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Educate Yourself about Lymphoma
We asked members in our community how much they know about Lymphoma. The average person had little to moderate knowledge.
Keep scrolling to go from novice to expert in less than 5 minutes!
Resources below include webinars, fact sheets, and infographics from trusted partners.
Did you know?
Lymphoma is a cancer
There are over 100 subtypes of Lymphoma
Lymphoma is categorized into two main subtypes: Hodgkin & non-Hodgkin
90% of patients with stages 1 and 2 go on to survive five years or more; even patients with stage 4 have a 65 percent survival rate
Lymphoma is the most common type of blood cancer
Lymphoma accounts for nearly 1-in-5 cancer diagnoses among young people
Symptoms of Lymphoma are commonly mistaken for other diseases
Cancer survivors are significantly more likely to experience mental illness
Lymphoma affects young adults
A young adult with a Lymphoma diagnosis may have to worry about the following stressors that other age groups do not:
Changes in life plans: pausing and/or reevaluating education or career goals
Finances: paying for medical bills at their age with minimal financial security
Maintaining relationships: many adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are in a life stage that includes dating. This too may be put on pause. Some may be in a relationship and have kids. They have to navigate how the relationship will look during treatment
Long-term physical and mental health concerns: some AYA have to live with effects from treatment for the rest of their lives. For many, that will mean the better part of their life. Lymphoma survivors are at higher risk of developing other cancers and diseases down the road, as well as depression and other mental illnesses
Lowered self-esteem: treatment may cause changes in appearance and physical strength, such as:
hair loss
surgical scars
weight gain or loss
fatigue
problems with agility and balance
for more info on self-esteem issues among survivors and how to address them, click here.
Lymphoma is commonly misdiagnosed
Hematology (the study of blood diseases) is very complex and over 100 subtypes of Lymphomas exist. Even when a diagnosis of Lymphoma is correct, complexities must be identified case by case to ensure that patients receive proper treatment.
Learn about Paul Walker’s story to learn why second opinions are crucial.
Swollen lymph nodes are a common symptom for other diseases; with most viral infections (e.g., the common cold), your lymph nodes may swell. They will be tender or painful to the touch, but with Lymphoma, they are usually painless.
Other diseases commonly misdiagnosed as Lymphoma (and vice versa) include:
Infectious Mononucleosis (mono)
Kikuchi lymphadenitis
Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome
Immunoglobulin G4-related Sclerosing Disease
Click here for more info on misdiagnoses.
Lymphoma & COVID-19
Approximately 2 million cancer cases are estimated for 2022, compared to 1.8 million estimated in 2021. Almost 90,000 of those will be Lymphoma cases.
While other reasons factor in (e.g., breast cancer has been steadily increasing by 0.5% over recent years), the COVID-19 pandemic has caused people to miss cancer screenings and doctor appointments and may increase cancer rates in coming years. Now more than ever you should be aware of Lymphoma and its symptoms.
Watch this video to see how LRF is helping its communities during the pandemic.
How does Lymphoma affect me?
Every 7 minutes someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with lymphoma. It could be someone in your class, a family member, friend, or acquaintance. Maybe someone you know battled it in the past, and you had no idea. Whether you personally know someone affected or not, Lymphoma impacts every community.
Knowing what lymphoma is and what symptoms to look for could prepare you or a loved one for an expected diagnosis.