New Brochure for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Patients on Radiation Cure

June 21, 2005 – Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer in the U.S. and primarily strikes older boomers and senior citizens. The average age of diagnosis is 60. There is a new brochure available from the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology aimed at helping patients understand their treatment options.

Radiation Therapy for Non- Hodgkins Lymphoma explains how radiation therapy works to cure cancers of the lymphatic system. Also available is Radiation Therapy for Hodgkins Lymphoma.

(What is lymphoma, more facts – see below the news story)

"Radiation therapy has been proven to be quite effective in the treatment of lymphomas, particularly Hodgkins," said Louis Harrison, M.D., Chair of the ASTRO Communications Committee and a radiation oncologist at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. "I hope these brochures will help people with lymphomas better understand their treatment options so they can make the best, most informed decision on their care."

According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 64,000 new cases of lymphoma will be diagnosed this year; this includes 7,350 cases of Hodgkins lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is most commonly diagnosed in people in their 60s and 70s and more than 75 percent of patients with non-Hodgkins lymphoma live longer than a year after diagnosis. Nearly 60 percent of patients with non-Hodgkins live longer than five years. The average age for patients with this lymphoma is about 60. It is a slow growing lymphoma and is often curable in its early stages, according to the American Cancer Society.

Hodgkins lymphoma has two peak time frames - between the ages of 15 and 40 and in people over the age of 55 and is very curable. Eighty-five percent of patients with Hodgkins live longer than five years after diagnosis.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer in the United States. The age-adjusted incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma rose by 71 percent from 1976 to 2001, annual percentage increase of nearly 2.6 percent.

Age-specific incidence rates are 3.0/100,000 at ages 20-24 for males and 1.7/100,000 for females. By ages 60-64, they are 52.2/100,000 for males and 36.1/100,000 for females.

Specific risk factors for both lymphatic cancers are unknown; however, immune system problems in addition to age may increase a person's likelihood of developing either disease.

To help patients understand how radiation therapy works to cure lymphomas, ASTRO has developed up-to-date brochures that patients can use to talk with their healthcare providers when contemplating radiation therapy as part of their treatment. The brochures also help patients find support groups and information on clinical trials.

Patients and patient advocacy organizations can request free copies of the brochure by calling Beth Bukata or Nick Lashinsky at 1-800-962-7876 or e-mailing bethb@astro.org or nickl@astro.org. The brochure can also be viewed online at http://www.astro.org/patient/.

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 8,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies.

What Is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

By American Cancer Society

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or NHL) is cancer, sometimes called lymphoma, that starts in lymphoid tissue (also called lymphatic tissue), which is part of the lymphatic system.

Lymph nodes make and store lymphocytes, infection-fighting white blood cells. They are connected throughout the body by narrow tubes similar to blood vessels called lymph vessels. These lymph vessels carry a colorless, watery fluid (lymphatic fluid) that contains lymphocytes. Eventually the lymphatic fluid is emptied into a major blood vessel in the left upper chest.

Other types of cancer - lung or colon cancers, for example - can develop in other organs and then spread to lymphoid tissue. But cancers that spread to the lymph nodes are not lymphomas. Lymphomas start from lymphocytes in either the lymphoid tissue or lymphoid organs and can spread from there.

There are 2 main types of lymphomas. Hodgkin lymphoma (also known as Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, or Hodgkin's disease) is named after Dr. Thomas Hodgkin, who first described it as a new disease in 1832. All other types of lymphoma are called non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

These 2 types of lymphoma can usually be distinguished from each other by examining the cancerous tissue under a microscope. In some cases, more tests to identify specific chemical components of the lymphoma cells may be needed.

Organs That Contain Lymphoid Tissue

Because lymphatic tissue is found in many parts of the body, lymphomas can start almost anywhere. The major sites of lymphatic tissue are listed below.

Lymph nodes are bean-sized organs located throughout the body and connected by a system of lymphatic vessels. These vessels are like veins, except that instead of carrying blood, they carry lymph (a clear fluid containing waste products and excess fluid from tissues) and immune system cells traveling to lymph nodes from other tissues.

Lymph nodes increase in size when they fight an infection. Lymph nodes that grow in reaction to infection are called reactive nodes or hyperplastic nodes and are often tender to the touch. An enlarged lymph node is not usually serious. Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck are often felt in people with sore throats or colds. But a large lymph node is also the most common sign of lymphoma. Lymph node enlargement is discussed more in the section "How Is Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Diagnosed?".

The spleen is found under the lower part of the rib cage on the left side of the body. An average adult spleen weighs about 5 ounces. The spleen produces lymphocytes and other immune system cells to help fight infection. It stores healthy blood cells and filters out damaged blood cells, bacteria, and cell waste.

The thymus gland is located in the front of the chest at the base of the neck. Before birth, the thymus plays a vital role in development of T lymphocytes. The thymus gland's size (about 1 ounce) and function diminish over the first 20 years of life. Although its size and activity decline with age, the thymus continues to be active in immune system function throughout life.

Adenoids and tonsils are collections of lymphoid tissue located at the back of the throat. They produce antibodies against germs that are breathed in or swallowed. They are easy to see when they become enlarged during an infection or if they become cancerous.

The stomach and intestinal tract as well as many other organs also contain some lymphatic tissue.

The bone marrow (the soft inner part of bones) produces red blood cells, blood platelets, and white blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Platelets plug up small holes in blood vessels caused by cuts or scrapes. White blood cells’ main job is fighting infections. The 2 main types of white blood cells are granulocytes and lymphocytes. Bone marrow lymphocytes are B cells. Sometimes lymphomas start from bone marrow lymphocytes.

More about Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (MedLine Plus)