In order to know what is Hodgkins lymphoma one should bear in mind that this medical condition is basically a type of cancer of the lymph tissue that is commonly found in the liver, spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes as well as some other parts of the body. There are no known causes of Hodgkins lymphoma which may suddenly appear in the form of an enlarged lymph node and then spread to the lymph nodes nearby as well. The exact causes of Hodgkins lymphoma is not known however it has been observed that both men and women in the age group of 15 to 35 years and then 50 to 70 years are more prone to this type of cancer. Research has shown that one of the causes of Hodgkins lymphoma could be an infection by the Epstein-Barr virus.
Symptoms
The symptoms of Hodgkins lymphoma include fever and chills that tend to be intermittent, an unexplained itching sensation all over one’s body, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, soaking night sweats, and the observation of certain swelling in the groin, neck, armpits or even the lymph nodes that does not cause any pain. Some of the other symptoms of Hodgkins lymphoma also include sweating excessively, breathing problems on account of swollen lymph nodes in the chest which may result in coughing or even chest pain, flushing or blushing of the skin for no apparent reason. The treatment for Hodgkins lymphoma usually commences after this disease has been confirmed through a bone marrow biopsy or even a lymph node biopsy along with some blood chemistry and CT scans of one’s abdomen, pelvis and chest. Additionally, the treatment for Hodgkins lymphoma will be done on the basis of a staging evaluation depending on the type of Hodgkins lymphoma, the stage at which this disease has been diagnosed, the age of the patient and any existing medical issues and factors such as weight loss and so on.
Additional treatment for Hodgkins lymphoma may also include the transfusion of certain blood products such as red blood cells, blood platelets and so on to enable the person to fight anemia as well as a low platelet count. As part of the treatment for Hodgkins lymphoma the person may also be administered certain antibiotics which are useful in fighting any infection especially if it is accompanied with a fever. The Hodgkins lymphoma prognosis is very good because this is known to be one of the most curable forms of cancer provided that this medical condition is diagnosed and then appropriately and promptly treated. In fact, unlike other forms of cancer, Hodgkins lymphoma is known to be curable even if diagnosed in the later stages of the disease. It has been observed that with the correct treatment for Hodgkins lymphoma, almost 90% of individuals who are at stage 1 or 2 of this medical condition tend to survive for at least another 10 years.
Those looking for a complete treatment of Hodgkins lymphoma should also keep in mind that they need to ensure that they go for regular imaging tests as well as examinations from time to time even many years after they have completed all the stages of the treatment. This will allow the doctor as well as the individual to check if there are any possible signs of Hodgkins lymphoma and also to monitor the long term effects of the treatment for Hodgkins lymphoma on an individual. On the other hand the Hodgkins lymphoma prognosis also includes possible complications in the form of heart disease, lung problems, infertility or the inability to have children in future, thyroid problems, diseases of the bone marrow as well as other forms of cancer.