2012年7月31日 星期二

Twin Sisters Help Bring Awareness to Hodgkin's Lymphoma


For two years, Elisa witnessed what her twin sister Anne endured battling an advanced form of Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The unexpected journey started in the spring of 2005 when Anne was diagnosed with this rare but deemed curable cancer during a routine check-up for flu-like symptoms. After her diagnosis, many in the medical field as well as cancer patients commented that Hodgkin's Lymphoma was the "good" cancer to get if you had to choose a cancer.    Unfortunately, it was not the "good cancer" and the road to remission was a bumpy one. It took a rare syngeneic stem cell transplant and almost two years of back-to-back high dose chemotherapy treatment and radiation therapy to bring Anne into remission status. As her identical stem cell donor and caregiver, Elisa experienced this two-year challenging journey right along her twin sister's side. This sobering experience inspired Elisa to do something tangible in her twin sister's honor to help bring worldwide awareness to Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a cancer wrongly deemed the "good cancer".  In February 2007, Hope & Dreams Cancer Awareness online store, featuring an assortment of Hodgkin's Lymphoma awareness t-shirt designs including unique cancer awareness designs, was launched by Elisa. Thus far, the store has generously donated the proceeds to benefit Lymphoma research in honor of Anne and in honor of those who are fighting this rare and often misunderstood cancer. Today, Anne is in remission and Elisa is grateful to God that her twin sister has been given a second opportunity to fulfill her hopes and dreams -- cancer free.




http://www.hopedreamsdesigns.com





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Fertility Preservation in Women and Men With Hodgkin Lymphoma


Lymphoma is cancer of lymphocytes, the cells that are part of human immune system. The disease was first described in 1832 and can start anywhere lymphocytes are found (lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, or digestive tracts). Two types are recognized; Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The American Cancer society estimates that approximately 3800 women and 4600 men will be diagnosed with HL in 2010. The majority of those diagnosed with HL are children and young adults (age 15 to 40 years). Modern treatment carries high survival rates. (>80%). HD, however, by virtue of the disease itself or its treatment poses considerable risk to fertility in women and men, especially if it recurs after treatment.

When HD is suspected usually because of enlarged lymph nodes or other symptoms such as a fever, weight loss or night sweating, a biopsy of lymph nodes is required for the diagnosis. Biopsy require special stains (CD15, CD 30) for proteins on the surface of the characteristic cell. Once confirmed certain imaging studies (especially PET scan) to detect the extent of the disease.

Chemotherapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma; combination chemotherapy is used either ABVD, BEACOPP or MOPP-ABV. Each of the letters represent one medication. The combination of drugs is used for several cycles usually 3 to 6. This is the principle treatment for HL.

Radiation therapy using external beam is sometimes combined with chemotherapy. Radiation is usually localized to the area of the body that harbors enlarged lymph nodes.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This treatment is used for resistant HL or HL that recurred after successful treatment in the past (relapse). This treatment requires 1. very high dose of chemotherapy and possibly total body radiation then 2. transplantation of the mother cells of the bone marrow that produce our blood cells. The sources of these cells could be the person himself (autologous) a donor person (allogenic).

Effects of Hodgkin Lymphoma and treatment on future fertility. It has been shawn that men and women attempting conception after treatment for HL had lower chances of becoming pregnant than general population (Aisner 1993).

Men: There is evidence to suggest that HL itself can affect sperm production in 50 to 70% of boys and men, probably due to disturbance of the immune cells. Chemotherapy also can be harmful to sperm production. Alkylating agents especially cyclophosphamide can cause prolonged or permanent azospermia (no sperm production). The other agents may have a reversible effect with some prospect to recovery after months to years. The final effect of chemotherapy is difficult to predict and is related to the type of regimen and doses used. For example the old MOPP regimen for 6 or more cycles result in very high rate of azospermia while the newer ABVD regimen usually causes reversible azospermia.

HSCT entails the use of high dose of alkylating agents and sometimes radiation. It commonly result in prolonged azospermia. HL or its treatment may also affect sperm quality (sperm shape and motility) in addition to concentration. Suppression of sperm production in the testes using a group of medication called gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) has been suggested but there is no proof that they protect the gonads from the effects of treatment in men and women. The testes should be sheilded from the radiation feild whenever possible.

Women: Chemotherapy for HL can result in reduction of ovarian reserve and may reduce future fertility depending on the medication used, dose, frequency, intensity, age and associated radiation treatment. Multiple studies suggested that the risk of loss of fertility is related to 1. Age > 30 years (or > 25years with hifg dose therapy) 2. Type of chemotherapy. MOPP was associated with loss of fertility than ABVD and BEACOPP. 3. Dose and frequency of chemotherapy. Dose escalation BEACOPP used in more advanced HL was associated more with ovarian failure. 4. Exposure of the ovaries to radiation. In a large study about 20% of women experienced menopause. In another study about 40% of women were able to conceive after treatment. In general published literature is not accurate in reporting fertility potential becaus they used menses as as their end point. Resumption of menses after chemotherapy does not accurately reflect fertility potential. The high dose of chemotherapy used prior to HSCT is associated with ovarian failure in the vast majority of women and girls.

Options for preservation of fertility in men. 1. Sperm cryopreservation: This is a widely available and safe option in adults. One or multiple sperm samples are obtained and frozen for later use. After remission the sample is thawed and used for intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization. If IVF is used a single sperm is injected directly into a partner oocyte (ICSI) and the rest of the sperm is refrozen. ICSI is a very powerful tool that can compensate for lower quality sperm encountered in men with HL. In prepubertal boys, sperm may be found in the ejaculate as early as 12 years. Asking prepubertal boys to produce a sperm sample may carry some ethical consideration. The majority of cancer patients are interested in knowing their option about preservation of genetic parenthood in the future. In spite of that, only about one quarter freeze their sperm, mainly because of lack of information about sperm freezing (Schover at al 2002). A survey of over 700 oncologists indicated that less than half offer this option to their patients diagnosed with cancer. 2. Surgical sperm retieval (TESE). Testicular sperm extraction is a surgical procedure where a small amount of tissue is harvested directly from the testes to obtain sperm. Its used in men with azospermia before starting treatment. The specimen is frozen for future use with IVF-ICSI. This is a common procedure in adults and has been reported in prepubertal boys. 3. Testicular stem cell freezing; either within testicular biopsy or separated cells. This is an experimental method with no reported human pregnancy. It is considered for prepubertal boys. The cells or tissue is later transplanted back for sperm production.

Options for preservation of fertility in women.

1. Embryo freezing. This technology is widely available and suitable for women with a partner (or accepting donor sperm) and treatment can be delayed for 3 weeks. It require stimulation of the ovaries and egg retrieval (an outpatient procedure under sedation). Embryos can be frozen for a long time and transferred after remission when fertility is desired.

2. Egg freezing. Used in women with no partner and declining the use of donor sperm. It also require ovarian stimulation and a treatment delay for 3 weeks. Its generally less successful than embryo freezing, although the use of vitrification method can yield comparable results to embryo freezing.

3. Ovarian tissue freezing. This method is experimental. Its used in prepubertal girls or in women that need to start treatment urgently and do not have the time to undergo ovarian stimulation. Its also considered in women or girls before undergoing HSCT since it is associated with very high rate of ovarian failure. One ovary is harvested usually using minimally access surgery (laparoscopy). Patient is diacharged the same day and can start treatment immediately. The ovary is processed so that the outer part (2mm thin) is isolated and frozen. The inner part of the ovary (does not bear eggs) is submitted for pathological examination. After remission the ovary is transplanted back in the abdomen or under the skin.

Women and men diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma experience high chance for cure. Counseling about fertility issues before treatment can enable them to preserve their sperm, eggs or embryos for future use after treatment.




Amr Azim is a board certified reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist in New York City IVF and author of many scientific publication in the area of fertility treatment and fertility preservation. I specialize in helping women and men with fertility counseling, testing and infertility treatment including IUI and IVF.
I am very passionate about helping women, men and children diagnosed with cancer and other diseases understand the impact of disease and its treatment on future fertility.
I write regularly at http://nycivf.org and http://preservationoffertility.org





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What is Lymphoma?


When you're not feeling well, you take assessment as to what's wrong with you. Your throat is scratchy, you have a headache or a fever or perhaps you're nauseas and throwing up. You can easily say what is wrong with you based on your symptoms. When symptoms persist or become worse, a trip to the doctor is probably necessary. It could easily be just a stubborn infection that requires antibiotics or something a little more serious. Either way, it's good to get a diagnosis so that whatever's wrong can be treated right away. Lymphoma is a disease that may start of as harmless symptoms and easily brushed off as nothing but you wouldn't want to let this go to long because the sooner you're able to have this disease diagnosed, the better able you will be cured.

Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system. You have glands or nodes all over your body and these glands are connected to the vessels that carry your white blood cells or lymphatic fluid throughout your blood stream which help to fight off disease in the body. White blood cells act as a barrier to bacteria and toxins that enter the body through the air, our food and water and even through germs we expose ourselves to every day. The glands of the lymphatic system are all connected on a track and this track is circulated throughout the body at each gland stop, like a train station. When cancer strikes a gland in the system it is easily able to spread to all the other glands by hitching a ride on the white blood cells. Now you think that the white blood cells could fight it off, right? Well, if you are someone that may have a weak immune system, your white blood cells may not be able to fight them off faster than they can multiply.

Lymphoma can come in two ways, one is called Hodgkin's lymphoma and the other is non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Hodgkin's lymphoma is the cancer that can spread from one lymph node to another. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a whole different category of cancer with over 30 distinguishable characteristics to diagnose. Non-lymphoma is more difficult to diagnose and finding the right treatment is a long process but once diagnosed and treated effectively, a person could live a long time. There is no cure for Hodgkin's Lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma but there are treatment out there that are very promising depending on the rate at timeline the cancer is growing. Early detection is so important for these types of cancers as symptoms are outward in nature by way of noticing swollen glands in the neck, underarm and groin and weight loss as well as fatigue and a general feeling of unrest.

Someone who may have a low-grade form of lymphoma will experience having slow growing cancer and thus will not have as obvious of symptoms as the more relevant faster growing lymphomas. Slow growing lymphomas are more difficult to treat because they have a higher probability of growing back. The only treatment at this time is chemotherapy and radiation and doing this type of treatment long-term can cause a lot of other issues not related to the cancer itself.

If you feel your glands are larger than normal or sore to the touch, please have it checked out to be on the safe side. Lymphoma is not something to mess around with.




Vanessa has written informative articles online for many years. Her passions in life are centered around animals and healthy living. You can check out her latest website here [http://6cupcoffeemaker.org/] where she recommends her choice for the best coffee maker on the market for quality and price. If you're looking for an affordable and just the right size coffee maker [http://6cupcoffeemaker.org/] you'll want to check out this website for her review.





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2012年7月30日 星期一

Childhood Lymphoma


The term childhood lymphoma refers to cancers that originate in the body's lymphatic tissues during childhood and include the lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, tonsils, adenoids, and bone marrow, as well as the lymph vessels that attach them. Although there are many types of cancer that eventually spread to parts of the lymphatic system, lymphomas are distinctive because they originate there. Statistics report that there are about 1,700 children below 20 years of age who are diagnosed with lymphoma each year in the United States. Childhood lymphomas are divided into two basic categories, Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, based on the appearance of their cancerous cells, and is the third most common type of cancer in children.

Some of the children have other nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue, poor appetite, itching, or hives. They also show symptoms such as unexplained fever, night sweats, and weight loss.

In the United States, there are nearly 500 new cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma detected each year in children. This disease occurs generally after 3 years of age in children. NHL is more common than Hodgkin's disease in children younger than 15 years of age.

Although there are no lifestyle factors that have been definitely linked to childhood lymphomas, children who have received either chemotherapy or radiation treatments for other types of cancer are at a greater risk of developing lymphoma. The first important step in the diagnosis of the enlarged lymph node is a biopsy that involves the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the body.

Treatment of childhood lymphoma is largely determined by staging, a way to classify patients as per the spread of the disease at the time of diagnosis.

There are four stages of lymphoma, ranging from Stage I to Stage IV. This stage at diagnosis guides medical professionals deciding the type of therapy and helps doctors in prognosis. Treatment involves radiation, chemotherapy or both, depending on the type and stage of the cancer as well as the age and health of the child.




Lymphoma [http://www.e-Lymphoma.com] provides detailed information on Lymphoma, Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, Hodgkins Lymphoma, Lymphoma Symptoms and more. Lymphoma is affiliated with Breast Cancer Symptoms [http://www.i-BreastCancer.com].





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What is Hodgkin's Lymphoma?


Hodgkin's lymphoma (a.k.a. Hodgkin's Disease) is named after its discoverer, Thomas Hodgkin. This disease is characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells in the body. This type of cell is can be seen under histopathologic studies and are usually found in malignant B-Cells. These malignant B-cells will grow in number, eventually causing a tumor in a lymph node or lymph tissue such as the bone marrow or spleen. Because of this tumor, the affected tissue loses its function, leading to slow deterioration of the body. This disease is noted for is orderly metastasis. If the malignancy started at the lymph nodes located at the neck, the adjacent lymph nodes will be affected one by one; the malignancy will be seen at the lymph nodes located near the collar bone, then at the armpits, and so one.

Hodgkin's lymphoma peaks occurs mostly in male than in females, with ages ranging from 15-13 years old to above 50. What's also striking about this condition is that under microscopic studies, there are more normal cells found in the enlarged lymph nodes compared to malignant cells. The cause of this disease still not known; however it has been found that if a twin has it, the other is also at risk of having Hodgkin's lymphoma. Most Reed-Sternberg cells were also observed to be infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, the infectious agent of mononucleosis. Exposure to Agent Orange and prolonged use of human growth hormone is also accounted as a factor in obtaining Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Conditions that compromise the immune system such as HIV or AIDS also predispose a person to this disease.

Patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma usually have these classical signs and symptoms:

- Drenching night sweats.

- Sudden and unexplained weight loss

- Enlarged lymph nodes that are characterized as rubbery and painless located at the neck, under arm, and groin

- Feeling of easily getting tired

- Unexplained fever that goes on and off

- Itchiness that is not related to any other skin condition

When detected early, Hodgkin's lymphoma shows high survival rate, thereby making it one of the curable forms of cancer known to man. With proper management and therapy, Hodgkin's lymphoma is still highly curable even at the later stage.




Need to learn more about Lymphoma? Be sure to check out Lymphoma Symptoms which contains in-depth information on Hodgkin's Lymphoma, symptoms, causes, treatment and much more.





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Lymphoma in Dogs: Prednisone Treatment


Lymphoma in dogs is a cancer of lymphoid cells. As these cells circulate throughout the body via the lymphatic system, lymphoma can develop on any part of the body. Tumors can occur in the lymph nodes, gastrointestinal tract, chest, skin, spleen, liver and bone marrow.

The condition can be found in dogs of various breeds and ages. It is however most common in certain breeds such as Airedale Terrier, Basset Hound, Boxer, German Shepherd and Rottweiler. Lymphoma tends to occur in middle aged or older dogs.

Treatment for Lymphoma in Dogs

Chemotherapy is the main treatment for lymphoma in dogs.

Prednisone therapy is the other dog lymphoma treatment. Prednisone is a corticosteroid that can kill tumor cells. However, it is not as effective as chemotherapy for treating lymphoma in dogs. Prednisone is primarily used to manage symptoms of the disease.

When to Use Prednisone as Treatment for Lymphoma in Dogs

The decision to use prednisone for treating lymphoma in dogs depends on a number of factors. The main one is cost as it tends to be less expensive than chemotherapy.

Some pet owners are not in favor of chemotherapy due to its toxicity. They may opt for prednisone therapy as it can help to relieve symptoms and make their dogs more comfortable in the short term.

Side Effects of Prednisone

Like most drugs, there are some side effects to using prednisone for treating lymphoma in dogs. Interestingly, some of these side effects are similar to those experienced by humans who also use the drug.

The side effects of prednisone include:

- Increased thirst and hunger: Dogs will eat more than usual and urinate more frequently due to increased water intake.

- Diabetes: Prednisone can cause insulin resistance. This results in high glucose levels in the blood that can eventually cause diabetes.

- Loss of hair and changes in coat: Hair loss is a frequent side effect of using prednisone on dogs. In some cases, not only does the dog's coat become thinner, the healthy sheen also disappears. Some dogs will also develop hard to heal skin infections.

- Gastrointestinal problems: These include diarrhea, stomach ulcers and even vomiting.

- Cushing's disease: This condition can be quite serious. Canine Cushing's disease results in an overproduction of cortisone. This hormonal imbalance has a number of symptoms, such as an impaired immune system, weight gain or loss and increased thirst.

