Once you have been diagnosed with lymphoma, your life is going to go through a major change. After undergoing a series of tests, your doctor will no doubt inform you of the “stage” of the lymphoma your cancer is in and possible treatment options. With regards to the stages of lymphoma, there are four. The treatments your doctor will recommend will depend largely on what stage of the cancer you are in so knowing what each of these stages mean will help you to understand why your doctor is recommending a specific course of treatment.
Stage 1 Lymphoma
In stage 1 the cancer is still localized in a single group of lymph nodes or in 1 single body organ only. This is considered to be the early stages of the disease and treatment options at this stage can be very favorable. If it is determined that at this stage the affected areas are still small (affecting 3 or fewer lymph nodes), you have a low red blood cell settling rate (less than 50mm per hour), and you are under the age of 40, your chances of successful treatment could be very good. Since the cancer has yet to spread to other parts of the body, the treatment options can focus on only one area of the body without any threat to harming other areas.
Stage 2 Lymphoma
In stage 2, the lymphoma has begun to spread and can now be found in two or more groups of lymph nodes or in 1 group of lymph nodes and 1 body organ. In either case, the two locations where the lymphoma has been found have to be on the same side of the diaphragm. Treatment at this stage is also very favorable. As long as there are not any detectible B-symptoms it is highly likely that treatment options will be effective.
The B-symptoms to look out for are a fever over 100.4F for more than three days in a row, over 10% of original body weight lost in less than half a year, and severe night sweats.
Stages 3 & 4 Lymphoma
In stage 3, the disease has crossed over and can be found on the left side and right side of the diaphragm and in stage 4, the lymphoma has now spread to several body organs including the liver, bones, or lungs. Patients who are at these levels when considering the stages of lymphoma are considered to have advanced Hodgkins lymphoma and treatment at this point is primarily focused on improving symptoms and prolonging their chances of survival.
Living with lymphoma can be difficult but if the disease is caught in the early stages, it is possible to have a positive prognosis for recovery. No one expects to develop cancer at all, but careful attention to the early signs can make the difference between a long and drawn out recovery and struggling through years of treatment. With lymphoma, curing the disease is possible even in the advanced stages so no one should feel like there is no hope for their treatment. Medical science is making amazing strides that are giving people suffering from all sorts of lymphoma a chance at a much better future than they ever had before.
