Is lymphoma contagious?

Written by Wu Xia
Oncology
Updated on September 02, 2024
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Current research has not found lymphoma to have a very clear genetic predisposition or familial clustering. This is entirely different from familial breast cancer and colon cancer. Although there are many causes of lymphoma, and it is likely related to certain bacterial and viral infections, the mechanism of tumor occurrence is very complex. Infection is only one of the external factors, and currently, there is no evidence that lymphoma has tendencies for contagion or outbreaks. Therefore, as a relative of a lymphoma patient, the risk of developing lymphoma is not significantly higher than that of the general population, so there is no need for excessive worry.

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Early symptoms of lymphoma

The early symptoms of lymphoma involve the painless enlargement of both superficial and deep lymph nodes, most commonly located in areas such as the neck, armpits, and groin. Of course, lymphoma also presents with systemic symptoms, such as fever, night sweats, weight loss, and skin itching. Since lymphoma commonly occurs in the neck, armpits, and groin, if it develops in other areas, such as the lungs or elsewhere, it may cause respiratory symptoms, including coughing, expectoration, and shortness of breath.

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How is Hodgkin's lymphoma treated?

The treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma is based on various factors including the stage of the disease as well as the general condition of the patient, among other comprehensive considerations. For patients with early stage Hodgkin's lymphoma, commonly referred to as localized Hodgkin's lymphoma, the treatment principle is a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A rational comprehensive treatment can achieve a five-year survival rate of 80% to 90%. For advanced-stage patients, such as those with stage IV Hodgkin's lymphoma, the treatment primarily consists of systemic chemotherapy. Therefore, the choice of a specific treatment plan must also consider a variety of factors based on the patient's overall condition.

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What are the early symptoms of lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a malignant tumor of the hematological system, with early symptoms including painless enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck, which are generally well-movable and firm or hard in texture early on, without inflammatory changes such as redness, swelling, heat, or pain. Additionally, lymphomas occurring in the gastrointestinal tract can clinically present with symptoms such as upper abdominal fullness and discomfort, bloating, nausea, recurrent acid reflux, and belching. Lymphomas occurring in the respiratory system can manifest clinically with symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath after activity, and chest pain. Lymphomas occurring in the brain can cause dizziness, headaches, movement disorders, ataxia, and abnormal gait.

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What department should lymphoma go to?

Lymphoma can be treated in the departments of hematology or oncology, where chemotherapy for lymphoma can be conducted by both. In our hospital, radiotherapy is performed in the oncology department, not by the hematology department, which only provides chemotherapy. If lymphoma has not been confirmed and there is only superficial lymph node enlargement clinically, then examinations such as ultrasound or PADCT suggest the possibility of lymphoma. In such cases, patients can visit the general surgery department for a lymph node biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. After confirmation, the patient can register in either the hematology or oncology department for further treatment.

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What is lymphoma Ki-67?

Lymphoma Ki67, also known as the proliferation index, is one of the indicators in immunohistochemistry performed after the pathological diagnosis of lymphoma. If this proliferation index is higher, it indicates that the activity of the tumor is stronger, and its proliferation is more active, thus the tumor should be given sufficient attention. Of course, active treatment should be pursued. Therefore, Ki67 reflects the activity of a tumor; if the index is very high, greater than 90%, it sometimes implies that the tumor can grow very rapidly, or not only grows significantly but might also spread to many places.