Hi. I'm Dr. Stephen Ansell.
I'm a hematologist at Mayo Clinic.
In this video, we're going to cover
the basics of lymphoma.
What is it? Who gets it?
The symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment.
Whether you're looking for answers for
yourself or someone you love,
we're here to give you
the best information available.
Lymphoma is an overarching term for
a kind of cancer that
starts in the lymphatic system.
Cancer diagnosis of any kind
can be very difficult to deal with.
But recent advances in how
we treat lymphoma and
ongoing research means there's a lot of
hope. Treatment is highly
successful for the majority of patients.
First, what exactly is the lymphatic system?
Well, it's actually a crucial
part of the immune system.
The lymphatic system produces
lymphocytes, or white blood cells,
which fight off pathogens,
bacteria and the like.
There are two types of lymphocytes,
T cells and B cells.
And lymphoma occurs
when one of these types of
lymphocytes grow and multiply uncontrollably.
Often, these abnormal cells will build
up and cause tumors in the lymph nodes,
which are actually present throughout your body.
And so lymphoma cells can collect anywhere.
There are different types of lymphoma,
but really two main categories.
Firstly, Hodgkin lymphoma.
This is an uncommon form
of lymphoma identified by
the presence of rare large cells,
which are called Reed- Sternberg cells.
And it usually begins in
lymph nodes of the neck,
the chest, under the arms,
and progresses in an orderly fashion and
predictable fashion
to other lymph node sites.
This often means that it can be
detected and treated early.
And it's actually considered one of
the most treatable forms of cancer.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, while more common than
Hodgkin lymphoma, is still very
uncommon and a relatively
rare disease overall.
This category includes any cancer of
lymphocytes that doesn't
involve Reed- Sternberg cells.
Like all cancers, lymphoma is the result of
mutations in DNA that
instruct the cells on how to grow,
and the cells often grow out of
control and live longer than they should.
These disease cells then
continue to multiply at a rapid rate,
producing more disease cells.
These particular DNA mutations
affect lymphocytes,
which accumulate in
the lymph nodes and other parts
of the lymphatic system to form tumors,
crowding out healthy tissue
and limiting its ability to function.
We don't always know
exactly what caused that initial mutation,
but we know the effects
that it has downstream.
There are, however, a variety
of things that can increase your risk.
Although both Hodgkin and
non-Hodgkin lymphoma can occur at any age,
they do have a pattern.
For non-Hodgkin lymphoma,
the risk increases as you get older,
with about half the people
diagnosed over the age of 65.
In Hodgkin lymphoma, cases
are predominantly seen in two peaks,
often in young adults 20 to 40,
and again in older people over 55.
Whether because of an immune disease
or immune suppressive drugs,
lymphoma is more common in people
with an impaired immune system.
Certain infections can be
connected with higher rates of lymphoma.
These infections include
Epstein-Barr virus infections
and helicobacter pylori infections.
Common symptoms of having lymphoma
include swelling of
lymph nodes in your neck,
in your armpits or your groin.
This is often but not always
painless and often could be associated
with fevers, or unexplained weight loss,
or drenching night sweats, sometimes chills,
persistent fatigue.
Shortness of breath can often be found.
And patients with Hodgkin lymphoma
may develop an itchy skin.
Just because you're experiencing
these types of things doesn't
mean you have lymphoma,
but it is important to see
your doctor if you're
experiencing recurring symptoms.
Firstly, they're likely to give you
a physical exam to
check for swollen lymph nodes and see
whether your spleen or liver feel
swollen. A lymph node may in
fact be removed for a biopsy.
This can show not only if
lymphoma cells are present
but will actually help to
identify the type of lymphoma.
The bone marrow is where
the cells are made, and
so a sample of the bone
marrow may also be taken.
This is usually performed
both on the liquid of the bone marrow,
the so-called aspirate, and then
a biopsy is taken
from the solid portion of the bone marrow.
This is done using a needle,
and the sample is usually
extracted from the hipbone
and sent for analysis.
Additionally, your doctor may recommend
other kinds of tests including imaging studies.
This could include a PET scan,
a CT scan, or an MRI scan.
All of them are being done to look for
signs of lymphoma in
other areas of your body.
A specialized team of
doctors can work with you
to develop a strategy
for treating your lymphoma.
And the strategy is based on
the type of lymphoma,
the stage of the lymphoma,
the aggressiveness of the cancer,
as well as your overall health.
Some lymphomas grow very slowly, and it
may not be necessary to
start treatment right away.
Active surveillance is
often your best option.
You and your doctor may decide not to treat
the lymphoma until it
interferes with your lifestyle.
We call this watchful waiting.
However, until then, you would need to have
periodic tests to monitor your disease.
Now, you may be given chemotherapy.
These are usually powerful drugs
that will kill lymphoma.
Additional treatments are coming out that
allow for targeted therapy.
Targeted drug treatment focuses just on
specific abnormalities in cancer cells
and is highly effective.
A further strategy is immunotherapy.
And immunotherapy drugs use
your own immune system to fight your cancer.
Finding out you have lymphoma and
going through treatment can be overwhelming,
but there are things you can
do to help you cope.
Learn about your lymphoma.
Don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions
and have them recommend resources
for more information.
Knowing more about your particular case
and the options you have will help
you feel confident and
empower you to make
decisions regarding treatment.
Keep your friends and family close,
rely on them for
practical and emotional support.
It may also be important
to find a support group
to talk with people who are
going through the same thing.
Although cancer and going through
treatment is never easy,
with lymphoma, there is plenty of hope and
long-term success.
A lot of progress has been
made in fighting lymphoma,
getting patients into remission,
getting them back to a normal life.
And as the research continues,
ever-improving and more effective ways
to combat lymphoma are being developed.
If you want to learn more
about your lymphoma,
please go ahead and watch
the related videos or visit Mayo Clinic.org.
We wish you well.