Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also known Hodgkin’s disease, is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is a part of the immune system. It is a type of lymphoma, a disease of a type ofwhite blood cells called lymphocytes. As the disease progresses, it makes it difficult for the body to fight infections. It is a rare cancer, with incidence in India about 1 in 25,000 people. It affects people of two age groups, one between 15 and 35, and people above 55, affecting slightly more males than females. Symptoms These are the symptoms that present themselves in people affected with Hodgkin’s lymphoma: • Enlarged lymph nodes: This is the most common symptom of this disease. The nodes could occur in neck, shoulders or armpits, and in the chest area. • Itchy skinrn• Night sweatsrn• Unexplained weight lossrn• Enlargement of spleen (splenomegaly) • Enlargement of liver (hepatomegaly) • Back painrn• Red coloured patches on skinrn• Pain following alcohol consumption (uncommon) You should see a doctor if you or your loved ones experience symptoms of this disease. Always trust premier institutions like Paras Hospitals group which have specialized departments for the treatment and care of such conditions. Causes It is uncertain what causes Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Oncologists know that it occurs when an infection-fighting cell called a B cell lymphocyte develops a mutation in its DNA, which causes the cell to divide rapidly and continue living when a healthy cell would die. There are certain risk factors that increase the risk of developing Hodgkin’s lymphoma. These are: • Family history: If anyone in your family has had Hodgkin’s lymphoma or any sort of lymphoma, it increases the risk of you developing it. • Past Epstein-Barr virus infection: People who’ve had diseases caused by this virus in the past like infectious mononucleosis are more likely to develop this disease. Treatment The treatment option depends upon the type and stage of the disease, as well as your over-all health and preferences. These are the available treatment options. • Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses drugs that kill lymphoma cells. These drugs can be taken in pill form or can be administered intravenously. Side effects of chemotherapy may include nausea and hair lossrn• Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses high energy beams such as x-rays and proton beams to kill cancer cells. It is often used in combination with chemotherapy. Radiation therapy can cause redness of skin and hair loss at the site where it is targeted, as well as long term side effects like emergence of other forms of cancer later on (rarely). • Bone marrow transplant: This treatment replaces the diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells that help grow new bone marrow. • Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy uses medications designed to target specific vulnerabilities in the cancer cells.Targeted therapy is an active area of cancer research. There are top cancer hospitals in Gurgaon and NCR for treatment of this disease, as well as in regions like Bihar too. There are best hospitals in Darbhanga and Patna for cancer treatment which have been established recently and have state of the art technology and experienced doctors.