Drugs and treatment for lymph node cancer (lymphoma)

Lymphoma or lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that starts in the lymphatic system or lymph nodes in the body. If left untreated, lymphoma cancer cells can spread to more than one lymphatic system or even to other organs in the body. That is why it is important to know how to properly treat lymph node cancer. The following is an explanation of the drugs and treatment for lymph node cancer that doctors can recommend.

Recognizing lymph node cancer drugs and treatments

There are several types of treatment that doctors generally recommend for lymphoma or lymphoma. Reporting from Lymphoma Action, the treatment that will be given depends on several things, namely:

• The type of lymphoma you have, either Hodgkin's lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
• How fast the cancer cells develop.
• How big is the lymphoma that appears.
• The stage or stage of lymph cancer that is experienced.
• The area of ​​the body affected by cancer cells.
• The characteristics or symptoms of lymph cancer experienced.
• Genetic test results on your lymphoma.

Apart from the condition of the disease, doctors also consider several other things in the patient, such as age, overall health condition, other medical conditions the patient may have, other drugs that may be needed, and other factors that are important to your health.

Not to forget, the doctor will also explain about the purpose of treatment, how long treatment needs to be taken, side effects of treatment, and other things that patients need to know before undergoing treatment. As in general, the goals, timing, and side effects that will appear in each patient can be different.

In some types of lymphoma, treatment can aim at eliminating all cancer cells and achieving complete remission, or a condition when symptoms no longer appear and the cancer cells are no longer visible. However, treatment of some other types of lymphoma may only aim to control the cancer cells and achieve only partial remission.

Based on these considerations, here are the various types of drugs and treatments that doctors generally recommend to treat lymphoma or lymph node cancer:

1. Active supervision from a doctor

Some types of lymphoma develop very slowly and even cause no symptoms at all. In this condition, you may not need any treatment.

Treatment can actually put you at risk of side effects and the lymphoma cells will become resistant. Most lymphoma patients can respond well to treatment if it is really needed.

However, during active surveillance, you will need to undergo regular tests to control your condition. New treatment will be given when your disease has progressed and is causing symptoms.

2. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the main way to treat lymphoma or lymphoma. This treatment is considered the most effective in killing lymphoma cancer cells.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells or block cancer cells from dividing, which are given in pill form or directly into a vein through an intravenous line. Usually, lymph node cancer patients receive more than one chemotherapy drug given at a time.

The drug is given in several cycles. The number of cycles you need to undergo depends on the type and stage of lymphoma you have. The whole chemotherapy treatment can last for several weeks or several months, depending on the cycle that needs to be followed and the recovery period of each person.

Chemotherapy treatment for lymphoma can be given alone or in combination with other types of treatment, such as targeted therapy or radiotherapy. Talk to your doctor about the type of treatment that is right for you.

2. Radiotherapy

Unlike chemotherapy which uses drugs, radiotherapy or radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to destroy lymph node cancer cells. This type of treatment can be done to cure lymphoma or control the symptoms that appear.

To achieve this goal, radiotherapy can be given alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Radiotherapy alone can generally cure lymph cancer that is slowly growing and is still at an early stage.

As for lymphoma that develops rapidly and is in an advanced stage, radiotherapy treatment is usually given after chemotherapy.

Depending on the type and stage, radiotherapy treatment for lymph node cancer can be done in one or more fractions. The duration of treatment can last for several days or even weeks.

3. Bone marrow transplant

Other treatments for lymphoma cancer include a bone marrow or stem cell transplant (stem cells). This procedure is performed by replacing stem cells in diseased bone marrow (affected by cancer cells) with healthy stem cells.

The stem cells in the bone marrow function to produce blood cells. By replacing these stem cells, it is hoped that the new bone marrow stem cells can produce healthy blood cells.

Stem cell transplantation for lymph node cancer is generally done after chemotherapy drugs are given. The reason is, during chemotherapy, healthy stem cells will be damaged along with the death of cancer cells. Therefore, a transplant is needed so that your body can reproduce the healthy blood cells your body needs.

The bone marrow stem cells to be transplanted can be obtained from your own body or from other people (donors). When taken from your own body, healthy stem cells are extracted and cooled before chemotherapy is started, which are then returned to your body after chemotherapy is finished.

4. Targeted therapy or immunotherapy

Targeted therapy is treatment using drugs that specifically kill cancer cells, including lymphoma or lymphoma.

This treatment works by stopping the growth of cancer cells or using your body's own immune system to get rid of cancer cells. Therefore, targeted therapy for lymphoma cancer is also often referred to as immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy drugs or targeted therapies that are usually given to lymphoma patients, which are classified as monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab, ofatumumab, or obinutuzumab.

Several other types of drugs that work by blocking the signal or function of certain proteins in lymphoma cells may also be given, such as ibrutinib, idelalisib, bortezomib, or others.

In addition, there is also an immunotherapy treatment called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) -T cell which is also often given to lymph cancer patients. This type of treatment involves engineering the T lymphocytes in your body to help fight cancer cells.

5. Corticosteroids

Corticosteroid drugs are sometimes given to treat lymph node cancer. The types of corticosteroids most often used to treat lymphoma are prednisolone, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone.

These medications are usually given alone to treat certain types of lymphoma. However, these medicines can also be given before, after, or together with chemotherapy to increase the effectiveness or reduce the side effects of chemotherapy.

Alternative treatment for lymph node cancer

Apart from medical treatment, lymphoma or lymphoma patients sometimes use alternative or herbal medicines to help treat the disease naturally.

These treatments include massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, yoga, relaxation techniques, reiki, or herbal remedies, such as garlic, herbal teas, flaxseeds, and others.

However, these traditional medicines cannot cure lymph node cancer or lymphoma that you have. This way of treating generally can only help control symptoms or side effects that may arise from treatment.

However, before using these methods, you should consult with your doctor to find out if this treatment is right for you.