The goal of Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment is to destroy as many of the lymphoma cells as possible and bring the disease into remission. Which treatments are right for you depends on the type and stage of your cancer, your overall health, and your preferences.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses chemicals to kill lymphoma cells. Chemotherapy drugs travel through your bloodstream and can reach nearly all areas of your body. Chemotherapy drugs can be taken in pill form or through a vein in your arm, or sometimes both methods of administration are used.
Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment usually begins with chemotherapy. It may be the only treatment needed or it may be combined with radiation therapy.
For nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma, chemotherapy is often combined with drugs that target the cancer cells (targeted therapy) and radiation therapy.
Side effects of chemotherapy depend on the drugs you're given. Common side effects are nausea and hair loss. Serious long-term complications can occur, such as heart disease, lung damage, fertility problems and other cancers.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams, such as X-rays and protons, to kill cancer cells. During radiation therapy, you lie on a table and a large machine moves around you, directing the energy beams to specific points on your body.
For Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment, radiation can be aimed at affected lymph nodes and the nearby areas where the disease might spread. It's usually used with chemotherapy. For people with early-stage nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's lymphoma, radiation therapy may be the only treatment needed.
Radiation therapy side effects include fatigue and skin redness at the site where the radiation is aimed. Other side effects depend on where the radiation is aimed. For instance, radiation to the neck can cause dry mouth and thyroid problems, such as an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Radiation to the chest can cause heart and lung problems.
Bone marrow transplant
Bone marrow transplant, also known as stem cell transplant, is a treatment to replace your diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells that help you grow new bone marrow. A bone marrow transplant may be an option if Hodgkin's lymphoma returns or doesn't respond to other treatments.
During a bone marrow transplant, your own blood stem cells are removed, frozen and stored for later use. Next you receive high-dose chemotherapy and radiation therapy to destroy cancerous cells in your body. Finally your stem cells are thawed and put back in your body where they help build healthy bone marrow.
Side effects of a bone marrow transplant include the side effects that might be caused by the chemotherapy or radiation you undergo before your transplant. In addition, you may have an increased risk of infection after your transplant.
