Enlarged glands in the neck, beware of lymphoma

Lymphoma, also known as lymph node cancer, is a type of blood cancer. Lymphocytes are part of the body's immune system and function to protect the body from infection. Lymphocyte cells are in the lymphatic system which consists of the spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow, thymus gland. Lymphoma occurs due to lymphocyte cells that develop uncontrollably. These abnormal lymphocytes can develop in lymph nodes in all parts of the body, especially in the lymph nodes of the neck, armpit, or groin. These abnormal cells can spread throughout the lymphatic system and to other organs, so it is called malignant lymphoma. Malignant lymphoma is a malignant lymphocyte cell cancer. Lymphoma is a rare type of cancer, but it is the most common type of blood cancer. Lymphoma consists of two major groups, namely Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Lymphoma causes different symptoms. However, a common symptom that appears is a painless lump or swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, or groin. Other accompanying symptoms include fever, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, swelling, or a feeling of fullness in the abdomen if the lymphoma involves the organs in the abdomen. The symptoms above are indeed similar to the symptoms of other milder diseases. But if you feel these symptoms continuously and without a clear cause, you should immediately consult a doctor. Each individual can show symptoms and signs that vary.

The cause of lymphoma is damage or genetic mutations in lymphocytes. Under normal conditions, cells including lymphocytes will die within a certain time, but if there is a mutation, lymphoma cells will grow and continue to live uncontrollably. These lymphoma cells will grow and accumulate and cause swelling of the gland. These abnormal cells can also spread to other parts of the body.

Until now the cause of lymphoma is not known with certainty. However, several risk factors can increase the incidence of this disease, these factors include: 1. Increasing age, this disease is more often found in patients aged 55 years and over; 2. Male gender; 3. A weakened immune system, as in HIV/AIDS; 4 Certain viral infections such as hepatitis C, Epstein-Barr, or herpes virus; 5. Family history of lymphoma; 6. Poor lifestyle such as smoking, lack of exercise, and obesity, 7. Exposure to certain chemicals such as pesticides.

Can lymphoma be cured? The success of therapy depends on the stage and type of lymphoma. Some types of lymphoma can be treated and even reach a condition where there are no symptoms and no cancer cells are found in the body, which is known as complete remission. In these conditions, the possibility of recurrence of cancer cells (relapse) becomes very rare. In other words, patients with lymphoma can recover. Consult a specialist in internal medicine consultant blood and cancer (Hematology and Medical Oncology) about this possibility.

The goal of treatment is to destroy lymphoma cells in the body. Several treatment options are available depending on the stage of the lymphoma. Chemotherapy is a treatment using drugs to kill lymphoma cells. In addition, radiotherapy can also kill lymphoma cells using high-energy radiation. Bone marrow transplantation in certain cases is done to provide healing to the patient.