- Changes in behavior: Prednisone use also results in dogs becoming restless and even aggressive.

Dogs treated with prednisone alone usually live for 2-3 months only. When prednisone is given in combination with other chemotherapy drugs, the expected lifespan is about a year.




Most conventional treatment for lymphoma in dogs can cause severe side effects. Discover the alternative treatment for lymphoma in dogs and how to boost your dog's immune system to fight cancer in the "Natural Help For Pet Cancer" eBook. Get your FREE copy now at http://www.ultimatedogguide.com/canine-lymphoma-treatment-ebook.





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2012年7月29日 星期日

Treatment for AIDS Complicated with Lymphoma


There are several types of treatment for people with AIDS-related lymphoma. Patients can choose to follow a standard treatment or one tested in a clinical trial. The clinical trial treatment studies the body's reaction when administering new drugs to patients who suffer of cancer. This research study helps scientists to improve the new drugs or helps creating a more effective treatment which will replace the standard treatment.

These trials take place in many clinics from the country. Choosing such a form of treatment implies a decision that regards the patient, its family and the health care team.

A patient that has AIDS -related lymphoma will be harder to treat that a non AIDS-related due to the weakened immune system. The treatment is made for lymphoma as well for AIDS. In treating AIDS doctors use highly-active antiretroviral therapy because the virus that causes AIDS is a retrovirus. The treatment for lymphoma is made with lower doses of drugs than in the standard procedure because the immune system will be damaged even more in case of administering the doses for a non AIDS related lymphoma patient.

One of the procedures applied on people with cancer is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy tries to stop cancerous cells from growing or dividing. There can be used oral drugs or drugs injected into the vein or muscle that will reach the cancer cells by entering the bloodstream, and is called systemic chemotherapy. Another type of chemotherapy is the regional chemotherapy when the chemotherapy is placed directly into the cancerous area, like: spinal column, an organ or inside the abdomen. The treatment is applied regarding to the cancer's type and evolution stage.

After this type of treatment is done stem cells previously taken from the patient's blood or bone marrow or from a donor will be thawed and replaced through an infusion, in order to restore the body's blood cells destroyed by the chemotherapy.

Another type of cancer therapy is the one based on radiations. For killing the cancer cells, there are two types of radiation therapy used: one is the external therapy meaning that a machine situated near the body will transmit radiation towards the cancerous area; the second method is the internal therapy based on radioactive substance sealed in needles and catheters that will be placed in the sick area of the body. The appliance of the radiation therapy also depends on the cancer's type and evolution.

A new type of treatment which is still tested is the use of monoclonal antibodies. These antibodies are made from an immune system cell and are designed to seek and destroy all the substances that can help cancer cells to grow and develop. This treatment seems to be quite effective, but more tests need to be done before its mass use.




So, if you want to find out more about lymphoma cancer or even about symptoms of lymphoma please visit this link http://www.lymphoma-center.com/





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Hodgkins Lymphoma


A type of lymphoma, not as common as Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, is Hodgkin's disease or Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which is characterized by malignant growths of cells in the lymphoid system. Thomas Hodgkin, who discovered this disease in 1832, was an English scholar who worked at the Guy's Hospital in England.

Since the discovery of Hodgkin's Lymphoma, there has been a great deal of research conducted on this disease, which has contributed to the huge body of literature regarding it. This research provides vital information on understanding the disease, its symptoms, and its treatment. Below is some of the information that medical research on the disease has produced.

Features of the Disease

What distinguishes Hodgkin's disease from other lymphoma is the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells in the area where the cancer has developed. Most studies show that the origins of these cells are B cells. In other cases of the disease, the Epstein-Barr virus has proven to be a factor in the development of the cancer. The disease can occur in both children and adults, and among them, a higher incidence of the disease has been found among young adults between the ages of twenty-five and thirty and among those who are fifty-five or older. As with other lymphomas, the symptoms of this disease include a compromised immune system, which results in a higher incidence of infections.

Treatment

The treatment of this disease also includes some of the common modes of treatment used to treat other lymphomas. The most often used among these is chemotherapy, which involves administering powerful drugs that target the cells that cause the cancer. Another common type of treatment is radiation therapy, where a radiation beam is targeted at a localized area where there is a concentration of cancer cells. For advanced cases, a bone marrow transplant is done to bolster the body's immune system.

Hodgkin's disease is also considered to be one of the most serious types of cancer because it can have severe effects on the body of the person who develops the disease. Fortunately, the extensive research done on Hodgkin's disease has paved the way for the development of new and more effective treatments in fighting the disease. As a result of this, the survival rates of people who have this disease have increased in recent years.




Lymphoma [http://www.e-Lymphoma.com] provides detailed information on Lymphoma, Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, Hodgkins Lymphoma, Lymphoma Symptoms and more. Lymphoma is affiliated with Breast Cancer Symptoms [http://www.i-BreastCancer.com].





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2012年7月26日 星期四

Lymphoma - A Parent's Journey of Life and Death Seen Through the Eyes of a Child


It was January 2003, the New Year passed. It was supposed to be a happy, and healthy Year. The New Year can be your second chance. A chance to make yourself a better person by strengthening relationships, setting goals, and striving for your dreams. Anxiously awaiting a call back from the pulmonary doctor my Father went to see about 2 hours earlier, I tried to work, but could not concentrate. I had a nervous feeling in my stomach since the night before when I realized my Dad was very sick. He sounded out of breath when speaking on the phone with him. I could hear him coughing, and sensed a weakness within him. All I could do was wait until after he saw the doctor the next day.

The word Lymphoma was foreign to me, but sent a shock so piercing through my body that I went numb. The only words that came out of my mouth when I was speaking to the doctor were "the what?" With slight hesitation she asked me if my Father shared his health issues with me. I replied, "Apparently Not!" I could not get more information until my Father gave permission. Though Lymphoma was an unknown to my sisters and me, it was not foreign to my Father who was diagnosed with it a year before. At that point he did not need treatment and because there is no cure for Mantle Cell Lymphoma, he hoped for a trial drug when the time came. Since we had lost my Mother to cancer in 1995, my Father wanted to spare us this devastating news until absolutely necessary.

At this moment, the disease that was lying still in his body, decided it was time to erupt. A family meeting would be scheduled with the cancer specialist my Dad had been seeing all year. As my younger sister, her husband, my Father's girlfriend and I gathered around my Father's hospital bed, it seemed surreal. The only option was to give my Father prednisone and follow with a chemotherapy treatment. (C.H.O.P.) Since he was so weak, there was a chance of complications that could put his life in danger. We didn't have much of a choice.

Almost every bad thing that could have happened did, plus situations that even confused the doctors. My Father ended up in the Intensive care unit 2 times. The second time he had to have a breathing tube inserted. In the meantime his kidneys were failing and he needed dialysis. On top of this, he developed a necrosis of the feet and upper lip. This caused gangrene to set in. Part of his lip died due to this lack of blood flow. There was a chance he would have to have portions of his feet amputated. After removing the dead tissue on my Father's lip his speech became impaired. The circulation problems affected his hands and he didn't have the dexterity he once did.

Based on the experience of watching my Mother wither away from cancer, I knew my survival skills would set in. You have to step out of your comfort zone and become the pillar of strength that your parent's always were to you. You become the optimist when you are feeling pessimistic. You put on a brave face when all you want to do is cry. You become the caregiver when you are used to being cared for. You become the advocate and speak with conviction when before you were the listener. You become the educator by researching the killer disease when before you were the student. Before was when you were the child and your parents were your teachers. They laid a canvas for you and with their guidance and nurturing you began to paint the picture. The picture of your life. If you were lucky like I was, you were given the tools and teachings you needed so when a situation like this arose you were able to rise up and orchestrate to the best of your ability.

The hardest part was I couldn't do anything about the physical destruction of my Father's body. Only weeks before he looked so strong, and healthy. Now he couldn't walk, and could not speak with the articulation of the intelligent man he was. He could no longer eat, and a feeding tube was inserted. How do you convince a man in this state, that has been through so much pain and suffering, that he should be happy to be alive? It is selfish in part because you want him alive for you. Was any part of this good? For me it was day-by-day survival. For my Father it was day-by-day survival. How ironic. One of us was healthy and the other near death, yet the survival skills were needed by both. I felt like every ounce of my being was sucked out of me. I felt like I had to live for both of us.

