Lymphoma awareness continues to be low

Chennai: Lymphoma, a type of cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system,  affects around one million people with nearly 1,000 people diagnosed with the disease every day.

Awareness of the signs and symptoms of lymphoma continues to be little in the country. 

Distinguished as Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), lymphoma is emerging as an important cause of cancer mortality in India. The incidence of NHL in Indians living in metropolitan cities and in developed countries, is high, as per a journal titled Epidemiology of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in India, published in the International Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment.

 The age-adjusted incidence rates for NHL in men and women in India are 2.9/100,000 and 1.5/100,000. Currently, Chennai has the highest NHL incidence in Tamil Nadu while, while Ambillikkai village has the lowest.

  “Many cases of lymphoma are not recorded and therefore, a large population suffers from undiagnosed lymphoma. Though the treatment depends on the type and stage of the disease, lymphoma has a high cure rate. Both, Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), are curable through chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immune therapies,” said Dr Bellarmine, oncologist, Fortis Malar Hospital.

 Given its many subtypes, diagnosis of lymphoma is difficult. A large number of tests are conducted for diagnosis apart from pathology. Treatable with chemotherapy, lymphoma is feared for recurrence curable by stem cell transplant, says senior oncologist Dr Anitha Ramesh.

 Oncologists say that stem cell transplant provides hope for patients who have relapsed lymphoma. However lack of awareness on bone marrow transplant of stem cell has led to an increase in the number of people struggling for years with the disease. A boost in the number of stem cell transplant can increase the number of survivors as well as ensure a high cure rate against lymphoma.

Symptoms

•  Painless and persistent lumps in the neck, armpit or groin
•  Night sweats
•  Persistent fever
•  Weight loss
•  Red skin patches
•  Chronic fatigue
•  Low blood cell counts (last stage)

Risk Factors

•  Aging
•  Immune suppression
•  Persistent inflammation
• Chronic infection