Lymphoma – About

About Lymphoma

Cancer Treatment Center in Pasadena, CA

Few things in life are as scary as battling cancer – but with a qualified, dedicated cancer care team, there’s always hope. At Pasadena CyberKnife, we’ve helped patients throughout the greater LA area beat cancer through world-class radiation therapy  and other treatments. Our state-of-the-art cancer care center features some of the best cancer-fighting technology in the world, and we’re committed to helping our patients overcome cancer – including all forms of lymphoma.

What Is Lymphoma

Lymphoma is different from many other forms of cancer in that instead of forming in soft tissues in the body or in a specific organ, lymphoma is a cancer of the blood. Specifically, lymphoma affects the lymphocytes: a type of white blood cell that plays a role in the body’s immune system. Lymphoma can develop in the spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes, or the blood itself, and it may affect many organs throughout the body as it develops and spreads.

Broadly, there are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL). Hodgkin’s lymphoma is relatively rare, and involves Reed-Sternberg cells, a type of giant cancer cell. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma refers to all other lymphomas, accounting for more than 60 specific subtypes and making up the majority of lymphoma cases.

Symptoms of Lymphoma

Unfortunately, the symptoms of lymphoma are very similar to the symptoms of a smaller issue like an upper respiratory infection, which can make it difficult to diagnose early. That said, symptoms of lymphoma can include:

    • Swollen lymph nodes, either painful or not
    • Unexplained weight loss
    • Sweating
    • Chills
    • Fever
    • Itching
    • General fatigue

How Is Lymphoma Treated?

There are many available treatments for lymphoma, but the most common are chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy involves the use of specialized drugs that target fast-growing cells in the body. This makes it an ideal treatment for a cancer like lymphoma, as it isn’t localized: it can effectively attack cancer cells anywhere in the body. However, chemotherapy often causes side effects because in addition to cancer cells, it may also attack normal fast-growing cells like hair follicles.

Radiation therapy involves the use of precisely-targeted radiation – the same type found in natural sunlight – to destroy cancer cells. When treating lymphoma, radiation therapy may be used on lymph nodes or other organs that are swollen with cancerous lymphocytes. While radiation therapy can be used to treat lymphoma on its own, it’s commonly combined with a systemic treatment like chemotherapy.

Contact Your Los Angeles Cancer Treatment Center

Whether you’re facing Hodgkin’s or Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, it’s important to remember that there’s always hope – and the treatment team at Pasadena CyberKnife is standing by to help. We work with patients at all stages of cancer, and we’re committed to creating the strongest, most comprehensive treatment plan possible for our patients. Call us today at (626) 768-1021 to learn more about the treatments we have to offer and schedule your consultation appointment. We look forward to helping you beat cancer and reclaim a healthy, normal lifestyle.