AIDS-Related Lymphoma
Individuals with human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, have a substantially higher risk of developing lymphoma, a cancer that begins in the immune system. With HIV, you are at least 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and at least 7 times more likely to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than those without the virus.
Doctors mark the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as one of the defining symptoms of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS. Aids-related lymphoma damages the lymph system, which helps carry white blood cells through the body to fight infections. Although non-Hodgkin's lymphoma can be either fast- or slow- growing, it is often aggressive in AIDS patients.
Fever and weight loss can accompany lymphoma, which can be detected through a physical exam or a biopsy of a lymph node.
Recently Answered
- Q What are the treatment options for AIDS-related lymphoma?
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Several treatment options are available for people with AIDS-related lymphoma. Chemotherapy drugs destroy cancer cells or stop them from reproducing. After chemotherapy, stem cells may be introduced into the body to rebuild the blood. Radiation also... Full Answer
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- Q Is AIDS-related lymphoma fatal?
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AIDS-related lymphoma can be fatal, although it doesn't have to be. For example, Burkitt's lymphoma - an aggressive cancer that usually strikes people with AIDS in Africa - kills quickly unless it is treated, but chemotherapy can cure it in up to 80... Full Answer
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- Q What are possible signs of AIDS-related lymphoma?
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Non-Hodgkin lymphoma - the most common type of AIDS-related lymphoma - can cause night sweats, unexplained fever or weight loss, or painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin, neck, underarm, or chest. Another type of AIDS-related lymphoma,... Full Answer
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- Q Should I talk to my doctor about my AIDS-related lymphoma symptoms?
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You should see your doctor if you experience night sweats, unexplained fever or weight loss, or painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin, neck, chest, or underarm. In HIV-positive people, these can signal non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a common type of... Full Answer
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- Q How is white blood cell count linked to AIDS-related lymphoma?
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If you are HIV-positive and have a low white blood cell (CD4 or helper T-cell) count, you face an increased risk of developing AIDS-related lymphoma. This cancer attacks the lymph systems of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). One type,... Full Answer
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- Q Can AIDS-related lymphoma be prevented?
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Preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can prevent AIDS-related lymphoma, as HIV infection is a prerequisite for this cancer. If you are already HIV-positive, treating the HIV infection can reduce your risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a... Full Answer
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- Q How do medications treat AIDS-related lymphoma?
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Chemotherapy drugs can destroy cancer cells or stop them from reproducing, and they are a standard treatment for AIDS-related lymphoma. These may be given as pills you can swallow, or they may be injected into your bloodstream or directly into the cancer... Full Answer
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- Q How can radiation treat AIDS-related lymphoma?
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Radiation can destroy cancer cells or stop their growth. Depending on the type of AIDS-related lymphoma and its stage (how advanced it is), you may be treated with external beams of radiation, or your doctor may implant radioactive pellets, wires, or... Full Answer
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- Q How is AIDS-related lymphoma staged?
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If you have been diagnosed with AIDS-related lymphoma, your doctor will need to judge the stage of the cancer - how advanced it is - to determine how to treat it. You may need blood tests, imaging tests (such as a CT scan or MRI), a spinal tap, or a bone... Full Answer
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- Q How does AIDS-related lymphoma affect children?
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Children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) do not typically develop cancers, but they do get non-Hodgkin and brain lymphomas more often than other children. Children usually get human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from their mother, by coming... Full Answer
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