Follicular lymphoma comprises almost 30% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). It originates in the lymphatic system and often grows or progresses slowly, but it can cause several complications that impact overall health.
Follicular lymphoma can also transform into a more aggressive type of lymphoma, such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This leads to more rapid disease progression and needs more intensive treatment.
Complications from lymphoma progression can cause diverse symptoms and can be identified by healthcare professionals based on labwork, physical examination, and directed questioning.
Follicular lymphoma cells can infiltrate the bone marrow, leaving less space for healthy blood cell production. This can cause:
Yes, since follicular lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the immune system, patients are more susceptible to infections. In addition, undergoing treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy, can weaken the immune system, making it harder to fight off infections.
Yes, sometimes follicular lymphoma cells can spread to the internal organs because they can exit the lymphatic circulation, causing different symptoms depending on the affected organ:
Yes, patients with follicular lymphoma are at an increased risk of developing secondary cancers due to the long-term immune system suppressive effects of treatments and the disease itself. These can include other types of lymphomas or solid tumors.
Living with a chronic illness like follicular lymphoma can lead to significant psychological and social challenges, this is why building a community, being a self-advocate, and keeping yourself informed and aware of your disease can help to empower yourself. Patients with similar conditions shared the following challenges:
Find additional resources at Healthtree for Follicular Lymphoma to help you navigate these. For example, you can read our article on Mindfulness Lymphoma Patients or learn from other patient’s experiences, like Nicky Greenhalgh, who shared her story with us.
If the gastrointestinal system is affected or side effects of treatments like nausea and vomiting interfere with your regular diet, you may experience poor nutritional intake, leading to deficiencies and weight loss.
There are ways to eat a nutrient-rich diet to avoid this complication, we have a comprehensive article here.
Understanding follicular lymphoma complications is crucial for tracking your health and improving your quality of life.
You can actively participate in self-advocacy by staying informed about updates on follicular lymphoma with our biweekly newsletter!
Source:
Follicular lymphoma comprises almost 30% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). It originates in the lymphatic system and often grows or progresses slowly, but it can cause several complications that impact overall health.
Follicular lymphoma can also transform into a more aggressive type of lymphoma, such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This leads to more rapid disease progression and needs more intensive treatment.
Complications from lymphoma progression can cause diverse symptoms and can be identified by healthcare professionals based on labwork, physical examination, and directed questioning.
Follicular lymphoma cells can infiltrate the bone marrow, leaving less space for healthy blood cell production. This can cause:
Yes, since follicular lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the immune system, patients are more susceptible to infections. In addition, undergoing treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy, can weaken the immune system, making it harder to fight off infections.
Yes, sometimes follicular lymphoma cells can spread to the internal organs because they can exit the lymphatic circulation, causing different symptoms depending on the affected organ:
Yes, patients with follicular lymphoma are at an increased risk of developing secondary cancers due to the long-term immune system suppressive effects of treatments and the disease itself. These can include other types of lymphomas or solid tumors.
Living with a chronic illness like follicular lymphoma can lead to significant psychological and social challenges, this is why building a community, being a self-advocate, and keeping yourself informed and aware of your disease can help to empower yourself. Patients with similar conditions shared the following challenges:
Find additional resources at Healthtree for Follicular Lymphoma to help you navigate these. For example, you can read our article on Mindfulness Lymphoma Patients or learn from other patient’s experiences, like Nicky Greenhalgh, who shared her story with us.
If the gastrointestinal system is affected or side effects of treatments like nausea and vomiting interfere with your regular diet, you may experience poor nutritional intake, leading to deficiencies and weight loss.
There are ways to eat a nutrient-rich diet to avoid this complication, we have a comprehensive article here.
Understanding follicular lymphoma complications is crucial for tracking your health and improving your quality of life.
You can actively participate in self-advocacy by staying informed about updates on follicular lymphoma with our biweekly newsletter!
Source:
about the author
Jimena Vicencio
Jimena is an International Medical Graduate and a member of the HealthTree Writing team. She has a passion for languages and is currently learning Japanese. In her free time, she loves playing with her cats. Jimena is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in journalism.
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