Survival Rate - Hodgkins Lymphoma

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Hodgkins Lymphoma is a type of cancer which affects the lymphatic system. The disease spreads by affecting the lymph nodes progressively in a systematic order. The main characteristic of this cancer is the presence of cells which are called Reed-Sternberg. This disease is known to happen in the adolescent years and young adulthood, and also to people in the age group of 50 to 70 years. It is found to be more in males than among females. The symptoms are usually swelling of lymph nodes which is painless, in the armpit, groin or neck areas. If such swellings are accompanied by weight loss, fever which keeps recurring, constant coughing, and breathing difficulty, then it is an almost sure sign of having this disease. Earlier the detection and treatment, the better are the chances of survival, as this type of cancer is considered to be the most curable.
With the advancement in medicines and other therapeutic technology, the survival rate in Hodgkins lymphoma has increased substantially. In the early 60s, 40% of the patients used to survive for five years. This has changed dramatically to little over 86% in the period between 1999 and 2005. In cases where the patient's age was below 45 years, the percentage was 91.8. As of 2009 it was recorded that there is a population of 148, 461, in the United States, who are living with this disease.
The children's survival rate for hodgkins lymphoma is 95.5 percent, for a period of approximately 5 years. These children are in the age group, between a new born to 14 years. In children the treatment given is usually chemotherapy and in some advanced cases the dosage is quite high. To increase the survival rate many are given stem cell transplants, so that the new cells are formed in place of the ones which were destroyed during the treatment. Sometimes surgery also is performed to remove the diseased tissue.
The treatment will generally depend on the stage to which the Hodgkins Lymphoma has developed. Patients having the first and second stage, are treated by radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Taking into consideration various factors and coming up with the right treatment, a person having Stage 1 or 2 of hodgkins lymphoma can survive for a minimum of 10 years. In cases of, stage 3 and 4 affectation, the chemotherapy is more intense, and 5 years of survival is possible among 60% of the patients.
The survivors of this disease, have special needs and they should be taken care of properly. There should be regular medical follow-ups, accompanied by the different tests. It is of importance that the patient regularly talks to his doctor, and keeps him informed of any change in health conditions. The survivors of Hodgkins Lymphoma are always at a risk of getting different types of primary cancer. The study of the development of fresh cancer among survivors, has been going on for a long time and has been properly documented. This information helps the doctors, and the survivors can discuss all the preventive measures that can be taken.

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