After a while you see how tired, how sad, and how lifeless your loved one becomes and you accept that their fight may be over. It should be their choice to live or not. Just seeing my Dad was enough for me, but it wasn't enough for him. I knew he hated, that we had to see him like this. There must come a point in time when you are so sick, that you give up hope, and do not want to live as you are. My Father had been SELFLESS his entire life. At this moment in time the choice was his. We owed him the right to surrender. He surrendered on April 8, 2003 and his wonderful, strong soul rose to the heavens where he was reunited with his beautiful bride. There is a missing piece in my heart and soul where my parents once were. A void that can never be filled. I have some solace in knowing they are not suffering, and are at peace in each others' arms. I am thankful for the time I had with them.




Janice lives in Aventura, Florida. One of my hobbies is designing Jewelry for family and friends, as well as partnering with charities to donate a portion of the proceeds. I enjoy writing poems and quotes.





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T Cell Lymphoma Prognosis - Can the Lymphoma Be Cured?


The T-cell lymphoma prognosis is usually not good, unless you take measures to eliminate it. The t-cell lymphoma can be eliminated by enabling your own body to recognize the cancer and get rid of it. New research is constantly conducted in this area and that's why the prognosis is usually good, provided that people look for new information and stay in touch with the newest research.

T cell lymphoma has several subtypes and they largely determine the prognosis, but generally speaking - it is impossible to accurately predict anything. Prognosis in cancers is determined by what percentage of people get cured, and what percentage develop more severe cancer. That is a poor determinant of what will happen as everyone's body is different, especially when it comes to cancer. That's why it is best to not look at possible percentages and simply do your best to put the cancer in remission. That can be done by a variety of ways.

One of the most promising procedures is to supply your body with the proper tools, which it needs in order to eliminate the cancer. Once that is done, the body will recognize the cancer cells as such and eliminate them. That approach usually works a lot better than chemotherapy, because it is more targeted and the chemotherapy often has unwanted side effects which sometimes are worse than the disease itself. Surgical procedures rarely work for t cell lymphoma, because the cancer cells cannot be eliminated selectively, and a larger portion of them still remains in the patient's body. There is a lot of misleading information on lymphoma and all types of cancer in general and it is best to think outside the box and look for alternative solutions. Doctors usually follow routine protocol and this is not good. We know what are the odds of curing cancer by the traditional chemotherapy approaches - quite low.

There are also a lot of 'alternative' treatments which do not work, because they are overly simplistic. Most of those cures are derived from observation - people who have undergone 'spontaneous remission' did them. In reality they did not play a role in the remission of the cancer and other factors helped much more. It's a basic flaw of the scientific method.




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2012年7月25日 星期三

Ocular Lymphoma - A Major Indicator of Brain Involvement in Patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma


Ocular lymphoma, also referred to as intraocular large cell lymphoma, is a subtype of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma that primarily affects the central nervous system. The incidence of ocular lymphoma among the global population has known a pronounced decrease since 1960, although paradoxically it has slightly increased in the last few years. Although there isn't enough evidence to support this theory, medical scientists believe that the recently increased incidence of the disease is mainly caused by prolonged treatments with immuno-suppressing drugs. However, in the absence of conclusive findings, this supposition has been disregarded by most oncologists.

Ocular lymphoma has the highest incidence among the male gender, and predominantly affects people with ages over 50. The categories considered to present the highest risk of developing this subtype of lymphoma are patients diagnosed with AIDS, patients who have suffered complicated surgeries and persons with native impairments of the immune system - especially people affected by the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. The implication of lymphoma at ocular level generally occurs in the incipient stages of the disease at brain level. Recent studies have revealed that in the majority of cases, ocular symptoms precede the occurrence of symptoms at the central nervous system level.

Patients diagnosed with Non-Hogkin's Lymphoma at the level of the central nervous system may either present with intracranial nodules, meningeal or periventricular lesions, retinal affections or localized spinal malignant excrescences. Ocular lymphoma generally produces symptoms such as decreased vision, and inflammation of the eye. Despite the fact that ocular lymphoma may cause serious decreases in visual acuity and pronounced inflammation, pain is a rare symptom of this variety of lymphoma. Ocular lymphoma may at first affect only one eye, affecting both eyes in later stages of disease. Although this lymphoma subtype can be overcome with the aid of existing treatments, its occurrence often announces the occurrence of serious impairments at brain level, problems that are more difficult to cure. Thus, ocular lymphoma can be considered a major indicator for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma at brain level, allowing doctors to timely intervene in order to minimize the development of further complications.

Patients with suspected ocular lymphoma need to go through a series of neurological investigations. The presence of symptoms such as headache, reduced vision, poor concentration, confusion or memory loss, corroborated with clinical signs of ocular lymphoma clearly point to involvement of the central nervous system in the disease. In order to slow down the progression of the lymphoma and to reduce the risks of complications, doctors often prescribe a series of medication treatments and therapies. Radiation therapy is generally recommended to patients with ocular lymphoma and in more severe cases, this form of therapy is combined with chemotherapeutic drugs.




So, if you want to find out more about non hodgkins lymphoma or even about mantle cell lymphoma please visit this link http://www.lymphoma-center.com/





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Treating Non-Hodgkin lymphoma


Until now, patients suffering of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma were treated with chemotherapy and radiation. In some of the cases the treatment was useful but in most patients treatment was very toxic and did not lead to a cure. The scientists are trying to find a better treatment that will not have such toxic effects on the organism.

Scientists have tested the "Monoclonal-antibody-based" therapy and the conclusions were promising. An antibody is a substance created by the human immune system to fight against foreign germs, viruses and bacterium. Each antibody is designed to recognize a specific target (antigen). When the antibody and the antigen get connected, the immune system is alerted and so it is ready to fight with the foreign substance.

Monoclonal antibodies are made in a laboratory and are all the same and are designed to fight only one type of foreign substance like tumors.

Until now scientists have tested antibodies created by a mouse model, a human model and chimeric (half mouse, half human) and they want to see which one is the most effective against cancer.

Most of the patients diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma are affected by tumors made out of B-cell lymphocytes, and so, monoclonal antibodies are designed to fight these modified B-cells that create tumors.

During tests, a toxic substance designed to kill cancerous cells has been attached to the antibody in order to reach these cells. Also, radio-labeled antibodies were tested to see if they can improve the radiation therapy. The radio-labeled antibodies are nor suitable in the therapy of those who have bone marrow cancer because radiation could cause hematological toxicity.

Since tests begun the only monoclonal antibody approved to be used was Rituxan. The treatment is followed once a week, for a month and the drug is given intravenously. Rituxan does not give such unbearable side effects like radiation or chemotherapy does; its side effects are only chills, fever or shakes. The radio-labeled combination has been tested too and the anti-tumor effects are quite remarkable. The side effects seamed to be manageable.

Bexxar is another monoclonal antibody that is being tested but is not yet approved for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It has a radioactive iodine molecule attached to, and also binds to the surface of B-cells. Side effects are similar to those caused by Rituxan, but the patient is advised to take an oral iodine supplement in order to protect its thyroid from any damage caused by radioactive iodine. Bexxar has been tested on low-grade NHL and one third of the patients had a complete remission, and 70% responded well to the treatment.

It is possible for the patient to develop an immune response against the antibody because this is a foreign substance too, but such cases are rare and appear mostly in the patients that did not have chemotherapy and have a less affected immune system.

Oncolym is another monoclonal antibody that is being tested. Results recommend it for a more aggressive form of NHL.

Before replacing the standard treatment, monoclonal antibodies have to be tested more and secure doses must be established for preventing other damages to install in the human body.




So, if you want to find out more about lymphoma or even about cutaneous t cell lymphoma please visit this link http://www.lymphoma-center.com





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What is B-Cell Lymphoma?


The B-Cell is part of the lymph system as a type of lymphocyte responsible for fighting infections and produce memory cells along with T-Cells to remember the type of microorganism that has invaded the system. This memorization is essential for faster immune system response the next time the same type of microorganism enters the body.

B-Cell lymphoma is a type of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma where the malignancy is found in the B-Cell type of lymphocytes. This sub-classification of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is also sub-classified into Follicular lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, and Large Cell Lymphoma. The cause of this disease is still unknown, but some environmental and internal factors are associated with this condition. These risk factors are:

- Immunocompromised conditions - these can be either through taking immunosuppressant drugs after a transplant surgery, a genetic condition, or HIV or AIDS. Patients undergoing radiation therapy are also at risk in developing B-Cell lymphoma due to risk of developing cellular mutations.

- Diseases in which the body's own immune system is attacking itself such as rheumatoid arthritis.

