The Essence of PET Scans in Determining and Healing Lymphoma

The malignant cells that cause lymphoma begin at the lymph nodes. Tumor develops when there is an enlargement of the node. The case is quite similar to lymphoid leukemia, but this only involves the bone marrow where the blood cells are produced through the haematopoesis process as well as the circulating blood.

The first description of this dreaded disease was first published in 1832. This was done by Thomas Hodgkin, thus the name of the Hodgkin type of this illness. There are many other forms that have been discovered since then and all these are now part of a large group of illnesses that are known as hematological neoplasms.

When you start feeling that you have the symptoms, especially the enlarged lymph nodes, you should seek the help of your doctor. This case may not always mean that you are sick, but to make sure that you are okay, you have to get yourself checked by a professional. The first step that doctors may require you to undergo is biopsy, the type of which will be dictated as to the organs that are infected with the disease. After it was established that you already have it, the doctors will then try to categorize from which type of this illness you are suffering from. Before you can be given proper treatment for your condition, your bone marrow needs to be tested and you have to go through various tests and scans.

PET Scans

One of the special kinds of scans that you may be asked to undergo is PET scan or Positron Emission Tomography. This is able to determine the cancers based on the high activity that is happening on the cancer cell.

Other types of scans provide different results. For example, MR type and CT scans present good quality photographs of the various body parts where you can view the masses of tumors and swollen nodes. The problem with these scans is the fact that doctors cannot based their findings whether a person has the illness based on the size and shape of what was photographed through these processes. This is what PET scans are able to fill in the blanks.

PET scans are useful in the procedure because these are used to map out the disease on a person’s body. Along with the other kinds of tests, all results can be used to determine the stages of the disease. This is also able to find out if the lump that showed up on other tests, is cancerous or not. After the condition was settled, the doctor can then proceed to give the necessary treatment, whether you need to go through chemotherapy or it will be best to undergo radiation.

After some cycles of chemotherapy, you have to go through the same scans and it will help to assess how well your body is responding to it. When the treatment has been done, you still have to go through PET scans to know whether the lump still has cancer cells, scar tissue or it has already been healed.

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Sure, conditions such as lymphoma, the cancer in the lymph system, can be depressing. This is because you have to undergo painful treatment options such as chemotherapy and radiation in order to get better. Aside from that, you will have to spend money for hospitalization, continues medication and regular check ups.

All these are the common problems people with illnesses and their families have to deal with. It’s painful and stressful but then, there’s no gain when you sulk into self pity and depression. Those negative feelings will only make you feel bad instead of helping your recovery.

The way to recovery and healing

Experts say that the most common issues that people who are suffering from lymphoma deal with would include the side-effects of lymphoma treatment, the total cure and possible relapse as well as fertility issuesboth in men and womenafter cancer treatment is over or while it is still being administered.

These issues might be hard to deal with but experts suggest that these could be handled so much better if one tries to see the brighter side of the situation. If one is able to see the good after surviving the condition, then living with lymphoma would be so much easier.

If you are one of those who would want to get started on recovery of the soul and the body after a lymphoma treatment, the first thing that you need to set your mind into it. If your mindset is that you would want to get started on recovery and stick with it until you are successful, you will be inspired to aim for that goal. Setting your mind into something will help you look forward to the results of what you are aiming for. For people, who have just survived lymphoma, to have a proper mindset, he or she clear their minds from negative thoughts. Once a clear mind id achieve, that person would be more enthusiastic when it comes to recovery.

The next best thing is to start over again. This time, there should be no pressure in the recovery and this can be done if you would start accomplishing small and simple tasks. If you start, you would be able to recover fast enough without having constant worries of relapse hanging over your head.

Another thing that can help you pave the way for recovery and healing is when your get started learning new things. Patients who have just recovered from terminal illnesses such as lymphoma are encouraged to start anew so they would be able to face the life ahead of them. Patients are asked to spend some time in acquiring new skills that can help them achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

Experts agree that having the concept for recovery is a very important factor for people who are trying their best to live with lymphoma. Acceptance when it comes to the things that one and could not do will also help the faster recovery not only of the body but also of the mind and the soul.

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Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system. Like other cancers, lymphoma can be treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy among with other methods like antibody treatment and even through bone marrow transplants. And just like any other type of cancer, there are some notable side effects of lymphoma treatments.

