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WHAT IS SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

What is Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is carcinoma that starts in white blood cells called lymphocytes. It is also called DLBCL. It usually grows in lymph
nodes — the pea-sized glands in your neck, groin, armpits, and elsewhere that are part of your immune system. It can also show up in other
areas of your body.

DLBCL grows fast, but 3 out of 4 people are disease-free after treatment, and about half are cured. And researchers are working to make
treatments even better.

There are two types of lymphoma: Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s. They behave, grow, and respond to treatment differently. DLBCL is the most
common non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. There are several types of DLBCL.

It’s normal to have worries and questions about any serious condition. Learn about your treatment options and seek out family and friends for
support. They can help you get through the emotional and physical challenges ahead.

Causes

Physicians don’t know what causes DLBCL and other non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. They do know that you are more likely to get them if:
1)You are middle-aged or older. On average, people are diagnosed with DLBCL at 64 years old.
2)You are a man.
3)You are not Asian or African-American.

Your chances of getting DLBCL may also go up if you have an autoimmune disease, or your immune system is weakened in another way.

Symptoms

The first sign of DLBCL is often a lump in the groin, armpit, or neck. It’s likely to grow quickly and may or may not be painful. In about 40% of
people, DLBCL develops in other areas like the stomach or bowel.

You may also have:
1)Fever
2)Drenching night sweats
3)Weight reduction
4)Stomach or chest pain or pressure
5)Shortness of breath or cough
6)Itching

Your health care provider will likely take out part or all of the lymph node. That’s called a biopsy. In many cases, you can get this done as a short procedure in a hospital. You’ll be awake, and your health care provider will numb the spot where he makes a small cut to get to the lymph node. But if the lymph node is deeper inside your body, you may need to get the procedure done in a hospital while you’re “asleep” with general anesthesia.

If your health care provider thinks that swelling elsewhere in your body might be DLBCL, he will do a biopsy of that area, too. He will then check it under a microscope to look for sick cells. He also will do tests on the samples such as one that looks for special markers on the B cells.

If the biopsy shows that you have DLBCL, your health care provider will want to do more tests to find out what parts of your body the disease has affected,
such as:

Bone marrow biopsy. Your health care provider will take samples of your bone marrow, usually from the back of your hip. For this test, you lie down on a table and get a shot that will numb the area. Then your health care provider uses a needle to remove a small amount of liquid bone marrow.

Your health care provider will look at the sample under a microscope. He or she will check the size and shape of the white blood cells.

Treatment

Because DLBCL grows fast, it’s usually in more than one place in your body when health care provider finds it, so you’ll want to start treatment right away.

Whether your disease is found early or later, the treatment is usually the same.The goal is to destroy the carcinoma cells and leave healthy cells alone.

For many people, DLBCL does not return after treatment. The chance of it coming back is linked to your age, general health, the stage of your illness, and where it is on your body.

If it does return, your health care provider may suggest a treatment that combines high-dose chemotherapy with a stem cell transplant.

Stem cells are in the news a lot, but usually when you hear about them they’re referring to “embryo” stem cells that are used in cloning. The stem cells in a stem cell transplant are different. These are cells that can come from your blood or bone marrow or from umbilical cord blood and
help make new blood cells.

For DLBCL, you will get a type of procedure called “autologous stem cell transplant.” That means the stem cells that are transplanted are taken from your own body, rather than from a donor.

First, your health care provider will give you a treatment called a “growth factor” that causes your stem cells to move from your bone marrow to your
bloodstream. Your health care provider collects the stem cells from your blood. Sometimes the stem cells are frozen so they can be used later.

After the collection of your stem cells from your blood, you will get treated with high doses of chemotherapy or radiation that could last for
several days. This can be a tough process because you may get side effects such as mouth and throat sores or nausea and vomiting. You can
take treatments that eases some of these side effects.
A few days after your chemotherapy is over, you may be ready to begin your stem cell transplant. The stem cells are given to you through an IV.
You won’t feel any pain, and you’re awake while it’s happening.

It can take 8 to 14 days after the transplant for your bone marrow to start producing new blood cells. You may need to stay in the hospital for a
few weeks. During this time you may also be at risk for infection while your bone marrow gets back to normal, so your health care provider may give you antibiotics to keep you from getting sick.

You may still be at a higher risk for infection for several months after you get home from the hospital.

It’s natural to feel worried or anxious while you recover from a stem cell transplant. Your family and friends can be a great source of support. It
always helps to share your worries and fears with other people.