Lymphoma: Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Lymphoma or lymphatic cancer is a lymphatic system disease and has higher chances of spreading or metastasizing rapidly. It can happen to anyone, regardless of gender or age. However, it is most common in children and teens within the age range of 15 to 24 years.

Read through to find out more about lymphoma!

Lymphoma develops in infection-fighting cells or lymphocytes of our immune system. These cells are present in the spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, thymus, and other parts of the human body. So, when lymphoma grows in these cells, it quickly spreads to the adjacent areas in an uncontrollable manner. Another fact about lymphoma is that it can either restrict itself to a certain area or affect the entire organ.

There are two types of lymphoma:

Hodgkin

Hodgkin lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin disease, develops primarily in type B cells present in the bone marrow. Doctors identify these types of lymphoma by noticing the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. These look like abnormally large B lymphocytes. Moreover, this type of cancer moves from one lymph node to its adjacent ones.

Additionally, Hodgkin diseases are considered the most curable form of cancer and have several options for lymphoma treatment. For example, there's immunotherapy, chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation and others. The only condition is one must diagnose and treat it early.

Non-Hodgkin

It is the most common type of lymphoma and mainly originates from T and B lymphocytes around lymph nodes and other tissues. However, if there's a tumour growth in this type, it may or may not affect all the lymph nodes. In other words, it often skips one node and starts growing on others.

Non-Hodgkin diseases mainly develop in older people and also have different treatment options. Some of them are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, stem cell transplantation, and immunotherapy.

Both Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma go through four stages of cancer. The stages will depend on the disease's location and how much it has spread. For example:

• Stage 1: In this stage, cancer is in one of the lymph nodes or in an organ.
• Stage 2: The patient is suffering from second stage of lymphoma when the disease is in two lymph nodes. These nodes can be situated adjacent to or distant from one another but on the same side of the body. In this regard, cancer can be in one organ and in adjacent lymph nodes.
• Stage 3: Cancer has spread to multiple lymph nodes present in both sides of the body at the third stage.
• Stage 4: Here, cancer may be present in an organ and has spread beyond the adjacent lymph nodes.

Even if the disease has reached stage 4, treating it is still possible. So, make sure you take the necessary steps for the treatment of lymphoma. But, before that, let’s find out about the causes of this disease.

Doctors are still unsure, but lymphoma mainly develops when disease-fighting cells (WBC) go through genetic mutation. In simpler terms, this means that the mutation is telling the deceased lymphocytes to continue multiplying. As a result, cancer spreads to the patient's lymph nodes, liver and spleen.

The symptoms of lymphoma are somewhat similar to that of viral diseases like the common cold. However, the difference is lymphoma symptoms persist for a longer duration. But there are also cases in which people experience no symptoms at all. On the other hand, some notice swelling in their lymph nodes.

Lymph nodes are present all around our body, but the swelling mainly occurs in the groin, neck, armpits, or abdomen. Also, these swellings are generally painless. But if they are in areas like bones, organs and other parts, one may suffer pain.

Here is a list of some of the most common symptoms of lymphoma.

• Unexplained fever persisting for long without infection
• Weight loss and less appetite
• Tiredness
• Sweaty nights
• Unusual itching
• Cough and chest pain
• Swelling in armpits, neck or abdomen
• Bruising or Bleeding

If there is an overlapping of one or more symptoms or symptoms that are not subsiding over time, they must consult a doctor immediately. Now that you know about the causes and symptoms of lymphoma,  let’s proceed to the risk factors of lymphoma.

People under constant exposure to radiation and different chemicals are at high risk to experience lymphoma. So, people working in chemical industries should follow all the occupational health guidelines laid by official authority to minimise risk.

In addition, people with suppressed immune systems and exposure to viruses, including HIV and Epstein-Barr, also come under the risk factors of lymphoma.

However, other factors that increase the probability of getting affected by this disease are:

• Age: Lymphoma is most common in young adults. However, individuals above 55 years of age are also susceptible to this disease.
• Gender: Males are more likely to get lymphoma than females.
• Impaired Immune System: Individuals with an impaired immune system have more significant chances of developing cancer.
• Infections: Certain infections also increase the risk of lymphoma. These include Helicobacter pylori infection and Epstein-Barr virus.

Lymphoma can be diagnosed in the following ways:

• CT Scan: CT or Computerised Tomography scan is the process of taking a detailed picture (an X-ray) of your internal body using a computer system.
• PET Scan: PET or Positron Emission Tomography scan takes out a three-dimensional image to find lymphoma in the bone marrow.
• MRI: MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging is used to check areas of the brain and spinal cord.
• Blood Tests: Blood tests help diagnose the effectiveness of treatment in blood cells. So, doctors carry it in regular intervals.
• Bone Marrow Biopsy: Bone marrow biopsy helps identify if cancer cells are present in bone marrow too. 
• Gland Biopsy: This is a biopsy of lymph nodes to confirm lymphoma.

The treatment for lymphoma depends on the type of lymphoma and its stage. However, the standard treatment process includes:

• Chemotherapy: It is a way to kill cancer cells using drugs.
• Radiation Therapy: In this process, cancer cells die due to the application of high-energy rays.
• Immunotherapy: Here, your body's immunity fights to destroy cancer cells.
• Targeted Therapy: Using this therapy, doctors target lymphoma cells and kill them to stop further growth.

Doctors may also recommend a stem cell transplant if they don’t notice any improvement even after the above treatments. In this method, the patient first goes through a high dose of chemotherapy which kills cancer cells. But this also damages your stem cells in bone marrows that produce new blood cells. So afterwards, doctors carry out stem cell transplants to replace the damaged ones.

According to recognised institutes, the five-year survival rate for NHL patients is 70 percent, whereas, for Hodgkin lymphoma, it is 90 percent.

There is no proven method to prevent lymphoma, but maintaining a healthy weight, eating well, and staying fit helps. Also, include plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your diet and limit the consumption of sugary drinks and processed meat.

The chances of treating lymphoma increase if patients detect it early. So, make sure you give full attention to the symptoms mentioned above and take measures to subdue them. Also, the treatment may have some side effects. If you experience something severe, reciprocate it to your doctor.