Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that affects the lymph system. In people with Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancerous tumor develops in a lymph node. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped organs that make immune cells to help the body fight infections. The treatment plan your doctor recommends for Hodgkin lymphoma will depend on the stage of your cancer, or how far from the lymph node the cancer has spread. The two main treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma are chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma
Chemotherapy, also called chemo, is the use of medications to destroy existing cancer cells and to stop the growth of new cancer cells. Some chemotherapy drugs are given orally. Other drugs may be given by intravenous (IV) injection. Your doctor may prescribe a combination of anticancer drugs. This is called a treatment regimen. Chemotherapy regimens for Hodgkin lymphoma may vary depending on a number of factors, including how far the cancer has spread. The most commonly used regimen for Hodgkin lymphoma is called ABVD. ABVD includes four anticancer drugs:
Adriamycin (doxorubicin)BleomycinVinblastineDacarbazine
Chemotherapy is typically given in cycles. During a chemo cycle, you may be given several days to recover between treatments. You may have to go to a clinic or hospital on treatment days if you’re receiving IV chemo drugs. Chemotherapy often causes side effects, the type and severity of which depend on the types and doses of drugs used. Common side effects include:
Hair lossNausea and vomitingFatigue or extreme tirednessLoss of appetiteBleeding or becoming bruised easilyHigher risk of infections
Radiation Therapy For Hodgkin Lymphoma
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams of X-rays to kill cancer cells. If your doctor recommends radiation therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma, treatment will usually begin after you’ve completed chemotherapy. In radiation therapy, X-ray beams are focused on the lymph node or cancerous area. It’s usually given in small doses over a period of weeks to help reduce side effects. Common side effects of radiation therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma include:
Skin changes in the area that was treated (may look like sunburn)FatigueNausea
Bone Marrow Transplants for Hodgkin Lymphoma
A bone marrow transplant, sometimes also called a stem cell transplant, may be used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma that returns after the initial treatment. Doctors sometimes need to use very high doses of chemotherapy drugs and radiation to kill cancer cells. These treatments can be very effective at killing the cancer cells, but they may also destroy the bone marrow, where new blood cells grow. Stem cells taken from healthy blood or bone marrow may be transplanted to replace these damaged cells. Sometimes the stem cells come from someone else (a donor).
Clinical Trials for Hodgkin Lymphoma
Clinical trials — research studies in people — may test new treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma or new combinations of treatments that are already in use. Clinical trials help determine whether new treatments are safe and effective, and whether they work better than current treatments. By participating in a clinical trial, you may be able to receive a new drug or treatment that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to receive. Most people find out about clinical trials through their doctors. You can also find a list of clinical trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials.
