World Lymphoma Awareness Day 2022: Causes, symptoms, prevention tips, treatment of Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system and although it is a serious disease, if treated right it can be prevented. This World Lymphoma Awareness Day 2022, here's all you need to know about its causes, symptoms, prevention tips and treatment

To raise awareness on cancers of the lymphatic system, World Lymphoma Awareness Day is marked annually around the world on September 15 and was initiated to raise public awareness of all lymphoma subtypes in terms of symptom recognition, early diagnosis and treatment. The global initiative is hosted by the Lymphoma Coalition where the day is dedicated to raising awareness of lymphoma, an increasingly common form of cancer.

Lymphoma is a form of cancer which develops in the immune system's cells that resist infections. These cells, known as lymphocytes, are present in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus and other organs and in addition to various organs throughout the body, lymphoma can affect all of those places.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Parveen Jain, Senior Consultant and HOD Medical Oncology at Aakash Healthcare, explained, “Lymphoma develops in lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell. These cells are important for the body's immune systems and support in disease prevention. There are two main type of lyphoma Hodgkin's lymphoma (formerly called Hodgkin's disease) and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.”

Taking about the symptoms and treatment options, he revealed, “This disease causes symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss, itchy skin and persistent fatigue. Depending on the type and severity of the disease, treatment options for lymphoma may include chemotherapy, immunotherapy drugs, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplantation or a combination of these.”

According to Dr Parveen Jain, “The best way to prevent lymphoma is to maintain a healthy weight, stay physically active and adopt a healthy eating routine that includes lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains while limiting or avoiding red and processed meats, sugary drinks and highly processed foods.”