Understanding Your Lymphoma Treatment Options

A lymphoma diagnosis can bring uncertainty and may feel like a turning point. But it also opens the door to answers, support and a personalized treatment path. Today, there are more options for treating lymphoma than ever before. Many people go on to live full, healthy lives with the right care.

What Is Lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in the lymphatic system — part of your immune system. It affects the body’s ability to fight infections and diseases.

There are two main categories of lymphoma.

• Hodgkin lymphoma typically involves a specific type of cell called the Reed-Sternberg cell.
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common. It includes many subtypes with different growth patterns and treatment responses.

Understanding your specific type of lymphoma is key to choosing the right treatment plan. Want to learn more about the differences between lymphoma, leukemia and other blood cancers? Read about these blood cancers and how they differ.

How Do Cancer Doctors Choose The Right Lymphoma Treatments?

“Treatment decisions depend on many factors,” said Samantha Levering, a Franciscan Health nurse practitioner who provides care at Indiana Blood & Marrow Transplantation (IBMT). “These include a patient’s age at diagnosis, the stage of disease — or how far it has spread — and whether any genetic markers are present that affect how the cancer behaves.” These markers can help determine whether newer therapies, like immunotherapy, may be more effective than traditional chemotherapy. During immunotherapy, the body uses its own immune system to boost its natural defenses to fight cancer cells.

Immunotherapy is changing the outlook for patients with certain types of lymphoma.

What Are The Treatment Options For Lymphoma?

At Franciscan, we build your lymphoma treatment around you, your health, your goals and your life. For some, the most effective treatment goes beyond chemotherapy. It may include stem cell transplant and CAR T-cell therapy. Only a handful of centers in Indiana, like Franciscan Health’s Indiana Blood & Marrow Transplantation Program, offer these treatments.

• Allogeneic stem cell transplant uses stem cells from a donor. We may consider this treatment for patients with aggressive or relapsed lymphoma.
• Autologous stem cell transplant uses a patient’s own stem cells, collected before high-dose chemotherapy, to help rebuild healthy blood and immune cells.
• CAR T-cell therapy is a personalized treatment that reprograms your immune cells to find and attack cancer. We typically use this therapy for certain types of lymphoma that haven’t responded to other treatments.
• Chemotherapy is often a first-line treatment for lymphoma. It uses powerful medications to destroy cancer cells throughout the body. We may combine it with immunotherapy or targeted therapy based on your diagnosis.

Your care team will help determine whether these treatments are appropriate based on your health, goals and type of lymphoma.

How Does Your Type Of Lymphoma Affect Your Treatment?

The type of lymphoma you have plays a key role in shaping your treatment plan — and your outlook.

“Some types of lymphoma are more aggressive or harder to treat, depending on the kind of cells involved,” said Levering.

Some lymphoma types may respond very well to cancer treatment and have high cure rates. Knowing your exact type helps your care team choose the treatment that works best.  It also reduces the risk of overtreatment.

What Treatments Give Lymphoma Patients The Best Chance Of A Cure?

Some types of lymphoma respond better to treatment than others. Your age, overall health and whether this is your first diagnosis can also impact the outcome.

“If someone has other health conditions, they may not tolerate treatment as well,” said Levering. “And if a patient has had multiple relapses, it can be harder to treat over time.”

That’s why early, personalized treatment is so important.

“Our team is passionate about building a plan that fits each person, because no two people are the same,” she said.

When Is A ‘Watch And Wait’ Approach Recommended?

We don’t need to treat all lymphomas immediately. “Watch and wait” — also known as active surveillance — may be a suggested approach for certain slow-growing lymphomas. This is especially true if a patient does not have symptoms.

“We monitor the patient closely with regular visits and scans,” said Levering. “If anything changes, we’re ready to begin treatment.”

Your cancer care team may use this approach between treatment phases or if you need to improve your health before beginning therapy.

How Does Franciscan Health Support Lymphoma Patients In Indiana?

“We’re able to offer immunotherapies that require extra certifications and close monitoring, like BiTE therapy (Bispecific T-cell engager) and CAR-T cell therapy,” said Levering.

These advanced lymphoma treatments aren’t available in every cancer center. They require experience and expertise to manage their side effects.

The entire team, from doctors and pharmacists to nurses and nurse navigators, is specially trained to guide you through diagnosis, treatments and recovery safely and with compassion.

“Our ability to offer this high level of care — right here in Indiana — means more patients can stay close to home to receive cutting-edge treatments. We’ve seen patients return to work, spend more time with family and regain a sense of normalcy,” Levering said. “That’s why we do what we do.”