Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment — and Beyond

Doctors divide up non-Hodgkin lymphoma into two groups based on how quickly it grows. Indolent lymphomas such as follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, and small cell lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) grow slowly.

Aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas grow and spread quickly, and need prompt treatment. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma “is the most common form of aggressive lymphoma that there is," Dr. Jain explains. "This type of lymphoma is often curable by chemotherapy, in combination with an antibody called rituximab."

Therapy for this subtype of lymphoma can lead to very good health outcomes. When people finish their therapy and go into a complete remission, that remission may last for a very long time, he tells SurvivorNet. "We think that people are cured in that sense when they have a long-term complete remission."

What Life May Look Like After Treatment

If patients have not experienced too many complications from their therapy, "they are often able to go back to many of the same things that they did before they had their diagnosis of cancer," Dr. Jain says, "and are able to live full and complete lives."

If the cancer does return at some point, any future treatment you get will depend on:

• The type of lymphoma you had
• The type of treatment you received for it
• How long it has been since you finished treatment
• Your overall health

Making a Survivorship Care Plan

So what's next after successful treatment? "At that point we often focus on the survivorship issues that they may have, preventing second cancers, and properly following them," Dr. Jain says.

A survivorship plan will include a schedule for follow-up exams and tests, plus a schedule for tests to check for any long-term health impacts from your cancer or treatment, and screening for any new cancers. (You’re at higher risk for cancers such as melanoma, lung cancer, and kidney cancer if you’ve had non-Hodgkin lymphoma).

Your doctor will likely tell you what to look out for in terms of side effects that could show up late or over the long term. Your care team will provide you with diet and physical activity recommendations as part of your survivorship plan.

Moving On From Treatment

It’s natural to feel continuing mental health effects, such as depression and anxiety, even after your treatment ends. This is where you can benefit from a supportive community. Look to strengthen your relationships with friends and family, faith groups, support groups, and mental health professionals to buoy you as you move on from treatment.

In addition to caring for their mental health, people who finish treatment and are in complete remission will want to move on from cancer with a physically healthy lifestyle. Eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, staying at a healthy weight, and not smoking are all lifestyle practices that generally contribute to a healthy quality of life.

Indeed, the cancer and its treatment might naturally point survivors in the direction of such practices. "Mostly [we're] trying to maximize the quality of life that people have, because once you have a cancer diagnosis, I think it is an important time in someone’s life where they can take stock and really understand what’s important,” Dr. Jain says.

 

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