5 Important Facts About Lymphoma

The worst fact about Lymphoma is that it doesn’t show any major symptoms unless it has progressed. In most cases, it’s very difficult to detect Lymphoma in the earliest stages.

Cancer is a scary disease that can put you under a lot of stress. You might be surprised to know that more than 1.7 million new cases of cancer are reported every year. More than 100 forms of cancer affect humans and lymphoma is one that directly attacks the lymphatic system.

There are some types of cancers that don’t get much attention until the symptoms have progressed. Lymphoma belongs to this category as its early symptoms can be hard to detect. It directly affects that body’s immune system and the lymphatic system. Unfortunately, organs throughout the body may be affected by this form of cancer.

You should learn some important facts about this disease. The good news is that it can be treated if it’s detected on time. It is also possible stay safe from it if you take some precautionary measures. Similarly, catching lymphoma early can have very positive effects on the treatment plan your doctor recommends.

Let’s take a look at the 5 important facts everybody must know about lymphoma.

1. Doctors aren’t yet familiar with the causes of Lymphoma

The exact cause of Lymphoma is yet to be figured out. Scientists and doctors are working hard to find out the exact cause of lymphoma. However, they’ve discovered a few factors that can influence the growth of lymphoma. We’ll be describing these factors here so you may protect yourself from the risk of this type of cancer.

Lymphoma normally affects the males who are in their 60s. It doesn’t mean that other seniors are safe from this disease. It may affect you even if your age is between 15 and 40. It normally attacks individuals who don’t have a strong immune system. You may be at a higher risk of developing lymphoma if you have an immune system condition like celiac disease, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.

You may also become a victim of this disease if you’re often exposed to bug and weed-killing chemicals. If you think you have a higher chance of being affected by Lymphoma you should discuss it with your doctor.

2. The symptoms of Lymphoma cannot be detected easily

Individuals do not experience any noticeable changes in their health with early stage lymphoma. Your doctor can detect the subtle symptoms even if you aren’t experiencing symptoms. Here are a few symptoms that may indicate if you have lymphoma or not.

Shortness of Breath
A cough
Skin Itching
A fever
Swollen Lymph nodes
Unexplained weight loss
Fatigue or feeling tired
Night Sweats

You must be thinking these are the signs that appear when we have some other health problems. Normally we don’t care about these symptoms as they’re just temporary, but if you’re consistently facing these issues you must talk to your doctor because you don’t know if it’s temporary or permanent.

3. You need to go through the special diagnostic testing

A doctor will carry out special tests to find out if you’re suffering from Lymphoma or not. These tests are supposed to find the main cause of your symptoms. The reason why it’s difficult to diagnose Lymphoma is that its symptoms are usually considered unrelated health issues. For instance, the common cold or flu can be the cause of swollen lymph nodes instead of Lymphoma.

You need to go through different diagnostic tests to be sure about whether you have lymphoma or not. Doctors normally carry out blood tests, bone marrow biopsies, a PET scan, a lymph node biopsy, a molecular test, and a chest x-ray to find out if the patient is suffering from lymphoma. After checking the reports of these tests, your doctor will inform you about whether you’ve been diagnosed with lymphoma or not.

4. Types of Lymphoma

If you think that lymphoma is just one type of cancer, you would be mistaken because lymphoma usually appears in two different forms: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Narrowing down the patient’s condition gets easier when the type of lymphoma is determined.

5. Lymphoma can be cured

The good news is that Lymphoma is a highly curable disease. The survival rate for this disease is pretty impressive. According to a survey, more than 70% of patients recover from this disease when they get proper treatment. The survival rate increases to 90% when the lymphoma is detected in stage one. Based on your cancer type and speed of growth, your doctor will prepare a treatment plan. Commonly, 5 different treatments are used for Lymphoma including:

Radiation Therapy
Stem Cell Transplants
Chemotherapy
Targeted Therapy
Immunotherapy

Based on the strength of your immune system, the treatment procedure your doctor recommends may vary. If you’re currently living with a condition or think that you may have Lymphoma, you must talk to your doctor about it. Things like cancer can easily be detected in the early stages when you pay close attention to your health.