What kind of lymphoma do you have?
I have Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Nodular Sclerosing.
What's Hodgkin's lymphoma?
Hodgkin's is a type of lymphoma that is characterized by the presence of a type of cell called Reed-Sternberg cells. Hodgkin's lymphoma originates from abnormal lymphocytes whereas Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas come from abnormal B or T cells. Read more here: Understanding Hodgkin's. In fact, that site is awesome and the Understanding Hodgkin's Guide will answer a lot of these questions.
What does "nodular sclerosing" mean?
Nodular sclerosing (or sclerosis) refers to the subtype of Hodgkin's. Nodular refers to the lymph nodes and sclerosis means scarring. So, basically this means that my lymph nodes have scarring in them. This is the most common type of Hodgkin's. From the www.lymphoma.org site:
"Nodular sclerosis: In this type of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the involved lymph nodes contain areas composed of Reed-Sternberg cells mixed with normal white blood cells. The lymph nodes often contain prominent scar tissue, hence the name nodular sclerosis (scarring). This subtype is the most common, making up 60% to 75% of all cases of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It is more common in women than men, and it usually affects adolescents and young adults. The majority of patients are cured with current treatments."
What stage is your cancer?
I am Stage IIA (Stage 2.) This means the cancer has spread from the original site. It is on both sides of my neck and in my chest. A stands for asymptomatic meaning I have no symptoms.
What is the prognosis?
Right now, we don't really know. Hodgkins can be cured in 75-95% of cases, according to what I've read. It really depends on how well my disease responds to the chemo.
What kind of treatment do you have to have and when do you start?
My treatment begins with chemotherapy. I begin on February 25, 2010. The sessions are approximately three hours long every other Thursday. My course of treatment is ABVD and that is pretty standard for Hodgkin's Lymphoma at my stage. For now I will have four cycles; each cycle is two treatments which means each cycle is a month.
I will also need radiation and I don't have much information on that yet. I had an appointment to discuss Radiation 101 but I canceled it due to information overload. I will reschedule soon.
More to come as I get more information...
I have Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Nodular Sclerosing.
What's Hodgkin's lymphoma?
Hodgkin's is a type of lymphoma that is characterized by the presence of a type of cell called Reed-Sternberg cells. Hodgkin's lymphoma originates from abnormal lymphocytes whereas Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas come from abnormal B or T cells. Read more here: Understanding Hodgkin's. In fact, that site is awesome and the Understanding Hodgkin's Guide will answer a lot of these questions.
What does "nodular sclerosing" mean?
Nodular sclerosing (or sclerosis) refers to the subtype of Hodgkin's. Nodular refers to the lymph nodes and sclerosis means scarring. So, basically this means that my lymph nodes have scarring in them. This is the most common type of Hodgkin's. From the www.lymphoma.org site:
"Nodular sclerosis: In this type of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the involved lymph nodes contain areas composed of Reed-Sternberg cells mixed with normal white blood cells. The lymph nodes often contain prominent scar tissue, hence the name nodular sclerosis (scarring). This subtype is the most common, making up 60% to 75% of all cases of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It is more common in women than men, and it usually affects adolescents and young adults. The majority of patients are cured with current treatments."
What stage is your cancer?
I am Stage IIA (Stage 2.) This means the cancer has spread from the original site. It is on both sides of my neck and in my chest. A stands for asymptomatic meaning I have no symptoms.
What is the prognosis?
Right now, we don't really know. Hodgkins can be cured in 75-95% of cases, according to what I've read. It really depends on how well my disease responds to the chemo.
What kind of treatment do you have to have and when do you start?
My treatment begins with chemotherapy. I begin on February 25, 2010. The sessions are approximately three hours long every other Thursday. My course of treatment is ABVD and that is pretty standard for Hodgkin's Lymphoma at my stage. For now I will have four cycles; each cycle is two treatments which means each cycle is a month.
I will also need radiation and I don't have much information on that yet. I had an appointment to discuss Radiation 101 but I canceled it due to information overload. I will reschedule soon.
More to come as I get more information...
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