Uses for Radiation in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Radiation uses high-energy rays such as x-rays to treat cancer
- It may be part of the treatment for early-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma, both as a first treatment and at the time of relapse
- Radiation can be used to relieve symptoms from faster-growing sites of disease
- There are clinical trials combining radiation with novel therapies such as checkpoint inhibitors
- Radiation side effects include skin changes, fatigue, nausea, and diarrhea
Radiation uses powerful energy rays such as x-rays to stop cancer cells from growing. Doctors use it in a variety of ways for non-Hodgkin lymphoma:
- As part of the treatment for early-stage (stage I or II) lymphoma
- As part of the treatment for faster-growing lymphomas
- As a way to relieve symptoms
- As a definitive treatment for relapse at a localized site
Radiation on Its Own
When lymphoma relapses only in one area, or it’s in a few spots that are close to one another, radiation can be used as a definitive treatment. Stage I and II lymphomas respond very well to radiation. But typically, higher doses of radiation are required to treat areas of cancer that didn’t respond to treatment the first time around, Dr. Pinnix says.Experimental Radiation Treatments
Some uses for radiation are so new that they haven’t yet made their way into cancer clinics. If you want to try one of these new treatment combinations that includes radiation, you’ll need to enroll in a clinical trial. “Currently, we have a study combining radiation with a checkpoint inhibitor for patients with refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma,” Dr. Pinnix says.Checkpoint inhibitors are a type of immunotherapy. They help activate your immune cells to find and attack your cancer. Radiation therapy may increase the effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitors, boosting your body’s immune response and increasing the proliferation of cancer-fighting immune cells to help you fight the cancer more efficiently.
Radiation Side Effects
Although radiation is less likely to make you lose your hair than chemotherapy, it causes its own side effects. Some of the most common ones are:
- Skin redness, blistering, peeling, and other changes
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Mouth and gum sores
- Trouble swallowing
Which of these side effects, if any, that you have depends on what part of your body is exposed to the radiation. Having radiation along with another treatment such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy can increase the number of side effects. Before you get radiation treatment, ask your doctor what to expect, and how to manage any side effects you do develop.
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