Lymphoma
Lymphoma is an oncological disease of the lymphatic tissue in which the lymph nodes are enlarged or the internal organs are affected as a result of the active accumulation of lymphocytes.
The white blood cell is a lymphocyte, it is the main component of the body’s immune system. Lymphoma causes unlimited division of “sick” lymphocytes, which leads to their filling of various internal organs, causing a malfunction in their normal functioning.
Lymphoma refers to various types of diseases that have significant differences among themselves.
CAUSES OF LYMPHOMA
Among the main causes that provoke the appearance of lymphoma are:
Age. It has been noticed that lymphomas most often develop in people over the age of 55.
Viral infections. Especially often lymphomas are fixed in people who have had infectious mononucleosis.
Drug therapy that could have a depressing effect on the patient’s immune system.
Autoimmune diseases.
Contact with drugs such as benzenes, pesticides, herbicides.
TYPES OF LYMPHOMAS
There are two main groups of this disease:
Hodgkin’s disease (lymphogranulomatosis).
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.
SYMPTOMS OF LYMPHOMA
The main and most characteristic sign of this disease is a significant increase in the lymph nodes in the neck, groin and armpits. And if enlarged lymph nodes cause painful sensations in infectious diseases, then there is no pain syndrome in lymphoma, and after the use of antibacterial therapy, their size does not decrease. In some cases, due to the pressure of enlarged lymph nodes of the liver and spleen, there may be a feeling of heaviness and bloating in the abdomen, pressure on the face or neck, pain in the lower back and difficulty breathing. Also , with lymphoma , there are:
disruption in the normal functioning of the digestive system;
significant weight loss;
excessive sweating;
increased body temperature;
weakness;
DIAGNOSIS OF LYMPHOMA
Diagnostic measures to confirm this diagnosis consist of several stages:
General medical examination.
Biochemical and clinical blood tests.
Biopsy of a malignant node.
Microscopic examination of lymphoid tissue obtained during biopsy is the main analysis confirming the diagnosis of lymphoma. When tumor cells are detected in the biopsy material, it is necessary to establish which type of lymphoma is represented.
Radiation diagnostics is used to confirm the presence of neoplasms in organs and body parts that are inaccessible to a specialist during external examination. The method allows you to determine the stage of the disease.
Bone marrow studies confirm the presence of lymphoma cells.
Molecular genetic and cytogenetic studies.
TREATMENT OF LYMPHOMA
The patient’s condition is the main criterion for choosing an individual treatment:
With indolent lymphomas, active treatment may not be prescribed. The patient will have to be under the supervision of a doctor. With the progression of the disease (fever, weakness, etc.), the specialist prescribes treatment. With the local spread of lymphoma, radiotherapy is prescribed to irradiate the lymph nodes affected by the tumor. Chemotherapy is prescribed at the generalized stage. Unfortunately, with indolent lymphomas, complete recovery is not yet possible. The main direction of treatment is to improve the quality and life time of the patient.
In aggressive forms of lymphoma, an urgent course of therapy is required, as a rule, the SNOR chemotherapy program is used.
With highly aggressive forms of lymphoma, chemotherapy is prescribed for lymphoblastic leukemia, which shows a fairly high result.
