Lymphoma and Stem Cells
A lymphoma is a cancer that originates in the lymph glands or other organs of the lymphatic system. There are many different variations of the disease but the two main types are Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).[1]
Lymphomas are rare; in the UAE, Hodgkin lymphoma had a prevalence of 0.91 per 100,000 and non-Hodgkin lymphoma of 1.9 per 100,000 in 2022.[11]
The condition can be treated in a number of ways including: chemotherapy, radiotherapy, biologic therapy, and stem cell transplant.[4]
Lymphoma Facts
- Around 1 in 5 HL cases occur in children, teenagers and young adults (up to age 24) [5]
- 1 in 10 HL are diagnosed in people aged 75 and over [2]
- Lymphoma survival is improving, with 5-year survival rates reaching 88% for HL and 73% for NHL [3]
- NHL (all subtypes combined) accounts for more than half of lymphomas diagnosed in children. It accounts for around a third of lymphomas diagnosed in teenagers and young adults [6]
Lymphoma and Stem Cells
In cases where high doses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used to kill lymphoma cancer cells, a stem cell transplant is used to replenish blood-forming stem cells which may be lost during the treatment.
While both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants can be employed to treat HL and NHL, autologous transplants tend to be the preferred option.
Stem cells already play a vital role in the treatment of lymphoma and their role could be amplified further still. At the time of writing there are 1233 clinical trials investigating the role of stem cells to treat the condition.[7]
References
- http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/lymphoma/
- https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/hodg.html
- https://lymphoma.org/understanding-lymphoma/long-term-survivorship/
- http://www.lymphomafacts.org/site/c.gtJSJbMUIuE/b.1268805/k.16F1/Lymphoma_Treatments.htm
- http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/hodgkin-lymphoma#heading-One
- http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/non-hodgkin-lymphoma#heading-One
- https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=lymphoma+stem+cell&Search=Search
- Frontiers in pediatrics, 7, 443. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2019.00443
- Lancet (London, England), 399(10322), 338–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00057-5
- Lancet (London, England), 399(10322), 372–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02017-1
- https://gco.iarc.who.int/today/en
The information contained in this article is for information purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of a medical expert. If you have any concerns about your health we urge you to discuss them with your doctor.
