Many people in the United States and all around the world are afflicted with lymphoma cancer. The thing is that there are more than 30 different kinds of lymphoma that have been diagnosed and they are not all the same. By learning more about these types, you can better understand more about this disease.
Lymphoma cancer can be separated into two main types – Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. There are 5 different types of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and 25 different types of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The most common lymphatic cancer today is Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The number of diagnoses has risen each year until it has become quite prevalent. It is not just one type of tumor, unfortunately, either. It is actually several different kinds of cancers that are related to each other and these cancers affect the lymph system of removing waste in the body. They can grow in the lymph nodes, anywhere that has lymph tissue, and lymphatic organs.
Some symptoms of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer include night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, unexplained itching, and fever. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a little different than Non-Hodgkin’s simply in that it occurs much less commonly. It generally spreads throughout the body in a uniform pattern, which is different from the random spreading of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The symptoms are much the same, however.
The cause of these two types of lymphoma cancer is still not quite known. There are many studies trying to find the underlying cause, but nothing concrete has been found. One correlation has been found in whether you have a family history of the disease. This is not definitive proof that you will get the disease, but some connection has been found. Those patients who have HIV or another autoimmune disease are also more likely to be diagnosed with lymphoma.
The treatment for lymphoma cancer is most commonly chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy of some sort. In the case of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, then survival rate is around 85%, which is very high. This high survival rate can be widely attributed to the fact that new treatments and studies are always being done to help fight this disease.
Lymphoma cancer can be fatal, but with all of the research and work being done, many more people are survivors now than they were when diagnosed even then years ago. Early treatment is essential in any type of cancer, including lymphoma, so learning more about the symptoms can help make you a survivor, rather than a victim.
