The many types of lymphoma treatments

Whether it is non Hodgkin lymphoma treatment or Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, doctors design a plan that uses different therapies and techniques like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc.The specifics within these treatments depend on the type of lymphoma, subtype, stage, and so on.

What are the common treatments for lymphoma?
Both Hodgkin’s and non Hodgkin’s lymphoma are treated using chemotherapy, radiation treatment, immunotherapy, and bone marrow transplant.

Which type of specialist provides lymphoma treatment?

• A team of cross-disciplinary experts come together to design and administer treatment plans based on the patient’s condition.
• This team is composed of specialist doctors and medical technicians and is called a multidisciplinary team.
• It includes a medical oncologist who treats lymphoma using specific cancer medication (chemotherapy), radiation oncologists, immunologists, etc.

What are the factors considered for lymphoma treatment?

• Lymphoma treatment is based on the type and subtypes of lymphoma, the stage of the disease, the person’s age, whether the condition has recurred after remission, and so on.
• At the basic level, treatment varies based on whether the cancer is Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (HL) or Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), and their subtypes.
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma has fewer subtypes than non-Hodgkin lymphoma. But even here, classical Hodgkin lymphoma treatment is different from nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma treatments.
• Besides the types, doctors also take into account the patient’s condition, the stage of the disease, and whether it is aggressive.
• In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, some forms can be indolent, and they progress very slowly. In these cases, doctors wait and watch; they do not start treatment unless the cancer becomes more active.
• In aggressive NHL, where the cancer grows and spreads quickly, non Hodgkin lymphoma treatment is started immediately.

What is chemotherapy?

• In both Hodgkin lymphoma treatments and non Hodgkin lymphoma treatments, chemotherapy is the first line of attack.
• Administered by medical oncologists, chemotherapy uses cancer-specific medication.
• These drugs are internal medications, administered through an IV or orally.
• Chemotherapy can be given one drug at a time or as a combination of drugs.
• These drugs enter the bloodstream, and they either directly destroy cancer cells or modify their composition to inhibit their growth.

What is radiation therapy?

• Radiation therapy is mostly given in combination with chemotherapy, either along with chemotherapy or after a chemotherapy session is completed.
• It is administered by radiation oncologists. This treatment uses high-energy radiation waves to kill cancer cells.
• Different types of radiation beams are used, such as x-rays, protons, electrons, etc.
• Radiation treatment is targeted; it is applied only to the region of cancerous cells to destroy them.

What is bone marrow transplant?

• Chemotherapy and radiation treatments are used to suppress the diseased bone marrow, preventing them from producing more of the mutant cells.
• Then, bone marrow stem cells that have been removed from the patient’s own blood are reintroduced into the bloodstream.
• These stem cells then create a new, healthy bone marrow.

What is immunotherapy?

• Immunotherapy aims to boost the body’s immune system, and help it recognize cancerous cells and destroy them.
• In one form of immunotherapy for non Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, T cells are collected from the patient’s body.
• They are then modified in a laboratory so that they get the ability to accurately detect cancer cells.
• Then, large numbers of these modified T cells are reintroduced into the patient’s body.
• They begin to fight cancer cells in a natural way, through the immune system.

What is targeted therapy?

• Targeted therapy also makes use of drugs, but they are a little different from the regular chemotherapy.
• They are targeted treatments that focus on mutations in cancer cells.
• Specific drugs identify specific mutations and attach to these abnormal cells.
• They can then be used to control and destroy cancer cells.
• Monoclonal antibodies are one type of targeted treatment drugs most used in NHL.

Immunotherapy and targeted therapy are being increasingly used, as they help provide a more natural and targeted method of fighting cancer.

Are clinical trials an option?

• In the very advanced stages of lymphomas that do not respond to treatments, or that recur after a period of remission, you may consider other options.
• Clinical trials involve voluntary enrolment in cutting-edge treatments that are still in the experimental stage.
• They have not been approved yet for public use.
• These involve certain risks. However, if your cancer is advanced and does not respond to other lymphoma treatments, this might be your last resort.

All cancers are becoming more treatable now. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a rarer form of lymphoma in the country. The 5-year survival rate for Hodgkin’s lymphoma is around 86%. In NHL, the prognosis depends on the subtypes and stage. Most non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases are diagnosed only in later stages, so this can affect the outlook and treatment.

NHL is the more common type of lymphoma, affecting around 70,000 Americans each year. In NHL, B-cell lymphomas are more common than T-cell lymphomas. Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphomas (DLBCL) can progress rapidly. The prognosis depends on many factors, like how early it is detected, the age of the patient, and so on. Still, large b cell lymphoma survival rates are improving with new and better treatment options now available, such as immunotherapy and targeted treatments.