Hodgkin Lymphoma Case Study

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Hodgkin and non Hodgkin Lymphoma

When cells in the lymphatic system grow at an abnormal rate, it creates a malignant tumor, Cancer. Hodgkin lymphoma and Non- Hodgkin lymphoma are both cancers that originate in white blood cells, in the lymphatic system. The system is responsible for fighting infection, bacteria, viruses, and removing damaged cells by producing lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell that is important to the immune system; they decide how the immune system will respond to infections or any an familiar organism). The system also communicates with the blood circulatory system by transporting lymph (a clear fluid that carries lymphocytes, waste, and excess fluid from tissues back into the blood system through the thoracic duct.)
If B-cell and T- cell are identified under a microscope then it is Non- Hodgkin lymphoma. If Reed - Sternberg cell is present then it is Hodgkin lymphoma. There are different tools to diagnose these cancers and different options of treatments. One treatment that was approved by the FDA (food and drug administration ) seems to have greater success in the fight against Non Hodgkin lymphoma. Most Patients treated with only Chemotherapy will reach remission at some point but eventually will die. However the development of new treatment where chemotherapy or radiotherapy are given in addition to Monoclonal Antibodies have a higher rate of success in defeating the cancer all together. Monoclonal Antibodies are laboratory engineered molecules that are engineered to attach to a specific protein that is found only in B-cell. The immune system task is to fight invaders, however it does not always recognize the cancer as a harmful invader and does not attack it. The Monoclonal Antibody are directed to attach to a specific part of the cancer, marking the cancer cell as harmful and making it easy for the immune system to identify it and destroy it. Scientists are looking to to find out the reason lymphocytes turn into cancer, why they grow fast or live longer then they should. Once this is understood the focus will be on finding a cure for the disease. There are new drugs being tested on patients and studies are being done on how to improve steam cell transplant, and new drugs are being tested. A cure may be out of reach for time being but treatments and research are advancing every

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