What is Hodgkin’s lymphoma? symptoms & treatment

Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin’s disease falls under the category of lymphoma disease. Lymphoma is cancer that affects the lymph node, a part of the immune system of our body.  After being hit by cancer, when the lymph nodes start to grow at an uncontrollable rate, it is said that the person is suffering from Hodgkin’s disease. According to an oncologist in bangalore, nearly 50% of the blood cancer cases that can be seen occurring in India fall under the category of lymphoma and a majority of them can be cured with treatment.

What is Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?

It is a type of blood cancer that occurs in the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system forms an important immune organ. It produces white blood cells also known as lymphocytes, which are responsible for fighting various antibodies, such as bacteria, virus, etc. Hodgkin’s disease originates in these white blood cells, that protect our body from unwanted foreign particles. When the white blood cells are affected by the Hodgkin’s lymphoma, they start to grow at an uncontrollable rate and spread beyond the lymphatic system. As the disease starts to spread, the body slowly loses its immunity because the white blood cells stop working normally.

Symptoms of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

There are many symptoms associated with Hodgkin’s disease. However, the main symptom is swelling of the lymph node. One can understand the swelling of the lymph node if there are any lumps formed under the skin in regions, like neck and armpit. Other associated symptoms include:

●       Constant pain in the bones

●       Sudden weight loss

●       Pain in the abdomen area after consuming alcohol

●       Swelling in the legs

●       Cough and shortness of breath

●       Fever, generally in the early evening or late afternoon.

●       Extreme chills and sweating heavily for more than two weeks

●       Unintended body itching

●       Chest pain

How To Treat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?

There are various ways in which Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is treated in India. The lymphoma stage and location are the two most important factors that determine the type of treatment. Given below are some of the ways in which Hodgkin’s lymphoma is treated in India.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is one of the common treatments for Hodgkin’s disease. During this treatment, the medications are injected in the veins of the person. The chemo drugs run through the veins to all parts of the body and destroy the dangerous cancer cells. This treatment is associated with many side effects like hair loss, loss of appetite, fatigue and nausea. Among many cities in India, chemotherapy in bangalore is popular for its services.

Immunotherapy

In this process, the patients are prescribed medicines that will help to boost their immune system. This enables the immune system to recognize the cancer cells and destroy them.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation Therapy is also a common treatment of lymphoma where high-energy rays are used to destroy the cancer cells. However, this treatment is more effective if Hodgkin’s disease is in the primary stage.

Stem Cell Transplant (SCT)

The doctors switch to SCT only when both chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments have failed to treat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Many hospitals have come up in India, which are offering the best possible treatment for the patients suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The trend to reach foreign lands to treat the disease has reduced as the best technologies have been brought to the country by the best cancer hospital in bangalore. If you are suffering from Hodgkin’s disease, have faith and try to take help from a specialist as soon as possible.