Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
It arises from white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system. It is also called a cancer of the lymphatic system, as it starts in the lymph glands or other organs of the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system is made up of organs, glands, tube-like vessels, and clusters of cells called lymph nodes. It's part of the body's germ-fighting immune system.
Lymphoma can affect lymph nodes, blood, bone marrow, spleen, and other tissues throughout the body, such as in the gastrointestinal system, central nervous system, bones or skin.
Symptoms of lymphoma can vary depending on the type and the part of the body it affects. Early-stage lymphomas may not cause symptoms.
The most common symptom of lymphoma is a lump or lumps. These lumps are swollen lymph nodes (glands). You may get painless swellings in your neck, collarbone, armpit, groin or other parts of your body. Some swollen lymph nodes can press on organs and cause pain in your chest, coughing, breathlessness, or pain in your stomach area.
Other lymphoma symptoms include:
- high temperature (fever)
- unexplained weight loss
- night sweats that soak your clothes and bedding
- fatigue
- pain in the chest, abdomen or bones
There are different types of lymphoma depending on how the cells are affected and how the lymphoma behaves. The two main types of lymphoma are:
- Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) – characterised by the presence of a special kind of cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) – lymphomas that do not contain Reed–Sternberg cells
High-grade (fast-growing) non-Hodgkin lymphomas include:
- Burkitt lymphoma
- Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
- Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL)
Low-grade (slow-growing) non-Hodgkin lymphomas include:
- Follicular lymphoma
- Mantle cell lymphoma
- MALT lymphoma
- Waldenström macroglobulinaemia (WM)
Treatment for lymphoma at CUH
The treatment you have depends on several factors, which include:
- the specific type of lymphoma
- the stage and progression of the disease
- your age and general health
A team of specialists at CUH will meet to discuss your condition and to make a recommendation about the best possible treatment for you.
You, along with your clinician, will then discuss your treatment recommendations at the clinic appointment and decide on the right treatment plan for you. Your clinician will explain different treatment options and possible side effects.
The treatment for lymphoma can include:
- chemotherapy
- radiotherapy
- surgery to remove the affected lymph node or nodes
- targeted therapy
- immunotherapy / biological therapies
- active monitoring (“watch and wait”)
- bone marrow (stem cell) transplant
- clinical trials
If you have a slow-growing lymphoma, you may not need treatment straight away, and some people never need it. This is called being on active monitoring.
At times, you may require more than one treatment or a combination of different treatments to give the best chance of long-term cure.