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Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma- Watch & Wait Approach
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Oct 7 11:27am | Replies (234)Comment receiving replies
@beckyjohnson Thank you for answering.
Everyone I know with lymphoma has had treatments. I had no symptons it was actually found on a fluke. I was getting a CT scan for another reason and a few lymph nodes near my aorta were swollen. I let the DR biopsy them and the found the wording a few follicular lymphoma cells in the lymph nodes.
Since that time the Lymph nodes have gone down in size. I have had 7 CT scans and each and every CT scan since the lymph nodes have gone down in size. Which leads me to believe that some Lymphomas lay dormant.
Are there other people where the lymphoma has remained dormant their whole life?
Or is the watch and wait a newer way to asses the disease? Cause I am thinking this disease would be considered a chonic condition instead of a cancer?
Replies to "@beckyjohnson Thank you for answering. Everyone I know with lymphoma has had treatments. I had no..."
@travelgirl Now I'm curious as to the term chronic because it makes sense being that one's lymph system may be benignly affected for a very long time. I will get back to this after some in depth research.
@beckyjohnson I read in a publication called "The Pathologist" that there was a possibly a chance that follicular lymphoma could be reconsidered as a chronic disease instead of a cancer, cause it tends to go into remission or dormat for years.
My family Dr said he has a patient that is has been 20 yrs and no sign of the disease progessing since he was diagnosed.
In the magazine 'The Pathologist" they published a story Called "The Many Faces of Follicular Lymphoma" written by German Ott. I think you have to sign up with that magazine to read it. That is where I saw the thought of making this a chronic disease.
@travelgirl When I was researching HTLV (required test for blood & organ donors) I learned that early detection has gone down while acute diagnosis has gone up. Is it likely the chronicness of the disease tripled with rising insurer expenses & insurance policy limitations contribute to this reversed trend?
@ginpene05 This is a perfect example of the physician/ practice maneuvering the ins/ outs of insurance guidelines. Fortunately for you & yours your doctor was willing & capable of going that extra mile it takes to get beyond the unremarkable results to the root of symptoms & treatment. Awsome.
I have been told it is a wait and watch disease. However I soon will be 75 and that may be part of the decision. I hpe not!
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I was also having routine testing, an endoscopy because of chronic nausea and weight loss, when a node was found. The biopsy was unremarkable, but the Md insisted to the insurance company that I needed a Pet scan. It showed an egg shaped mass in the small intestine. It was removed with resection of part of the small intestine, and the biopsy showed both indolent follicular and large diffuse lymphoma. So I had surgery. They said I had Stage 1 NHL and recommended chemo, which I did. Now they say I am cured. But I think that if it had only been follicular that they might have suggested the watch and wait. I know it is scary not to have them throw everything they've got at it, but I also hear lots of folks do the more conservative approach. As long as the nodes are shrinking, I would probably watch and wait, too. I hope you contine to do well. gp