Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

By Woodrow Underling

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) represents a diverse group of cancers caused by exposure to benzene that encompass any lymphoma with the exception to Hodgkins lymphoma. Although several types of non-Hodgkins lymphoma are known, they are generally characterized by the rate at which they progress.

Lymphoma is a rare cancer type which is a derivative of one type of white blood cells called lymphocytes. Extensive research paved the way to the discovery of a number of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma subtypes throughout the years, however they are still grouped primarily based on their aggressiveness and progression rate.

Non-hodgkin lymphoma's less-aggressive forms can be categorized with a number of varying chronic diseases, which have the possibility of lasting for an undetermined number of years subject to the treatment's effectiveness. Non-hodgkin lymphomas can be treated using a combination of monoclonal antibodies, radiation, immunotherapy, hematopoictic stem cell transplantation and chemotherapy.

Patients with less-aggressive forms of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma suffer from the disease for an extended period of time; the aggressive form, on the other hand, can lead to death in only a short span of time.

Lymphoma Linked with Benzene Exposure

Lymphoma is a cancer type that originates from a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes. The first form of lymphoma was discovered and classified by a British physician named Thomas Hodgkin in 1832.

The Rappaport Classification, which was projected by Henry Rappaport, became the acknowledged categorization of lymphomas other than that of Hodgkin's between 1956 and 1966. NHL then proceeded in the assistance of the definition of three other lymphoma types, shortly after the Rappaport Classification's publication in 1982.

Doctors and experts in recent years have considered the presence of a common denominator linking benzene and lymphoma. Commonly used in drugs, rubbers and pesticides, benzene is a chemical that has been recognized as a carcinogen.

A large percentage of people who have been exposed to benzene experienced the development of some form of leukemia, leading to a huge modification in their lives; in some cases, those lives were also taken. Exposure to this carcinogen over a lengthy period of time can result to a number of health problems, often with the sufferer not having enough information of the risks involved.

Symptoms of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkins lymphoma can cause a variety of symptoms, such as:

*Lymph nodes that are swollen but without pain

*Night sweats

*Abdominal swelling and pain in the chest

*Unexplainable loss of weight

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