Lymphoma describes the abnormal and uncontrollable growth of lymphocytes---a specific type of white blood cell. Often referred to as cancer of the lymphatic system, which includes the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus and bone marrow, lymphoma also affects other areas of the body containing lymphocytes. Many types of lymphoma cancers exist, categorized based upon the course of the disease and the type of lymphocyte affected. The two major categories include Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Determining treatment for lymphoma cancer, doctors must take the stage, location and extent of the disease into consideration.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs, often administered orally or intravenously, to damage and kill cancer cells. For lymphomas occurring in several different lymph nodes or other organs of the body, chemotherapy is often the treatment of choice, according to MayoClinic.com. Although chemotherapy targets rapidly growing cells, it can damage healthy cells throughout the body causing significant side effects. The most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, loss of appetite, mouth sores and fatigue.
Chemotherapy administered in combination, known as chemotherapy cocktails, kill the tumor cells most effectively. The American Cancer Society reports that non-Hodgkin's lymphomas respond well to the regiment known as CHOP---a mixture of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone. Treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma; however, utilizes a variety of other chemotherapy cocktails such as ABVD---which consists of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine; BEACOPP-- which consists of bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisone; and MOPP---which consists of mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisone.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy waves, similar to X-rays, to destroy or damage cancer cells. Usually delivered from a source outside the body, a procedure known as external beam radiation, doctors perform measurements to help focus the radiation on the tumor site. Because the radiation must be delivered directly to the area containing the lymphoma cancer, this type of treatment is most effective in treating stage I or stage II diseases in which the lymphoma remains localized to one area, according to MayoClinic.com.
Side effects of radiation therapy depend upon the area of the body treated. Radiation therapy can cause nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, memory loss and headaches. Most patients will experience sunburn-like skin irritation at the treatment site.
Stem Cell Transplant
Lymphomas which fail to respond to traditional treatments, or those that return after treatment may require high-dose chemotherapy to kill as many cancer cells as possible. Although the high-dose chemotherapy is effective in eradicating the lymphoma, it also kills the cells in the bone marrow. Since the bone marrow produces new blood cells, including red cells, white cells and platelets, this condition leaves the body vulnerable to many life-threatening complications including anemia, frequent infections and uncontrollable bleeding. To combat this effect, doctors perform a bone marrow transplant, also referred to as a stem cell transplant, to replace the cells of the bone marrow with new healthy cells to produce new non-cancerous lymphocytes.
