risk factors
Researchers are unsure about what exactly leads to the development of cancer in the lymphatic system, but it is known to occur when lymphocytes develop a genetic mutation. This causes the cells to multiply and spread rapidly, resulting in swollen lymph nodes, spleen, and liver.
Several factors increase an individual’s chances of developing lymphoma, including:
- Age: Some types of lymphomas are most common in people over 55 years of age, but others are diagnosed more often in young adults.
- Gender: Men are more likely to develop lymphoma than women, but some types of the disease are more likely to affect women.
- Weak immune system: The disease is more common among people with a compromised immune system due to an immune system disorder or taking immunosuppressants.
- Infection: Some infections like those caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and Helicobacter pylori elevate the risk of lymphoma.
Diagnosis
The doctor may first carry out a physical examination, during which they typically look for swollen lymph nodes in areas like the neck, underarms, abdomen, and groin. They may recommend a lymph node biopsy if they suspect lymphoma. The biopsy involves extracting a tissue sample from a swollen lymph node to check it for the presence of cancerous cells. If cancerous cells are detected, further testing will be needed to find out how far the disease has spread. These tests include blood tests, bone marrow biopsy, and even imaging tests like CT, MRI, and PET scans.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the type of lymphoma and the stage it has reached. Some types grow very slowly, so patients may not require anything more than periodically monitoring the condition. In other cases, treatment is aimed at destroying as many cancerous cells as possible to alleviate the symptoms. Some common treatment options for lymphoma are:
- Chemotherapy: It uses medication to kill the rapidly-growing cancer cells, and these medications are generally administered intravenously.
- Radiation therapy: The therapy destroys cancerous cells with high-powered beams of X-rays or protons. It’s usually targeted at small areas of cancerous cells.
- Radioimmunotherapy: This is a combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy that uses powerful radiation to kill the cancerous B-cells and T-cells.
- Bone marrow transplant: It uses high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy to suppress the bone marrow before healthy bone marrow cells are infused into the body.
