Understanding your diagnosis Dr Graham Collins Consultant Haemtologist Oxford University Hospitals
Common questions I get asked What is lymphoma? What subtype do I have and what does that mean? What are the symptoms of lymphoma? What causes lymphoma (why me.?) How common is lymphoma? What stage of lymphoma do I have? How is lymphoma treated? What is my life expectancy? What new treatments are coming through?
What is lymphoma? Good question!
What is lymphoma? It s not at all obvious.. Breast cancer cancer of the breast! Colon cancer cancer of the colon!
So what is lymphoma? Is it a cancer? Yes! What is it a cancer of? The lymphatic system
What is my subtype?
What are the different types of lymphoma? Lymphoma: cancer of lymphocytes Hodgkin Lymphoma Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma T-cell NHL B-cell NHL High Grade Low grade Diffuse Large B-cell CLL Burkitt Follicular Lymphoblastic Marginal zone
Low grade NHL Slowly progressive Increases with age - never seen in children Without treatment, may live for many years Treatment variable: aingle agent chemo, multiagent chemo, antibodies, radiotherapy Follicular lymphoma Marginal zone lymphoma Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma Usually no cause some exceptions e.g. gastric MALT Generally NOT considered curable with chemotherapy
High grade NHL Rapidly progressive Increases with age but do see in children Without treatment, survival only months Treated with combination chemotherapy (+ monoclonal antibodies) Diffuse large B- cell lymphoma Burkitt Lymphoma Lymphoblastic lymphoma Usually no cause - HIV is a risk factor Fequently curable with chemotherapy
Why are there so many different types? Naïve B-cell Transitional B-cell Follicular B-cell Spleen Marginal zone B- cell Memory B-cell Lymph node Stem cell Germinal centre Mantle zone Antigen presentation Bone marrow Plasma cell
How do we tell what subtype it is? A biopsy is vital to get the right diagnosis There are 2 main types of biopsy: 1. Excision biopsy (the node is taken out under a quick general anaesthetic) 2. Core biopsy (a thin apple-core is taken out under local anaesthetic using an ultrasound or CT maching to guide the needle).
Pathologists a key part of the team
What a pathologist sees Follicular lymphoma Classical Hodgkin lymphoma Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma Special antibody-based stains and sometimes genetic tests are used to confirm the diagnosis
What are the symptoms of lymphoma?
Usually symptoms are due to a lump Neck lump I felt it when I was shaving Chest lump I can t stop coughing when I lie flat Brain lump I got lost on my way home from work
Other symptoms Almost anything B symptoms : fever, weight loss, drenching night sweats Fatigue (tiredness) Itch Alcohol induced pain Rash
What causes lymphoma?
What causes lymphoma? For most cases we just don t know Factors which increase the risk: Reduced immune system (e.g. after a transplant) Infections: HIV, Helicobacter pylori, EBV Inflammatory diseases (e.g. sjogren syndrome, thyroiditis) Certain medications (e.g. methotrexate) POSSIBLY certain toxins e.g. pesticides
How common is lymphoma?
How common is lymphoma? Approx 16,000 new cases each year
Who gets lymphoma? Non-Hodgkin Increases with age Hodgkin Commonest in young
Is it getting more common? Yes! And we don t know why
What stage do I have?
Staging is with a PET or CT
Staging by PET Stage I Stage II Stage III Stage IV
How is lymphoma treated?
It depends. Not everyone needs treatment: watch and wait is standard management for low grade lymphoma without symptoms Hodgkin and high grade lymphoma nearly always needs treatment: chemotherapy + antibody therapy +/- radiotherapy Low grade lymphoma treatment is more variable: more gentle chemotherapy (one or more drugs); nearly always antibody treatment Stem cell transplants are needed for some relapsed lymphomas (and rarely as first line treatment)
Chemotherapy Unlike many other cancer, chemotherapy is very effective in lymphoma and has saved many thousands of lives All thanks to chemical weapons!
Antibody treatment (rituximab) Complement proteins Effector T-cells Direct cell kill
What is my life expectancy?
Survival with lymphoma is improving!
Example: follicular lymphoma
What new treatments are coming through?
A lot of new treatments are being tested! 1. New (and hopefully improved) antibodies 2. Antibodies with chemotherapy on the end 3. Antibodies with radiotherapy on the end 4. Drugs which target molecules which lymphoma cells need to stay alive 5. Immune system cells which are engineered to attack lymphoma cells
Summary Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system It is complicated because lymphocytes have a complicated life cycle Hodgkin and non-hodgkin is the broadest division It is the 5 th commonest cancer It affects young and old It is getting more common (and not just because we re all getting older!) For most people we cannot identify a cause Survival with lymphoma is improving When it s needed, treatment is with chemotherapy and antibody therapy (sometimes radiotherapy) Lots of new treatment are being tested in trials
Thank you for listening