Choosing a treatment for your lymphoma
Anybody who is diagnosed with a life threatening illness will understandably be a bit daunted and will need time to come to terms with what the future holds for them. Being diagnosed with lymphoma is no different however it should be stated that the treatments for this particular condition have very high success rates providing they are started as soon as possible after the initial diagnosis. This means that if you do find yourself suffering with Hodgkin's, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or any other form of lymphoma then you need to make a decision with regards to your treatment quickly and with certainty.
The kind of treatment you are offered will, to a certain degree, depend on what type of lymphoma you have and this can only be determined by undergoing a number of medical tests. These include blood tests, CT and MRI scans of the pelvic, abdominal and chest areas, simple x-rays and in advanced cases a bone marrow biopsy. There are about 30 different sub-types of lymphoma and each reacts differently to the various methods of treatment hence it is vital that the doctor in charge of your case determines quickly the exact type of lymphoma you have and what stage it has reached.
The results of the various tests will give your oncologist a good picture of how advanced your lymphoma is and how far it has spread around the body, if indeed it has spread. Once they have this information they can present the various treatment options to you and they will go on to advise you which treatment regime they think will have the greatest affect. This will depend on what stage your lymphoma has reached. For example, early stage cancer will normally respond to a single type of treatment such as radiation therapy however advanced cancer may need to combine radiation with a course of chemotherapy.
Some of the treatments that are currently used to treat lymphomas do have a number of side effects and it is important that you understand what these are and how they will affect you before you agree to any kind of treatment. Your doctor will be able to give you all the information you need about any potential side effects so that you can make an informed choice.
When treatment starts it is important to have as much emotional support as you can get from friends and family because intensive treatment can be extremely tiring; both mentally and physically. Chemotherapy often causes nausea and fatigue when the course is first started and as radiation therapy normally involves visiting the hospital five days per week for an average of 8 weeks it can seriously drain even the strongest person. Surgery is not really an option for lymphoma because it is a systemic disease and it affects the entire body however in advanced cases a bone marrow transplant is a possibility. This requires a donor however and as it seriously affects quality of life for at least a few months so it should only be taken as a last resort.
Whichever treatment you do choose, with the help of your oncologist, will give you a very good chance of long term survival and even total remission.
If you have been diagnosed with the cancer known as mesothelioma make sure you have the best attorney possible. This cancer, caused by asbestos, is fatal and you may be entitled to file suit, talk with a mesothelioma lawyer to find out if your case applies.