Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) for Hodgkin lymphoma uses
high-energy rays to kill lymphoma cells. It can shrink tumors and help control
pain.
A large machine aims the rays at the lymph node areas affected by lymphoma.
This is local therapy because it affects cells in the treated area only. Most
people go to a hospital or clinic for treatment 5 days a week for several weeks.
The side effects of radiation therapy depend mainly on the dose of radiation
and the part of the body that is treated. For example, radiation to your abdomen
can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. When your chest and neck are treated,
you may have a dry, sore throat and some trouble swallowing.
In addition, your skin in the area being treated may become red, dry, and
tender. You also may lose your hair in the treated area.
Many people become very tired during radiation therapy, especially in the
later weeks of treatment. Resting is important, but doctors usually advise
people to try to stay as active as they can.
Although the side effects of radiation therapy can be distressing, they can
usually be treated or controlled. You can talk with your doctor about ways to
ease these problems.
It may also help to know that, in most cases, the side effects are not
permanent. However, you may want to discuss with your doctor the possible
long-term effects of radiation treatment. After treatment is over, you may have
an increased chance of developing a second cancer. Also, radiation therapy aimed
at the chest may cause heart disease or lung damage.
Radiation therapy aimed at the pelvis can cause infertility. Loss of
fertility may be temporary or permanent, depending on your age:
Men: If radiation therapy is aimed at the pelvic area, the testes may be
harmed. Sperm banking before treatment may be a choice.
Women: Radiation aimed at the pelvic area can harm the ovaries. Menstrual
periods may stop, and women may have hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Menstrual
periods are more likely to return for younger women. Women who may want to get
pregnant after radiation therapy should ask their health care team about ways to
preserve their eggs before treatment starts.
You may want to ask your doctor these questions before having radiation
therapy:
Why do I need this treatment?
When will the treatments begin? When will they end?
How will I feel during treatment?
How will we know if the radiation treatment is working?
Hodgkin's Disease - Symptoms At Onset Of DiseaseQuestion: The symptoms of hodgkin's disease can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease?
Night sweats are severe hot flashes that occur at night and result in a drenching sweat. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to an overheated environment.
Leukemia is a type of cancer of the blood cells in which the growth and development of the blood cells are abnormal. Strictly speaking, leukemia should refer only to cancer of the white blood cells (the leukocytes) but in practice it can apply to malignancy of any cellular element in the blood or bone marrow, as in red cell leukemia (erythroleukemia).
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the cause of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, which infects humans when it comes in contact with a break in the skin or tissues such as those that line the vagina, anal area, mouth, or eyes.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system, a vital part of the body's immune system. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, coughing, weakness, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, and abdominal pain. Treatment depends on which type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma you have, the stage of the cancer, your age, how fast the cancer is growing, and whether you have other health problems.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer which begins in skin cells called melanocytes and affects more than 53,600 people in the United States each year. These melanocytes can grow together to form benign moles which, after a change in size, shape, or color can be a sign of melanoma. Caused by sun exposure, early detection becomes extremely important to avoid a spread to other areas of the body. Diagnosis is confirmed through a biopsy of the abnormal skin and treatment depends on the extent and characteristics of the patient.
Chest pain is a common complaint by a patient in the ER. Causes of chest pain include broken or bruised ribs, pleurisy, pneumothorax, shingles, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, angina, heart attack, costochondritis, pericarditis, aorta or aortic dissection, and reflux esophagitis. Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain depends upon the cause and clinical presentation of the patient's chest pain.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
Eye floaters are deposits or condensation that forms in the eye's vitreous humor. These deposits cast shadows on the retina, and as the eye moves, the deposits shift position, making it appear as though the shadows are moving or floating.
Though it's difficult to say why some people develop cancer while others don't, research shows that certain risk factors increase a person's odds of developing cancer. These risk factors include growing older, family history of cancer, diet, alcohol and tobacco use, and exposure to sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, and some viruses and bacteria.
Teenagers recognize that they are developmentally between child and adult. Teen health prevention includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, preventing injuries and screening annually for potential health conditions that could adversely affect teenage health.
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