- Exposure to chemical agents such as pesticides, insecticides, solvents and other organic chemicals.

Signs and symptoms of B-Cell lymphoma are the standard manifestations for lymphoma which are:

- Swollen, rubbery, non-painful lymph nodes more than 1cm in size.

- Distended abdomen due to swollen spleen or liver (splenomegaly and hepatomegaly respectively)

- Nausea and/or vomiting

- Fatigue

- High fever

- Night sweats

- Chest pain

- Dyspnea (difficulty of breathing)

To diagnose B-Cell lymphoma, your doctor will first study your medical history and conduct a physical examination. Most people suffering from this disease have swollen lymph nodes that have been there for more than 2 weeks due to accumulation of malignant B-cells. Your spleen and liver will be palpated and percussed. This is to see if the malignancy has reached these organs for they are also part of the lymphatic system. A cell biopsy is the most definitive way of diagnosing B-cell lymphoma. Afterwards, if diagnosis is confirmed, staging has to be performed through series of medical tests to know how far and how severe the malignancy has metastasized and affected the body.

Survival rate depends on early detection of B-cell lymphoma. If you suspect that you have lymphoma, it is advised that you have an appointment with your doctor so you would know what treatment is applicable and suitable for you.




Need to learn more about Lymphoma? Be sure to check out Lymphoma Symptoms which contains in-depth information on B-Cell Lymphoma, symptoms, causes, treatment and much more.





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2012年7月24日 星期二

What You Need to Know About Lymphoma


Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the immune system, particularly the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system of the body designed to filter and clean the blood from any pathogens. The fluid that goes through this system is called the lymph, and it contains lymphocytes (or WBC). This lymph now goes through a channel of lymph vessels and lymph nodes which acts as a filter and collects these microbes. It is in the lymph nodes that lymphocytes act against the microbes and destroy them. Specific types of lymphocytes are then activated for this purpose. The B lymphocytes produce anti-bodies and also alert the rest of the immune system to act upon the intruder. The T-cells kill these microbes directly by engulfing them, and also regulate the immune system on just how strong or how weak it should act upon a microbe, and when to stop. Once the microbes are destroyed, these specific lymphocytes record the type of microbes that they have destroyed and will react swiftly and quickly the next time that type of microbe or pathogen invades the body.

In lymphoma, these B-cells and T-cells including their subtypes are produced in an uncontrolled manner and rate. This overproduction will cause them to pool into lymph nodes and produce a large mass. Eventually during the course of the lymphoma, these malignant growths will also reach the tonsils, bone marrow, and adenoid tissues. Because of the abnormal rate of growth and deviation from their original structure, these lymphocytes are rendered useless in fighting against future infections. Aside from that, the growth of the malignant cells can also damage the function of normal adjacent cells. Lymphoma can compromise the development of blood cells when they reach the bone marrow and spleen, leading to bone marrow depression and anemia.

There are several types of Lymphoma, Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma being the most popular major category. Some forms of lymphoma are not life-threatening (indolent lymphoma) and a patient can survive without the need for treatment. However, some types are very aggressive and can lead to death as with Burkitt's Lymphoma. Other aggressive types of lymphoma, however, respond well to treatment, and as with most types of cancer prognosis is determined upon early detection and application of appropriate treatment.




Need to learn more about Lymphoma? Be sure to check out Lymphoma Symptoms which contains in-depth information on lymphoma symptoms, causes, treatment and much more.





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The Classification Tests Influence The Therapy In Lymphoma


Lymphoma is a cancer, a pathological modification of the cells known as lymphocytes. They are members of the family of the white blood cells. It isn't very easy for the doctors to put the diagnosis and to make a classification of lymphomas. this aspect is very confusing for the patients too. It is essential to understand the development of normal lymphocytes and lymphoma.

The role of lymphocytes as of the hole white blood cells family is to help fight infection.There are two kinds of lymphocytes: B lymphocytes (B cells) and T lymphocytes (T cells). When there is a threat or an infection that attack the body B cells transforms into another kind of cells called plasma cells. This new formed cells, the plasma cells, secrete antibodies which are proteins that attach to the harmful or infectious particles. This particles that attack the human body and release the infection are known as "antigens". After the antibodies are attached to antigens, they are recognized by other white blood cells. These cells will attack and destroy the particles that injured the body.

T cells are involved in the immune response and they also can attack foreign particles. By binding directly to the antigens of viruses and tumor cells, T cells can eliminate them. The difference between T cells and B cells is that T cells do not secrete antibodies.

T and B cells are very numerous and they circulate throughout the body passing through lymph nodes and the spleen. During this circulation they look for "foreign" antigens to which they can react. The antigen stimulate the lymphocytes and they divide rapidly into other cells. If the stimulated cells leads to B cells, they also turn into plasma cells which begin secreting antibodies.

After the antigen is recognized, can react many different B cells and T cells which can recognize different pieces of the antigen. This causes the proliferation of the B cells and T cells. The result is many large groups of T and B lymphocytes. An exaggerated number of lymphocytes can cause lymph nodes, a congregation of lymphocytes, to enlarge. This is a clinical sign of the presence of an infection.

A lymphoma is a malignant form of lymphocytes. A lymphoma cell population is composed of identical lymphocytes. They have the same origin, a single T cell or a B cell.The abnormal process is that these cells may divide slowly without being distroyed, or divide rapidly. In both situations the result is an accumulation of a large number of lymphocytes which are identical. This exaggerate accumulation will cause lymph nodes to enlarge. Normal lymphocytes present different stages of maturation. Lymphoma cells do not mature, their development stop as it was frozen at one stage of development. Another cause of the presence of the lymphomas are specific genetic mutations

To make a correct classification of the lymphomas we have to take in consideration different aspects like the characteristics of the tumor cells, appearance or the morphology, type, genetic make-up or "genotype" and the clinical symptoms of the patient. The morphology of the malignant lymphocytes is established regarding the way the cells and tissues appear under a microscope. "Phenotype" or the type of the malignant cells is the term used to mention the different unique "markers" that can be found on the surface of the cells. Using special tests these markers can be determined in laboratories. The "genotype," means the DNA of the malignant lymphocytes. At this level, specialists discovered that often can exist specific genetic mutations. Even if the diagnosis of lymphoma is sure, it is not very easy to make theclasification. Classification tests may take weeks. They are very important and they mustn't be skiped because the therapy and prognosis are often closely related to the results of these tests.

There are two major groups of lymphomas: the Hodgkin and the Non- Hodgkin's disease.

In Hodgkin's disease appears unique malignant cells known as Reed-Sternberg cells. They are thought to be B cells. There are also other inflammatory cells. More common is the Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and the most alarming aspect is that it tends to affect young adults. The way it manifests and the treatment recommended are different than in other forms of lymphoma. There is also a good aspect of this disease because it is considered curable in most of the cases.




For more resources about lymphoma please review http://www.lymphoma-center.com/symptoms-of-lymphoma.htm or http://www.lymphoma-center.com/lymphoma-cancer.htm





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All You Need To Know About Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma


This type of lymphoma first affects the skin and then spreads to other parts of the body. The signs of the disease are itchy dark patches on the skin that progressively transform into mushroom shaped tumors.

In this type of cancer, the white blood cells are responsible for the disease. The T-lymphocytes (T-helper cells) develop in an uncontrollable way and infiltrate into the epidermal layer of the skin, and cause lesions mostly situated in the trunk. After some time the lesions transform into palpable plaques with defined edges and then into mushroom shaped tumors. In the end, the tumor progresses into the lymph nodes and then spreads to other parts of the body. The internal organs are affected in 20-30% of the patients who have this disease.

A particular form of the cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is the Sézary syndrome. Signs of this disease are: an overall redness of the skin, small bumpy tumors, and the skin is atrophic. At physical examination doctors see that the lymph nodes have swollen and discover an increased number of malign lymphocytes.

The disease affects mostly men than women, at the age of 55 or 60; annually the new cases discovered in US are more than 500 and there are registered 100-200 deaths. The cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is considered to be a rare affection, in US, the annual incidence being of about .29 cases per 100,000 persons.

Scientist first suspected that pesticides and chemicals caused the disease, but after performing researches they believe that a virus leads to cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. This hypothesis is still not 100% confirmed.

Generally patients go to the doctor because they have an itchy red skin zone that bothers them for some time. If the disease has already spread outside the skin, the patient might feel its lymph nodes swollen.

