Lymphoma
Lymphomas are cancers of the lymphatic system, which forms part of the body’s immune system. There are many different types of lymphoma, although they are broadly categorised as Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The most common symptom of lymphoma is a painless lump or swelling, often in the neck, armpit or groin. Other common symptoms include excessive sweating, especially at night, unexplained loss of weight, unusual tiredness, a cough or breathlessness and itching.
Lymphoma is currently the fifth most common cancer diagnosed by clinicians in the UK and the most common cancer affecting the under 30s. In the UK, around 1,730 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma and over 11,800 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are diagnosed each year. That is a total of over 13,400 new cases of lymphoma a year. It is estimated that approximately 75,000 people in the UK are currently living with the disease.
Treatment varies according to the type and stage of the lymphoma, and a person’s individual situation. Common treatments include chemotherapy|, radiotherapy| and antibody therapy. Increasingly patients are being treated with stem cell transplants.
|Lymphoma Association
The Lymphoma Association is a charity which supports anyone affected by lymphoma, whether a patient, family member, carer or friend. Services that we offered include a freephone helpline, comprehensive free literature, a buddy scheme with telephone links to others with similar experiences, local support groups, regional patient conferences and a fully interactive website featuring a messageboard and chatroom. All these services are completely free.