Treating cancer is rather toxic to the body. Cancer cells multiply in an abnormal rate. This rate of growth produces a mass of tissue which becomes a tumor. When left alone the cancer cells eventually suffocate the healthy cells nearby and shut down their functions. Whole organs can shut down completely which obviously means death to that person. Eradicating these cancer cells is the key element in cancer treatment procedures. However, the overall goal of cancer treatments is to destroy cancer cells without killing the normal and healthy cells nearby.

Chemotherapy is a common method of killing those cancer cells. This treatment uses various drugs to eliminate the cells. However, the drugs still affect some of the healthy cells. Among the more common side effects of the treatment in lymphoma patients includes decreased blood cell production, diarrhea, fatigue, mouth sores and hair loss. Decreased in blood production includes the normal red blood cells, the white blood cells and even the platelets. Some patients also reported feelings of nausea after the treatment. And because the drugs used for the treatment can also harm the production of sperm and egg cells, it is a medical fact that the treatment can indeed cause temporary or even permanent sterility of patients.

Instead of drugs, radiation therapy uses x-rays to kill the cells. But just like chemotherapy, the use of high energy x-rays can kill the neighboring healthy cells. Common side effects of this treatment include feeling tired all the time like all your energy was drained out of your body. Hair loss and nausea are also common problems when patients undergo radiation therapy. But hair loss is limited to areas where the treatment is actually targeted. Nausea and skin changes like getting red or itching are other known side effects.

Some treatments use steroids to control the growth of the cells. This is actually quite common and is used alongside other treatments. Steroids such as cortisone, prednisone and dexamethasone can cause insomnia, increased appetite, mood swings or changes and weight gain. The good thing about steroid treatment is that it is not used for long periods so the side effects are actually not strongly felt.

To counteract the side effects of lymphoma treatment, doctors suggests that you drink a lot of water before your treatment especially if you will undergo chemotherapy. If you experience mouth sores, a good way to provide some comfort is by drinking milk and cream. Juices especially tomato and citrus juices are not a good idea when you have numerous sores in your mouth. It has been suggested that you eat several small meal portions during the day instead of eating full size meals.

Remember that your immune system at this point is compromised because of your low blood count so it would be advisable to stay away from crowded areas and people that are sick. Ask your doctors for other ways to lessen the side effects.

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Experts say that aside from being unfamiliar with signs and symptoms of lymphoma, this condition can be hard to notice because the usual signs can be quite common. Some may even be mistaken for common ailments such as fever and even colds. But if you are one of those that are at risksomebody who have cancer history in their families or those that have weak immune system that are prone to infectionsit would be best to have an appointment with your doctor.

The most common signs of lymphoma would include enlarged nodes that can be seen as lumps the neck, groin or armpits, non stop fever, loss of appetite, drastic weight loss, too much sweating during bedtime, itchiness on all parts of the body, exhaustion or the constant feeling of being weak, and breathlessness that is usually accompanied by swollen face and neck.

It is advisable that the person who experiences at least three of the mentioned symptoms would go to the doctor for a check up. Once the doctor suspects that you might be suffering from lymphoma, he or she would request for diagnostic procedures including biopsy to confirm the suspicions and to also determine how much damage have the cancer cells brought to the organs of the body.

Once final diagnosis has been made, a series of tests will soon follow in order to get detailed accounts of the disease. These reports are crucial in determining what kind of treatment should be given to the patient.

Treatment options

For those who are diagnosed with lymphoma, it is a must to undergo treatment in order to open up to greater chances of recovery. However, since there are almost 35 different types of lymphoma, the treatment options may also vary and could be on a case to case basis.

When it comes to treatment, experts say that it would be possible to use the same treatment for at least three or more types depending on their nature and the way the patient’s body reacts to it. To get better understanding in lymphoma treatment, here is some overview of the four major treatment options available for you:

1. Chemotherapy. Here, drugs are administered including infusions in the patient’s veins or can be used as in the form of pills. The most common chemotherapy schedules are ABVD, R-CHOP and CHOP.

2. Radiotherapy. This is a treatment options wherein high energy rays are used and directed exactly towards the tumor. Experts say that this can be delivered over small areas which involves field radiation or in large areas which involves extended field radiation.

3. Antibody therapy. Also known as “biological therapy”, this type of treatment make use of drugs such as “rituximab” which is specially designed to target special molecules that are present on the cancer cells’ surface.

4. Bone marrow or stem cell transplant. This is probably the most painful, not to mention the most expensivelymphoma treatment available. Here, high doses of radiation or chemotherapy are used in order to eliminate all cancer cells by killing them. What is good about this is that while it targets cancerous cells, it helps save the bone marrow through stem cells or through the use of marrow transplant.

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