Q: My 16 year old was just diagnosed with lymphoma. I am very scared. Obviously, I am devastated over this, but mostly I am worried about the treatments and how she is going to handle this. What are the basic treatments for lymphoma, and what are the side effects of the treatments.
A: That is terrible. It is so hard to see your children sick, and especially with a cancer diagnosis. The good news is that many forms of lymphoma in children are very treatable, with very high cure rates for many types of lymphoma. The most common treatment for lymphoma in children is chemotherapy. Other treatments for cancer, such as surgery or radiation therapy are less commonly used in this type of cancer in children.
Since chemotherapy affects the fast growing cancer cells, it also affects any fast growing cells in the body, such as hair, and the inner lining of the GI tract. Many patients will lose their hair and one of the most common side effects is nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Children may also have fatigue, and not be able to eat enough calories.
To learn more about cancer in kids and chemotherapy, watch this video on VideoMD.com.
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