Clinical Pearl of the Day: Hodgkin Lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system.
Insight:
- Hodgkin lymphoma may affect people of any age but is most common in people between 20 and 40 years of age and those over 55 years of age.
- Symptoms include painless swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin, persistent fatigue, fever, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, severe itching, and increased sensitivity to alcohol or pain.
- Subtypes of classical Hodgkin lymphoma include nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma, mixed cellularity Hodgkin lymphoma, lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkin lymphoma, and lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Risk factors include age between 15 to 30 years and over 55 years, family history of lymphoma, being male, and past Epstein-Barr infection
- Diagnosis includes physical exam, blood tests, imaging tests, removing the lymph node for testing and removing a sample of bone marrow for testing
- Treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy and bone marrow transplant
- Chemotherapy options include:
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