Usually, the itchy skin patches can be easily mistaken for other skin diseases, like eczema, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis. Doctors prescribe a corticosteroid treatment and in some cases the skin lesions respond favorably to it, so the patient carries this disease a few years more until the real affection is discovered; then it is too late to treat it.

If a doctor is inspired to perform a biopsy of the affected area he might diagnose the disease earlier and treatment could be rapidly instituted. When studying the tissue there can be seen abnormal cells, and by performing a Southern blot analysis there will be observed changes of the gene that encodes the T-cell receptors. Biopsy is the most accurate way of diagnosing cutaneous T-cell lymphoma that is why all doctors must request it when suspecting such a disease.




So, if you want to find out more about symptoms of lymphoma or even about lymphoma cancer please visit this link http://www.lymphoma-center.com





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2012年7月23日 星期一

What is Mantle Cell Lymphoma?


Mantle cell lymphoma is a subtype of B-cell or B-Lymphocyte lymphoma categorized under Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This type of lymphoma is due to a malignant transformation of the B-cells. These B-cells are part of the immune system and responsible for destroying microorganisms that invade the body. The disease got its name for the malignant B-cells are often found in the mantle zone of the lymph node. Under morphological studies, this would present as a non-aggressive type of lymphoma. However, mantle cell lymphoma is an aggressive type of B-cell lymphoma and the malignancy can spread quickly in the body.

Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare-type of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Comprising about 7% of the patients belonging in this category, it is commonly found in age groups above 60 years old. This type of lymphoma is manifested by swollen, non-tender lymph nodes located in the throat, and can involve other nodes such as the ones located near the collar bone, the armpits, chests, and groin. The malignant cells can also metastasize in the spleen and liver, giving the sensation of a full, distended abdomen. Fatigue in this condition is due to anemia because of spleen and bone marrow involvement may also be observed, as well as unexplained fever and weight loss. Gastric symptoms such as nausea and vomiting can also be observed.

Treatment for mantle cell lymphoma is given depending on the current stage of malignancy and metastasis. Rituximab is used to help the immune system look for the malignant cells and destroy them, with the help of Interferon given as an immune system booster. R-CHOP in combination with Rituximab and a steroid is commonly given as a form of chemotherapy that aims in destroying the cancer cells. In Stage I and Stage II phase it is treated with a local radiation therapy with or without the aid of chemotherapeutic agents. To help the body recover, stem cell therapy such as bone marrow transplant is done as an aggressive form of treatment when the disease is at the later stage.

Research is still being conducted on ways to treat mantle cell lymphoma without suffering from too much side effects. The MCL Consortium is a group of physicians dedicated to battling this disease. Their website has mantle cell lymphoma resources for researchers and patients designed to help people understand this malignancy as well as group together patients and survivors to form a support group.




Need to learn more about Lymphoma? Be sure to check out Lymphoma Symptoms which contains in-depth information on Mantle Cell Lymphoma symptoms, causes, treatment and much more.





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Diagnosing Lymphoma


To diagnose a lymphoma case if very difficult because many of the lymphoma symptoms are similar to those of other medical conditions. However, based on the symptoms, you might suspect a lymphoma case and go see a doctor, where you will have a physical examination. Only through this thorough examination, and sometimes x- rays, your doctor can diagnose you with lymphoma.

When you go see your physician for an examination because you suspect a lymphoma case, here is what to expect: he/ she will start to palpate all your lymph nodes. They are situated in your neck, right under your chin, around your tonsils, your elbows, shoulders, in your groin area and under your arms. Besides this examination of these areas of your body in order to proper diagnose lymphoma, your doctor will also feel your abdomen and chest to see if there is any swelling there as well. Your liver and spleen will also be examined by palpation. If your doctor, after this examination, believes that there is a presence of lymphoma, further test will be made. The physical examination is just the beginning of the lymphoma diagnoses process. The test that are made after the examination serve to better determine if you indeed are suffering from lymphoma or not. A biopsy, x- rays, blood tests and scans are the next tests that you will have to take in order to be diagnosed with lymphoma. If the results in those lymphoma tests

are inconclusive, then you will probably also have to take a bone marrow test.

Lymphoma symptoms are not enough to diagnose this disease, because they can also be associated with other diseases as well. However, they serve to give you an idea that something is wrong. Here are some of the most common symptoms of lymphoma:

- swollen nodes, which are painless is the primary lymphoma sign;

- anemia, loose of weight and fatigue also tell you that you might be suffering from lymphoma;

- fever and sweating, mostly at night, for no apparent reason are also signs that indicate a lymphoma case;

- shortness of breath and an annoying, persistent cough are also lymphoma symptoms;

- itching, sometimes all over your body is one of the lymphoma signs as well;

There are also some other symptoms which can indicate a lymphoma case, but they are less common. Back pain or swollen tissues are some of the rare lymphoma symptoms. They appear because your lymph nodes can actually compress some of your nerves.




For more resources about lymphoma or even about mantle cell lymphoma please review this page http://www.lymphoma-center.com/mantle-cell-lymphoma.htm





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2012年7月22日 星期日

Treatment Options for Mantle Cell Lymphoma


A rare form of the Non-Hodgkin disease is the Mantle cell lymphoma. This disease is quite dangerous because its tumor grows very fast and ends up affecting most of the organs.

Generally, people are diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma only when the disease has affected more organs and so, treating them is a little bit difficult because several areas of the body must be treated in the same time. The most indicated treatment in this case is chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy tries to stop cancerous cells from growing or dividing. There can be used oral drugs or drugs injected into the vein or muscle that will reach the cancer cells by entering the bloodstream, and is called systemic chemotherapy. In mantle cell lymphoma doctors use a combination of four drugs administered in a single day and then repeated every 3 weeks for 6 times.

In most of the cases, mantle cell lymphoma therapy is not useful and even if the response to the treatment seemed to be good, the disease comes back very often. In preventing this, doctors have used different drug combinations and the most successful was one treatment used in leukemia too. This treatment is unbearable for many of the patients due to its side effects, and doctors will not recommend this drug combination if they feel that the patient will not tolerate the treatment.

In most cases, after chemotherapy is done, stem cells previously taken from the patient's blood or bone marrow or from a donor will be thawed and replaced through an infusion, in order to restore the body's blood cells destroyed by the chemotherapy.

Biological therapy has proved to be useful in treating many forms of lymphoma, and it uses monoclonal antibodies. These antibodies are made from an immune system cell and are designed to seek and destroy all the substances that can help cancer cells to grow and develop. One of the monoclonal antibodies used in treating Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is Rituximab. This antibody could be used in treating mantle cell lymphoma too.

There have been developed some new drugs but they are still under tests in clinical trials. Bortezomib is one of them and using it seems to lead to the death of cancer cells.

Using radiation therapy proved to be inefficient because it did not lead to a remarkably extinction of the cancer cells and it only weakened the human organism.

Until now there is no cure for this disease and no certain effective treatment. In order to discover a useful therapy, doctors will encourage you to join a clinical trial and help them improve the medical treatment of this terrible disease.




So, if you want to find out more about cutaneous t cell lymphoma or even about cutaneous t cell lymphoma please visit this link http://www.lymphoma-center.com/





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General aspects of Mantle Cell Lymphoma


Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) takes part to a group of cancers which affect the lymphatic system. This diseases are known as non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. The immune system is a part of the lymphatic system. It's role is to protect the body against agents that can determine infection and disease. It is represented by a network of tubular channels called lymph vessels that drain a fluid with a watery aspect known as lymph. Lymph is drained from different areas of the body into the bloodstream. It accumulates in the tiny spaces between tissue cells and contains proteins, fats, and certain white blood cells called lymphocytes.

Lymph circulates through the lymphatic system and it is filtered by small structures called lymph nodes. This filtering helps to remove microorganisms (e.g., viruses, bacteria, etc.) and other foreign bodies that can affect the human body. The lymph nodes are organized in groups and they are located throughout the body, including the neck, under the arms, at the elbows, and in the chest, abdomen, and groin. In the lymphatic nodes are stored the white blood cells called lymphocytes. They may also be found in other lymphatic tissues. The lymphatic system includes mot only the lymphatic nodes, but also the spleen and the tonsils. The role of the spleen is to filter worn-out red blood cells and produces lymphocytes. The tonsils helps to fight infection too. Lymphatic tissues also include the thymus. It is a relatively small organ located behind the breastbone. It is thought to play an important role in the immune system until puberty. Another important role in the immune system is played by the bone marrow, which is the spongy tissue inside the cavities of bones. The bone marrow produces blood cells. Lymphatic tissue and circulating lymphocytes can also be found in other regions of the body, such as the skin, small intestine, liver, and other organs. There are two main types of lymphocytes: B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytess. The B- lymphocytes produces specific antibodies in order to destroy certain invading microorganisms The T-lymphocytes destroy directly the microorganisms or helps the activities of other lymphocytes.

