Tag: Thomas Hodgkin

All You Need to Know About Lymphoma

When you think about Lymphoma, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Lymphoma are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

Whenever you get sick, whats the first thing that you do? Know what you have. Either its a simple fever or a complicated illness, the very first device that you do is to gather information to find out your current condition. The same thing with lymphoma, whether you research things on your own or go to a doctor ( although this should always be the case whereas self diagnosis can bring you only so far ) for cure, your target is to get all you need know about the disease.

Lymphoma is basically a cancer of the lymphatic system. The cut is composed of various nodes or glands situated in different places of our build. These glands are connected by vessels that carry the lymph fluid or the white blood cells which help fight diseases. As you might have remembered in your high school biology class, the white blood cells help fight the bacteria and diseases that enter our body. And because these glands are connected to each other, once lymphoma hits a gland, theres a good chance that the cancer cells spread throughout the body via the lymph vessels. You should know this fact out front: no cure has been discovered someday that would terminate the disease. Nonetheless, there are new techniques, medicines and medical procedures that have brought more positive treatments for people with lymphoma.

There are two kinds of lymphoma, namely Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma ( NHL ). The first one, the Hodgkins disease owes its name to Thomas Hodgkin ( 1798 – 1866 ). He was the first one who published a paper about the disease. This kind of lymphoma is capable of spreading from one lymph node to another. It is again observed that people diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma has the presence of Reed – Sternberg cells which can apart be detected by the aid of a microscope.

The other kind of lymphoma is the non – Hodgkin indulgent. This kind is described as having larger than normal lymph nodes and is accompanied by fever and weight loss. There are about 16 sub – types which do not fall under the conditions described by Hodgkins lymphoma. These sub – types are grouped according to aggressiveness which basically means the cancer cells are fast – growing. NHL lymphomas include chronic lymphocytic leukemia / small lymphocytic lymphoma ( CLL / SLL ), Burkitt lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B – cell lymphoma and immunoblastic large cell lymphoma.

Treatment is either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The flourish, manliness and stage of the cancers development plays a role in determining the kind of treatment patients will undergo. Early detection is crucial. Most of the patients do survive the treatment especially if they have been diagnosed during the early stages of the lymphoma.

Some of the more common symptoms of lymphomas include painless swelling in the lymph nodes of the glance, underarm, or groin. People with lymphomas also might experience fever, tiredness, weight loss, itchiness, red patches on the skin, nausea, vomiting and sometimes abdominal pain.

Those with low – grade lymphomas will encounter a very calm growth of the cancer cells and will familiarity very few of the symptoms. The problem with low – grade lymphomas is that even though they respond well to chemotherapy, they often return and is considered incurable unlike high – grade lymphomas. With the latter, treatment involves chemotherapy, with or without radiation therapy.

Admittedly, the information above is not all that you need to know about lymphoma. There are more facts that you need to find out for yourself especially if you have been diagnosed with having lymphoma.
The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you’ll be glad you took the time to learn more about Lymphoma.

Knowing Your Cancer, Hodgkins disease

You should be able to find several indispensable facts about Lymphoma in the following paragraphs. If there’s at least one fact you didn’t know before, imagine the difference it might make.

Hodgkin’s lymphoma or otherwise proclaimed as Hodgkin’s disease is one of two kinds of lymphoma or a cancer of the lymphatic system. Thomas Hodgkin was the first person who published documented studies of the disease hence the cancer was named after him. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is different from the other benevolent of lymphoma chiefly through the presence of Reed – Sternberg cells in the cancer cells. These Reed – Sternberg cells burden perform seen through an open biopsy. In contrast, cells seen on non – Hodgkins lymphomas are mutated B – cells or T – cells.

It has been observed that Hodgkins lymphoma oftentimes begin to develop in the lymph nodes in the neck. This is again quite different from non – Hodgkins lymphoma which beings in different locations in the frame. Nonetheless, since this is cancer were talking about, from the neck lymph node spreading to other lymph node groups, the lungs, spleen, and bone marrow is one shot natural and inevitable if no treatment is undergone. It seems and that Hodgkin’s lymphoma targets the immediate nearby lymphatic regions before leaving eventually the lymphatic system and spreading throughout other organs of the body.

According to studies, Hodgkins lymphoma is more likely to develop in young adolescents particularly those within the age range of 15 to 24 as well as those who are more than 60 dotage aged. Besides this is totally colorful from non – Hodgkins lymphoma which rarely happens in young people and instead is more common to people tired 60 years old and above.

In determining a diagnosis, one can actually self – diagnose at least initially. A doctors expertise is still needed, of course, for a more accurate diagnosis of the disease. The symptoms that posses been reported are not that different from the antithetic kinds of lymphoma. The presence of a painless lump in the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin, recurrent fevers, unexplained qualification termination, night sweats and fanatical skins are among the warning signals of developing lymphoma.

Among the usual tests your doctors would require you to undertake includes glowing tests to check abnormalities in the blood counts, blood assembling, and abnormal erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR ), X – rays to look at the lymph nodes, computerized tomography or CT scan and enterprising resonance imaging or MRI scans of the chest, pelvis, and abdomen to see if the cancer has already spread to other parts of the body.

Other scans that could be used to properly diagnose and determine the stage of the cancer are the positron emission tomography or PET scan which scans the cancer at a cellular level and the gallium scan which looks for radioactive intake of gallium which can mean the onset of the disease. There are other tests and procedures which doctors might conduct on you all in the aid of a opportune and accurate diagnosis.

