By The lymphatic system is known to be a germ-fighting network of the body. Cancer in this system is known as lymphoma.
The lymphatic system contains many vital parts: the spleen, lymph nodes or glands, bone marrow, thymus gland, and others. This condition can affect all of these areas along with all the other organs in the body.
Many lymphoma types are available, but the main two types are non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Based on the type, causes, and symptoms, the treatment of this condition is provided. However, it can involve much more severe conditions and therapies.
Both the common lymphoma types contain different lymphocyte cells. The lymphoma types are very different from each other. They respond differently and come with their growth rate. Based on the type and stage, the condition might be treatable. However, you need to find out the symptoms first to get treatment in the early stages.
Lymphoma Symptoms
You will see a lot of similarities in symptoms with viral fever. However, the symptoms in the case of lymphoma tend to stay for a more extended period than the common cold and others.
As a result, many people mix up and misunderstand the symptoms of viral fever. On the other hand, some people might not experience any symptoms at all.
While the swelling in the lymph nodes gets better in old or other infections, the same keeps getting bigger in size for a long time in the case of lymphoma. Overlapping symptoms can cause many difficulties and severity.
So, if you have these symptoms of lymphoma, make sure to visit the doctor to get checked.
- Fever, chills, and night sweats
- Continuous fever without any infection
- Reduced appetite and weight loss
- Less energy and fatigue
- Pain caused in lymph nodes as a result of alcohol consumption
- Unusual itching
- Cough
- Skin rash
- Pain in the stomach
- Weight loss
- Pain in the bone
In the case of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, you might develop some other symptoms such as:
- Breath Shortness
- Swelling and pain in the abdomen
- Continue coughing
If the enlarged lymph node gets against the spinal cord or nerves, it can cause weakness, pain, altered sensation, paralysis, and many more.
In addition, it can spread through the different parts of the body very fast. If any of these symptoms occur, make sure to visit the doctor as quickly as possible. It will help you to receive early treatments and get well sooner.
Most people know what is lymphoma, but they are unaware of the causes of this condition. Keep scrolling down to know the causes of this condition…
Lymphoma Causes
Doctors are not sure what causes this condition and are still researching to find out the causes. But they suspect that the white blood cell that fights diseases called lymphocytes causes a genetic mutation in the sites.
These lymphocytes can become out of control. Even if, in general, the white blood cells do not live for a long time in the body, the opposite happens in the cases of people with lymphoma.
In other words, these cells live and continue to thrive even when all other cells perish. The growth of these cells gets beyond control and they become cancerous.
Some factors that can increase the risk of developing this condition include gender, age, immune system resistance, and some infections.
In simpler words, the uncontrolled growth of lymphocytes is the leading cause of lymphoma. The cells start to live much more compared to their life span.
Types Of Lymphoma
There are two main types of lymphoma. Keep reading to learn about them:
1. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
The primary site of this disease is the Reed-Sternberg (RS) cell. Even though a lot of studies have been done, the exact cause of the disease has not been figured out yet.
However, many causes may trigger Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Some of them are:
- Immunosuppressants
- Genetics and hereditary
2. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
This type of condition is much more common than the one above. So what the doctors try to figure out in the case of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is whether and which cells are getting affected.
The pace at which the cells get infected also falls under this type of disease. Several types of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are caused either in the T cells or B cells of the body.
Some of the most common types of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are:
- Burkitt’s Lymphoma
- T-cell Lymphoma
- B-cell Lymphoma
- Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma
- Follicular Lymphoma
Who Is At Risk?
You may think that just about anyone can be at risk of developing lymphoma. However, this is not the case.
Risk Factors:
Here are the factors that can put you more at risk of getting diagnosed with the condition:
- If you have a weak immune system.
- If you are already someone suffering from several autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
- If you have been exposed to drugs and cannabis.
- If you ever received radiation in the form of treatment for cancer.
Lymphoma Effects
One of the most common effects of lymphoma is a weak immune system. Even if the lymphatic system is transformed to normal, the medications used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma weaken the immune system. In addition, the weekend immune system can cause you to be vulnerable to many other conditions.
The increased risk of developing different infections grows when the immune system is weakened. The doctor might advise you to take regular antibiotic doses to prevent this infection and treat you in the early stages.
Some of the most common symptoms of infection include:
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Aching muscles
- Tiredness
- Blistering painful rash
Make sure to take all your vaccinations and medications to prevent the infections from affecting you.
1. Infertility
The treatment of lymphoma can develop infertility in people. Although it is temporary most of the time, it can become permanent as well. In addition, people who receive high doses of radiotherapy and chemotherapy have a higher risk of becoming infertile.
2. Other Health Issues
The treatment of lymphoma can increase the risk of other conditions such as lung disease, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, thyroid disease, and others. In addition, the risk of getting cataracts at a young age also increases.
Lymphoma Treatments
The treatment of this condition depends on the lymphoma type and the stage. The treatments options for non-Hodgkin lymphoma include:
- Radiation therapy helps to destroy the cancer cells with high-energy rays
- Chemotherapy is also used to kill the cancer cells using drugs
- Slows and interrupts the growth of lymphoma cells with targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy uses the immune system of your body to attack the cancer cells
The main treatments of Hodgkin lymphoma include:
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
If any of these treatments do not work for you, you will need to have a stem cell transplant.
Conclusion
Lymphoma can become severe if ignored and failed to detect in the early stages. In case you were looking for the causes and symptoms of lymphoma, I hope you found this article to be of help.
Also, look at the effects, causes, and treatment options to know more about lymphoma. In case there are any other queries related to the same, feel free to comment them down in the box. Till then, stay safe!
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