The cause of Mantle cell lymphoma and of the other cancers of the lymphatic system called lymphomas is represented by the errors that can occur in the production of a lymphocyte. This kind of errors determine the lymphocyte to transform into a malignant cell. If there is an abnormal, uncontrolled growth and multiplication of malignant lymphocytes it may lead to the enlargement of a lymph node region or even regions. The malignant process can involve the spleen and bone marrow and spread to other tissues and organs. The results of the malignant proliferation are specific complications that threaten the life of the patient.. The symptoms and physical findings are different from case to case. They depend on the extent and region or regions involved and on different other factors.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are considered to be lymphomas caused by abnormal B-lymphocytes and or derived from abnormal T-lymphocytes. Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a B-cell lymphoma that develops from malignant B-lymphocytes which can be observed in a region of the lymph node called the mantle zone. The Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma may also be described considering certain characteristics of the cancer cells which can be seen under a microscope. it is very important how rapid is their tendance to grow and spread. Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma can be considered a low- grade lymphoma The malignant cells tend to grow and spread slowly. There are few associated symptoms. There are also "intermediate-" or "high-grade" lymphomas in which the malignant cells grow rapidly. This forms require prompt treatment. Experts have classified MCL as an aggressive lymphoma, even if there are some aspects of indolent lymphoma.

According to various studies MCL affects men over the age of 50 years. Many affected patients have widespread disease at diagnosis, with involved regions including multiple lymph nodes, the spleen, and sometimes the bone marrow, the liver, and even regions of the gastrointestinal tract.




For more resources about lymphoma please review http://www.lymphoma-center.com/cutaneous-t-cell-lymphoma.htm or http://www.lymphoma-center.com/non-hodgkins-lymphoma.htm





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What is Cutaneous Lymphoma?


Cutaneous lymphoma is a type of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma involving the lymphocytes within the skin, specifically T-cells and B-Cells. This is a rare type of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma where the tumor growths are seen mostly as numerous lumps beneath the skin's surface and not in just a lymph node.

The lumps formed beneath the skin cutaneous lymphoma are due to a collection of the malignant cells in the skin. In an attempt to purge the system of the mutated cells, the body pushes the clustered malignant cells towards the surface of the skin. The most common type of cutaneous lymphoma is the cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The disease manifests itself in several stages:

* Pre-tumor stage - the skin is presented with raised, red patches that appear on the breasts or buttocks and somewhat mimics the appearance of other skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

* Plaque stage - the patches are now irregularly shaped and can appear anywhere in the body. Hair loss in the affected skin area is also noted, and can be permanent if the condition is not treated.

* Tumor stage - the incidence of people progressing to this stag is quite small. The plaques can now form lumps and even ulcerate. Lymph nodes are also affected. The liver, lungs, and spleen is also at risk of being affected by the cutaneous lymphoma, but the cases are quite rare.

* Sezary syndrome - this is when the malignancy has spread and covers a large skin area. The malignant cells have also metastasized in the blood stream. Some patients have no plaques or tumors, but the entire integumentary system may be swollen, red and sore (l'homme rouge). The skin can also manifest desquamation or peeling off of skin.

Cutaneous lymphoma of T-cell origin is treated through a specific or a combination of treatment modalities that can range from topical or local to systemic. PUVA treatment is a combination of psoralen and UVA. After taking psoralen, the patient enters an enclosed room where rays of UVA is applied on the skin. However, extra care must be given for it is known that exposure to UV rays can predispose a person to skin cancer. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy is also done to help cure cutaneous lymphoma.

Cutaneous lymphoma can be hard to deal with for it can cause some severe changes in your appearance. A support group can help you combat the disease both in its physical and psychological aspects. Talk to your friends and family during hard times, and ask your doctor to refer you to a cancer support group to help you understand and cope with the effects of cutaneous lymphoma.




Need to learn more about Lymphoma? Be sure to check out Lymphoma Symptoms which contains in-depth information on Cutaneous Lymphoma, symptoms, causes, treatment and much more.





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2012年7月21日 星期六

Microscopes and Hodgkin's Lymphoma - Understanding the Pathophysiology of a Common Cancer


First off What is Lymphoma?

We have to first define what lymphoma is before discussing Hodgkin's disease. Lymphoma is a cancer that develops from cells in the body known as "lymphocytes." Lympocytes are a subcategory of white blood cells. There are two different types of lymphocytes: B-cells and T-cells. Almost all lymphomas, including Hodgkin's disease, stem from B-cells.

In Hodgkin's lymphoma a B-cell, for unknown reasons, becomes cancerous. The cell then makes many many clones of itself. These cells bundle together to form a solid tumor known as a lymphoma. There are several hypotheses for why these cells become cancerous in Hodgkin's. One belief is that infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, the same virus that causes infectious mononucleosis) can cause the cells to turn malignant in genetically susceptible people. Other theories are that certain genetic translocations may be the underlying factor. As of yet, no particular theory has significant supporting data to call it the "cause." In fact, there may be multiple unrelated causes.

Types

There are different subcategories of Hodgkin's lymphoma. They are based on several microscopic characteristics, and are important in determining prognosis. The features the pathologist is looking for are the number of Reed-Sternberg cells, as well as the number of lymphocytes present in the biospy specimen. A Reed-Sternberg cell is a funny shaped cell with two nuclei that looks like owl's eyes.

The first subcategory, and most common type, is nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this type there are very few Reed-Sternberg cells with a moderate number of lymphocytes. It commonly occurs in younger individuals, and with treatment, the prognosis is excellent.

The second subcategory is mixed cellularity Hodgkin's lymphoma. This type has many Reed-Sternberg cells and a moderate number of lymphocytes when viewed under the microscope. It has an intermediate prognosis.

The third subcategory is lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin's. It has very few Reed-Sternberg cells and many lymphocytes. It occurs most commonly in males less than 35 years of age. It is also one of the few types that is not associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

The last subcategory is lymphocyte depleted. It is the rarest form of Hodgkin's lymphoma. It typically affects older males. Unfortunately it has the worst prognosis of the four types.




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Under-Treatment of Lymphoma and the Risks of Relapse


The treatment of lymphoma comprises a wide variety of immunosuppressant medications as well as a series of specific cancer therapies. Patients with lymphoma are often prescribed combination treatments, receiving carefully established doses of cancer medications according to age, gender and more important, the type of lymphoma and its stage of progression. In order to maximize the potency of the treatment and reduce the risks of relapse, doctors need to take in consideration all these previously mentioned aspects when deciding upon the appropriate dose of medications.

If patients are administered lymphoma medications in the wrong dose, the treatment will either fail to accomplish its expected action (in case of under-dosage) or generate severe temporary or even permanent side-effects (in case of over-dosage). Choosing the most appropriate drugs and deciding the perfect individual dose for each patient with lymphoma is a very challenging and time-consuming task for doctors. However, if this protocol is not followed correctly, the existing treatment of lymphoma can produce a series of undesired results.

Recent medical studies have revealed that the under-treatment of lymphoma is a very common phenomenon in hospitals, clinics and other medical establishments nationwide. Under-treatment of lymphoma has been recently identified as a significant cause of relapse among lymphoma sufferers. Due to the fact that repeated treatments often fail to control the progression of lymphoma in relapsed cases, it is very important to establish the appropriate dose of medications and decide upon the right duration of the specific treatment in the first place. Although the doses of lymphoma medications can be slightly adjusted over the period of administration, under-treatment of lymphoma should be avoided at all costs.

According to oncologists, patients who suffer from aggressively progressing Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma should receive the specific chemotherapeutic treatment in precise doses and without delay in order to prevent relapse. Although rapidly progressing Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is considered to a severe, life-threatening disease, the existing forms of treatment and therapies can successfully reverse the malignant effects of the lymphoma cancer on the body and slow down the progression rate of the disease.

Paradoxically, fast progressing Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma subtypes, as well as Hodgkin's Disease are more curable than slower progressing lymphomas. The phenomenon is explained by the increased potency of existing chemotherapeutical drugs in fighting against rapidly dividing malignant cells. However, despite the high curability of these varieties of lymphoma, it is imperative to prescribe the specific course of treatment in the right doses in order to obtain the best results. If the treatment is delayed, prematurely stopped or prescribed in the wrong doses, the risks of relapse are considerably increased and the afflicted patients rarely respond to re-treatment.