Hodgkins lymphoma has several sub – types, namely nodular sclerosis ( NS ) which hits the lower neck, chest and collarbone, lymphocyte predominance ( LP ) which is made of malignant L&H cells which have a ” popcorn “, mixed cellularity ( MC ) which has lymph nodes that are usually contain Reed – Sternberg cells and inflammatory cells, lymphocyte depleted ( LD ), and nodular lymphocyte crack ( NLP ).

As they say, knowing is half the battle. Knowing more about Hodgkins disease is a good thing. You can contribute fully to the decision making process if you know precisely the situation you are in.
As your knowledge about Lymphoma continues to grow, you will begin to see how Lymphoma fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

The Essence of PET Scans in Determining and Healing Lymphoma

The Essence of PET Scans in Determining and Healing Lymphoma

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding Lymphoma. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about Lymphoma.

The malignant cells that cause lymphoma begin at the lymph nodes. Tumor develops when there is an enlargement of the node. The case is quite similar to lymphoid leukemia, but this only involves the bone marrow where the blood cells are produced through the haematopoesis process as well as the circulating ruddy.

The first description of this dreaded disease was first published in 1832. This was done by Thomas Hodgkin, thus the name of the Hodgkin type of this illness. There are many other forms that have been discovered since then and all these are now part of a large lot of illnesses that are known as hematological neoplasms.

When you start feeling that you have the symptoms, especially the enlarged lymph nodes, you should look into the help of your doctor. This event may not always mean that you are sick, but to compose affirmative that you are okay, you have to get yourself checked by a professional. The first move that doctors may require you to undergo is biopsy, the type of which will be dictated as to the organs that are infected with the disease. After it was established that you already have it, the doctors will then try to categorize from which emotions of this illness you are suffering from. Before you can be given proper treatment for your condition, your bone marrow needs to represent precise and you posses to pep through various tests and scans.

PET Scans

One of the special kinds of scans that you may be asked to undergo is PET scan or Positron Emission Tomography. This is able to impel the cancers based on the high activity that is happening on the cancer cell.

Other types of scans provide disparate results. For example, MR type and CT scans present good quality photographs of the various body parts where you answerability view the masses of tumors and swollen nodes. The problem with these scans is the fact that doctors cannot based their findings whether a person has the illness based on the size and shape of what was photographed through these processes. This is what PET scans are able to fill in the blanks.

PET scans are useful in the procedure because these are used to map out the disease on a person’s body. Along with the other kinds of tests, all results can be used to determine the stages of the disease. This is also able to find out if the lump that showed up on other tests, is cancerous or not. After the aspect was settled, the doctor can then emanate to give the necessary treatment, whether you need to go through chemotherapy or it will be best to undergo radiation.

After some cycles of chemotherapy, you have to go through the same scans and it will help to assess how bushy-tailed your body is responding to it. When the treatment has been done, you reposing have to go wrapped up PET scans to know whether the lump still has cancer cells, scar tissue or it has commenced been healed.
There’s a lot to understand about Lymphoma. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

What is Lymphoma?

Have you ever wondered if what you know about Lymphoma is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Lymphoma.

Lymphoma is smartly defined as a type of cancer in the lymph system. British physician Thomas Hodgkin was the first to publish initial descriptions of the individuality in 1832. Thus, the specific type of lymphoma he described ( Hodgkins lymphoma ) was appropriately named after him. After his initial description, many divers studies looked at diff other forms or types of the cancerous disease.

A cancer appears when several of our bodies cells begin behaving abnormally. The body is comprised of various kinds of cells found in different organs like the nerves of blood. At times, normal cells cease getting usual biological signals that sire them stop growing. When that happens, the cells abnormally continue to multiply and grow. This is the picture of cancer cells. When the cancer cells grow, the affected diary stops working normally. Several of the cancer cells also start to break off from the prototypal site, spreading into many other body parts and affecting many other organs.

The lymph system comprises an interconnected network with thin nodes and tubes carrying white blood cells. Such cells are responsible for fighting off infections. This way, they are vitally significant to the bodys overall well – being. When a lymphocyte ( a specific kind of white blood cell ) in the lymph system starts to become cancerous, it would tend to multiply and grow leading to formation of lymphoma.

Which part of the body is usually affected by lymphoma? The cancer could affect any part of the lymph system. Usually, patients initially notice abnormal enlargement of the lymph nodes, specifically in the areas of the groin, the neck, and the armpits. However, lymphoma could also manifest in several weird organs of the body. This is because minimal amounts of lymph tissue pass into practically every organ in the body as white blood cells reach out to different areas to deliver control of infections.

This type of cancer is currently the most usual form of blood cancer or hematological malignancy especially in the developed countries. Lymphoma comprises about 5. 3 % of overall forms of cancers in the United States alone. It comprises of up to 55. 6 % of blood cancers diagnosed. According to data released by the US National Institute of Health, Hodgkins lymphoma is accounting for about 1 % of total cases of cancer across the country. Patients with HIV infection and exposure to certain medications and drugs have amassed incidences of lymphoma for obvious reasons.

Many forms of lymphoma are indolent ( occurring lifelong even without medication or treatment ) or aggressive ( causing fast deterioration of health and eventually death ). However, most incidences of aggressive lymphomas are responding ideally to treatment. In other words, they are curable. This condition is not a mismated type of cancer because solid comprises of a group of several related forms of cancers. There are about 30 various types of identified lymphoma. In a broad sense, lymphoma could be categorized as either Hodgkin or Non – Hodgkin lymphoma. Of course, each type has its own features and manifestations and results to different outcomes in the long term.
I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.