Thursday, March 13, 2008
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma - Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms and Treatment
Lymphoma can be explained as malignant proliferation of cells that originate in the lymphatic system of the body. Lymphomas belong to a definite group of diseases called hematological neoplasms. Lymphomas are broadly classified into Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is described as uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells that are originally found in the organs of lymphatic system including thymus, lymph nodes, spleen and tonsils. There are various classifications of NHL depending on the growth of the cancerous cells, their origin and their size. Depending on the growth, NHL can be classified into high-grade, intermediate grade and low-grade lymphoma. With relation to the origin of the lymphoma, NHL is divided into T-cell lymphoma and B-cell lymphoma. NHL could also be classified into anaplastic large cell lymphoma, small cell lymphoma and mixed cell lymphoma depending on the cell size. Another classification is diffusive and follicular type of NHL that is based on the spreading of the disease.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is primarily caused in immuno-compromised individuals who are infected with microorganisms such as HIV/AIDS, EBV, Helicobacter pylori, HTLV-1 and Hepatitis C. Age is also another prominent factor. NHL has been primarily observed in individuals aged above 60.
Some common symptoms observed during NHL include fever, swollen but painless lymph nodes, unusual weight loss, excessive sweating, fatigue, uncontrolled cough and breathing problem. Diagnosis of the disease is done through physical examination of lymph nodes, Blood cell counts. The stage of the disease is established through X-rays, CT scans, MRI scan and biopsy.
Some of the common therapeutic approaches for treating NHL include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy using Rituximab. Chemotherapy regimen used for treating NHL is known as CHOP, a combinatorial approach using drugs like Cytoxan, Hydroxyrubicin (Adriamycin), Oncovin (Vincristine) and Prednisone/Prednisolone
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