Language
Country/Area
No result found
Incredible Resilience: What is the Five-Year Survival Rate for Hodgkin Lymphoma?
Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is a type of lymphoma that originates from a special type of white blood cell - lymphocytes. Multinucleated Reed-Sternberg cells appear in the patient's lymph nodes. The condition is named after British physician Thomas Hodgkin, who first described it in 1832. Symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma may include fever, night sweats, and weight loss, with the hallmark being painless swollen lymph nodes, usually in the neck, armpits, or groin. The patient may feel tired or have itchy skin. The two main types of Hodgkin lymphoma are classical Hodgkin lymphoma and nodular lymphocytic predominant Hodgkin lymphoma.
"In the United States, 88% of people diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma survive past five years."
Honchokiri lymphoma is usually diagnosed by doing a lymph node biopsy to confirm the presence of cancer and by examining it under a microscope to identify Reed-Sternberg cells. About 50% of Hodgkin lymphoma cases are associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which usually presents as the classic type. Other risk factors include family history and HIV/AIDS infection. With the advancement of early detection technology, if the disease is found in the early stages, it can usually be cured. Treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma mainly include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and stem cell transplantation, and treatment plans are often adjusted based on the degree of progression and the characteristics of the cancer.
Currently, for young patients (under 20 years old), the five-year survival rate is as high as 97%. However, people who receive radiation therapy and certain chemotherapy drugs have an increased risk of heart disease, lung disease, or other cancers in the future. According to data from 2015, approximately 574,000 people worldwide were diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, of whom 23,900 (4.2%) died from the disease. It is worth noting that cases of Hodgkin lymphoma tend to be more common in people between the ages of 20 and 40.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Common symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include swollen lymph nodes, usually a painless enlargement of one or more lymph nodes, especially in the neck, armpits, and groin. About one-third of people with Hodgkin lymphoma may experience systemic symptoms, such as itchy skin, night sweats, and weight loss of at least 10% within six months. These systemic symptoms are called B symptoms, and their presence usually indicates a more advanced stage of the disease.
The diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy of the lymph nodes (usually an excisional biopsy for microscopic examination) and blood tests. Additionally, PET scans can be used to detect small lesions that are not visible on CT scans and to assess the status of the cancer.
Treatment and prognosis
Current treatment modalities are designed to reduce the acute and long-term toxicities of Hodgkin lymphoma, including the risk of cardiovascular disease and type II tumors. Early-stage disease (IA or IIA) can usually be effectively treated with radiation therapy or chemotherapy. The best treatment option is selected based on age, gender, tumor volume and histological subtype. For patients with large tumors at any stage, chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy is usually used.
"The latest clinical trials show that the five-year disease-free progression rate (FFP) is as high as 98% in the benign prognosis population."
Observations of long-term survival and cures have also raised concerns about late side effects, including heart disease and type 2 cancer. Therefore, researchers are exploring strategies to reduce the duration of chemotherapy and the dose and range of radiation therapy to reduce the incidence of post-treatment morbidity while maintaining high efficacy. Recently, some new targeted drugs have been developed, which have significantly improved the treatment outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.
Ultimately, a patient's prognosis depends on a variety of factors, including age, disease stage, presence or absence of B symptoms, and cytology type. Recent studies have shown that the use of PET scans after early chemotherapy to assess patient response has a high predictive ability, which lays a solid foundation for improving treatment outcomes.
Conclusion
The challenges posed by Hodgkin lymphoma should not be underestimated. Even with such a high five-year survival rate, patients still face risks in the long term. And can those who have battled the disease find the inner strength to keep going?
