Cancer of the lymphatic system, also known as lymphoma, hampers the germ-fighting network of the body. In this type of cancer, all the parts of the lymphatic system, such as the bone marrow, lymph glands (or the lymph nodes), and thymus gland, are under threat. Unfortunately, lymphoma has a severe effect on these areas and also affects different other organs all through the body.

There are several different types of lymphoma. However, the primary subtypes of this cancer include Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Treatment options for lymphoma
The ideal treatment option for lymphoma would depend on the type and severity of the disease. Your health and overall preferences also have an impact on the chosen treatment option. In all cases, the key objective is to destroy the cancer cells and suspend the disease from your body. 

Here are a few treatment options that the doctor might recommend.

• Active surveillance
  In some instances, lymphoma grows gradually in the body. If that’s happening, your doctor might advise you to wait. The doctor will then regularly monitor your condition, and until the disease shows any symptoms or hampers your daily activities, you can avoid further treatment options.

• Chemotherapy
  In this treatment option for lymphoma, medicines are used to combat the cancer cells in the body. The medication can either be injected in your body through the vein or given orally. It would depend on the type of medicine your body needs.

• Radiation therapy
  Under radiation therapy, exceptionally high beams of energy, such as protons and X-rays, are used to kill the cancer cells.

• Bone marrow transplant
  Stem cell transplant or bone marrow transplant involves the use of a high dose of radiation and chemotherapy to subdue the bone marrow. After this, healthy bone marrow stem cells either from a donor or from your body are infused into the blood. The blood will transport these cells to your bones and form a healthy bone marrow.

• Clinical trials
  This treatment method is appropriate for patients irrespective of their stage of the disease. Under this, careful monitoring is practiced to analyze the impact of medicines over time. Clinical trials also help in identifying a more relevant therapy for the disease.

• Other treatment options
  In some cases, the doctor will use targeted drugs to kill the abnormalities in the cells. Immunotherapy is also a successful treatment option for lymphoma, in which your body’s immune system is used to fight the disease. CAR-T cell therapy is another successful treatment method wherein the doctor will take out the germ-fighting T-cells from the body and then engineer them to fight cancer. These engineered cells are then infused in your body.