Health Medical Information

This type of cancer causes abnormal white blood cells (lymphocytes) to circulate in the lymph system. The lymph system form a network of ducts throughout the torso with minor amounts of ducts in the limbs. This cancer causes tumors to randomly develop anywhere in the lymph system. Given the predominance of the lymph ducts and node in the torso, tumors develop primarily in this region. The tumors may develop in many of the organs – lungs, liver, and intestines are common locations.

At stage 4, tumors have developed in one of the organs. This situation makes it a little more difficult to target the tumor because the types of chemotherapy most effective for tumors in the lymph system is not necessarily the best drug for treating tumors in some particular organ, so compromises or riskier treatments are sometimes necessary to attack the cancer in multiple locations. That means the treatments are harder on the patients.

With this type of cancer, the side effects of chemotherapy are often very severe. The docs sometimes need to literally give the patient as much of the chemotherapy as they can without killing the patient. The patients usually need at least two rounds of chemotherapy to knock the cancer into remission.

If your sister responds well the first one or two rounds, then the out look is very good. She will probably need to be monitored closely for several years to see if any cancer cells return. Many times the cancer reappears after several years and another round of chemo is needed.

There is sometimes a very big decision to make – whether to go with a bone marrow transplant or not. This decision is crucial – with this approach it is all or nothing – it kills all the cancer cells but sometimes kills the patient because the immune system must be completely shut down for week or two. Find out all you can about the options.

I think the others here have given you the info you need. I have a cousin battling that disease now and he is younger than I. He joined a web site I would be happy to send you a link to if you feel it would be helpful. He is able to post on it to keep all his family up to date and it was free. he sends almost daily updates as our family is spread out all over and we can send him messages of support…for him and his wife and children.
You and your sister will be in my thoughts.
keep us posted and know we are here for you if/when needed.