Facts About Lymphoma

Knowledge is power, and the more that you know about a disease, the better protected you are against its harmful effects. In this article, we’ll discuss the disease that is known as lymphoma by giving you samplings of pertinent information about it.

-         There are actually two categories of lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Hodgkin’s lymphoma doesn’t occur nearly as much as Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and is differentiated by the fact that those with Hodgkin’s lymphoma have ‘Reed-Sternberg cells’ present within the cancerous area. These cells are malformed white blood cells.

-         While the rates of diagnoses for Hodgkin’s lymphoma have gone down over the past 20 years in America, the rate of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnoses has increased roughly 20 percent over the past 20 years, making it account for a full 4 percent of all cancer diagnoses and causing it to be the fifth-most diagnosed cancer in America.

-         A person’s race can affect their risk of getting lymphoma. People of Caucasian descent face the highest risk of contracting Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, with white Americans being more likely to contract the disease than African Americans or Asian Americans.

-         While there aren’t many visible symptoms associated with a case of lymphoma, there are some symptoms that may denote a problem. If you experience chills, a swelling of the lymph nodes, fever, a lack of energy and an inability to sleep properly, you may be afflicted with lymphoma.

-         Doctors often check for lymphoma by using imaging tests such as X-rays, computerized tomography scans, magnetic resonance imaging, and a host of other diagnostic imaging methods. They may also perform a physical examination in order to determine whether or not there is any type of swelling or excess fluid located in the lymph system. If the doctor believes that lymphoma may be present, they usually resort to blood tests or a biopsy of a lymph node in order to more accurately determine the situation.

-         When discussing Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, there are three letters that doctors commonly use in order to relay exactly what type of condition the patient is facing. The letters are A, B, and E. Those experiencing an ‘A’ type of lymphoma do not exhibit any of the symptoms of a lymphoma condition. Type ‘B’ lymphoma cases denote that the patient does in fact face some symptoms. Type ‘E’ lymphoma cases represent a case of lymphoma in which the disease has traveled from the lymph nodes to an organ in the body.

-         There are also four stages of lymphoma which note the progression of the disease. In Stage I lymphoma, the disease is only found to be in one lymph node or one organ. Stage II lymphoma represents the spreading of the disease to another lymph node that is on the same side of the diaphragm as the originally affected node. Stage III lymphoma occurs when the disease is found to be in lymph nodes or organs on both sides of the diaphragm, and Stage IV is present when the lymphoma has spread to the other organs of the body.