Is Stage 1 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Curable?

Hodgkin’s lymphoma is one of the common types of cancer across the globe. It is caused by a defect in the lymphatic system, whereby, lymphocytes grow at an abnormal rate. In general, the lymphatic system is part of the body’s immune system and its role is to fight against any pathogens in the body. As for the lymphocytes, they are a type of white blood cells which trap pathogens and other harmful microorganisms in the body. If you have lymphoma, then the lymphocytes multiply rapidly at an abnormal rate and collect in the lymph nodes causing them to swell. One of the many things lymphoma patients worry about is their prognosis and chances of survival. The good thing with stage 1 Hodgkin’s lymphoma is that it is still in the cancer is still in its early stage hence can easily be treated and controlled. So, provided that Hodgkin’s lymphoma is detected early enough, it can be cured.

What Is Stage 1 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?

Cancer staging is important because it helps determine the extent of spread as well as the kind of treatment to be applied. Nonetheless, it gives a better understanding of what symptoms one should expect. Stage 1 Hodgkin’s lymphoma is characterized by cancer in one region of lymph nodes. Otherwise, cancer could have affected an organ, either within the lymphatic system or outside. If the affected organ is outside the lymphatic system, then it is referred to as extranodal lymphoma, and the cancer stage is therefore referred to as 1E. It is important to note that stage 1 Hodgkin’s lymphoma symptoms are exclusive of B symptoms or bulky disease. In other words, if a patient is diagnosed with lymphoma and exhibits symptoms of bulky disease or B symptoms, then the cancer is more advanced than it is thought to be.

Symptoms

Flu-like symptoms which include fever and swollen lymph glands especially within the neck region
Difficulty breathing and pain in the chest due to enlarged lymph nodes in the chest region
The swollen lymph glands feel and look like bumps
Fatigue
Night Sweats
Unexplained weight loss

If you have any of this symptoms, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible for diagnosis of the underlying problem. If the cause is lymphoma, you should seek treatment immediately, for higher chances of being cured of cancer. Conversely, the more cancer spreads, and more regions become affected, the lower the more unfavorable the cancer is for a cure.

Treatment Of Stage 1 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Once you have been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and the stage determined, the next step is treating the cancer. Since it is still localized and hasn’t spread to other areas in the body, treatment majorly involves chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy treatment consists of several drugs which the patient is given to kill the present cancerous lymphocyte cells. On the other hand, radiation therapy involves the use of X-rays directed at the site of cancer to shrink or kill the malignant growth present. In most treatment cases, chemotherapy is the main mode of treatment, whereas radiation therapy is a supplementing course of treatment. These treatment methods have several side effects e.g. hair loss, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and low blood count, to name a few. However, it is important to remember that despite these side effects, the treatment is working and getting rid of the cancerous cells.

Conclusion

Stage 1 Hodgkin’s lymphoma has a higher probability of being cured because it is the earliest stage of the cancer and it hasn’t spread much to other areas. Adding to that, the efficiency of the Hodgkin’s lymphoma treatment methods has been gradually improving over the years. As a result, the survival rate for stage 1 Hodgkin’s lymphoma stands at 90-95%, which implies at least 90 or 95 patients out of 100, can survive Hodgkin’s lymphoma also, provided that one has normal symptoms for an early stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma that does not include B symptoms and bulky disease. Then, stage 1 Hodgkin’s lymphoma can be treated with much ease hence can be cured.

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Is Stage 1 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Curable?