Recent studies conducted in randomly chosen medical establishments nationwide have revealed very disturbing facts regarding the treatment of lymphoma patients: around 50 percent of patients with highly curable forms of lymphoma cancers receive considerable dose reductions during chemotherapy. Thus, the chances of long-term survival for this category of patients are substantially reduced, despite the curable nature of their disease. Researchers have stated that it is imperative for cancer specialists to avoid under-treatment for patients with curable forms of lymphoma and that future treatments should be optimized in order to minimize the risks of relapse.

The initially decided doses of medications shouldn't be reduced unless the patients with lymphoma are confronted with severe side-effects. According to medical researchers, less than 5 percent of all lymphoma cases actually require ulterior changes in dosage; the other 95 percent of cases should receive the specific treatment in the same dose until the disease is completely overcome.




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General Things About Mantle Cell Lymphoma


Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymph nodes and is known as cancer of the lymphoid tissue. We know two categories of lymphomas: Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

We are going to talk about a rare type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma. This type of cancer can be defined as an enlargement of the population of malignant lymphoid cells, happening in the area of the lymph nodes and tissues. These cells have an unusual structure being considered as mutant cells because of their lack of development. Maturing improperly these cells become cancerous.

The lymphatic system helps the body to fight against infections or foreign particles. When the white cells are mature they seek for infections through the body. There are two types of white cells in the lymphatic system, the B cells and the T cells. Once an infection is found by the B cells, the second type of white cells, the T ones come to destroy it. This is how the immune system works.

Lymphomas are cancerous cells from the lymphatic system. The non-Hodgkin's lymphomas that occur in the lymphatic system include follicular lymphomas, Burkitt's lymphomas which are non-cleaved lymphomas, MALT lymphomas which are lymphomas from the marginal sides of the tissues, small and large cell lymphomas, and the subject of discussion, the mantle cell lymphomas (MCL).

The classification of the mantle cell lymphomas separates them into three categories: mantle zone type MCL cells, nodular type and immature (blastic) type. Diagnoses, in most of the cases, refer to mixed mantle or nodular type MCL.

The mantle cell lymphoma is a great concern, many specialists debating over this subject. Some consider it intermediate while others say that mantle cell lymphoma is a low-grade cancer because of its slow development. Both of these sides come with arguments based on studies and both sides are right. Patients suffering of blastic type MCL have less chances of survival comparing to the other MCL patients, because in these cases cancer spreads faster.

Persons suffering of mantle cell lymphoma are rarely under 50 and women represent a little more than a quarter in the patients number.

It's not easy to say if a patient suffers of mantle cell lymphoma. Some believe that an immunologic test is required for a correct diagnosis.

Treatment is prescript by specialists, because each case is unique and is related to many factors like age, sex and especially stage of disease.




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2012年7月20日 星期五

Diagnosing and Treating Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma


Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma first affects the skin and then spreads to other parts of the body, like internal organs. The signs of the disease are itchy dark patches on the skin that progressively transform into mushroom shaped tumors, that is why the disease is also known as Mycosis Fungoides.

A particular form of the cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is the Sézary syndrome. Signs of this disease are: an overall redness of the skin, small bumpy tumors, and the skin is atrophic. At physical examination doctors see that the lymph nodes have swollen and discover an increased number of malign lymphocytes.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is not the same thing with adult T-cell leukemia or peripheral T-cell lymphomas. These are more aggressive skin affections and require different treatment.

Generally, patients go to the doctor because they have an itchy red skin zone that bothers them for some time. If the disease has already spread outside the skin, the patient might feel its lymph nodes swollen.

Because mistaken cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with other skin diseases is quite easily, doctors prefer to perform a tissue biopsy, meaning that they remove the suspected tissue and analyze it in the laboratory to see if there is cancer present and in what stage of evolvement it is. For staging the disease they use that TNM classification: from T1 to T4- the spread of the tumors on the skin; N0 to N3- the involvement of the lymph nodes; M1 or not M0 if there are metastases present or not. Biopsy is the most accurate way of diagnosing cutaneous T-cell lymphoma that is why all doctors must request it when suspecting such a disease.

When studying the tissue there can be seen abnormal cells, and by performing a Southern blot analysis there will be observed changes of the gene that encodes the T-cell receptors.

The treatment will be adjusted depending on the affection's evolution. There can be used chemotherapy, ultraviolet 'A' light exposure and total skin electron beam radiation if metastases are present.

Chemotherapy tries to stop cancerous cells from growing or dividing. There can be used oral drugs or drugs injected into the vein or muscle that will reach the cancer cells by entering the bloodstream, and is called systemic chemotherapy. Another type of chemotherapy is the regional chemotherapy when the chemotherapy is placed directly into the cancerous area.

Also, a patient can participate at a clinical trial where treatment with multiple agent chemotherapy is done.




So, if you want to find out more about mantle cell lymphoma or even about non hodgkins lymphoma please visit this link http://www.lymphoma-center.com





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Types of Lymphoma and Their Characteristics


Lymphoma refers to a form of tumor caused by the immune system, involving abnormal activity of lymphocytes, body cells that belong to the lymphatic system. Lymphocytes are born at the level of the bone marrow and their primary role inside the body is to identify antigens (foreign bodies that are malignant to the organism) and to trigger the action of the immune system, telling it to attack the discovered antigens. However, in the case of patients with lymphoma, the cells of the lymphatic system become compromised and begin to act like cancer cells. Thus, the occurrence of lymphoma is primarily determined by inappropriate activity of the lymphatic system, lymphocytes multiplying at abnormally fast rates and accumulating in different regions of the body.

There are two distinctive types of lymphatic cells involved in causing the occurrence of lymphoma: "B" lymphocytes and 'T' lymphocytes (commonly referred to as B cells and T cells). The main action of B cells is to create antibodies, a type of proteins that fight against antigens. The T cells (born at the level of the thymus gland) help the activity of the B cells, sustaining and enhancing their action.

According to the type of cells involved in causing the disease and the rate of progression, there are multiple forms of lymphoma. The main two types of lymphoma are: Hodgkin's Lymphoma (also referred to as Hodgkin's Disease) and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. These two main types can be further classified in multiple subtypes. Hodgkin's Lymphoma is characterized by the implication of the so-called "double-eyed cells" in causing the disease. All other varieties of lymphoma that don't share this feature are known as Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma comprises over 25 subtypes, classified according to the speed of progression and the seriousness of the disease. Various subtypes of lymphoma involve genetic abnormalities that carry the name of primary mutations. Some of these mutations are responsible for triggering the disease, while others are responsible for sustaining its progression.

A very common subtype of lymphoma is follicular lymphoma. This variety of lymphoma is slow progressing and alternates between periods of remission and periods of relapse. In the majority of cases, follicular lymphoma is caused by a specific genetic mutation that affects the B lymphocytes. The mutation causes an overproduction of the BCL2 protein, a type of protein that stimulates an excessive accumulation of B cells, which begin to act like cancerous cells.

Another common subtype of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is diffuse large cell lymphoma. This variety progresses faster and it can also originate from a slower progressing lymphoma subtype. Diffuse cell lymphoma requires immediate treatment; otherwise, the disease can become life-threatening in a very short amount of time. The most efficient form of treatment consists in chemotherapy. Although most patients with diffuse cell lymphoma experience relapse, a second course of strong chemotherapy is usually effective in curing relapsed cases.

Burkitt's lymphoma is a rapidly evolving lymphoma subtype that occurs due to a unique genetic anomaly. This variety of lymphoma requires immediate medical intervention and involves a poor patient life expectancy. When chemotherapy is not sufficient for treating patients with Burkitt's lymphoma, combination treatments with immunosupressants can help ameliorate its symptoms and slow its progression rate.

Unlike B-cell lymphomas, T-cell lymphomas are rare and account for about 20 percent of cases of all Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in general. T-cell lymphomas are rapidly progressing and often involve the body skin. Along with Hodgkin's Disease, T-cell lymphoma raises serious issues in diagnosis and treatment. This is due to the poor understanding of the causes and evolution of the disease, medical scientists lacking conclusive medical data. However, medical scientists hope to unveil the exact origins and the pattern of evolution characteristic to Non-Hodgkin's T-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin's Disease in order to develop an efficient treatment in the near future.




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