Pediatric Lymphomas Treatments: overview

Lymphoma is a malignant tumor (cancer of lymphoma) that affects the lymphatic system and cells that are part of the body’s immune system. Lymph circulates through the vessels of the lymphatic system. Lymph cells, called lymphocytes, fight infections in the body by filtering bacteria in the lymph nodes. Also, lymphocytes are found in other lymphoid tissues, for example, in the spleen, red bone marrow, in the skin.

Lymphoma occurs, like any cancer, when cells in the body, in this case, lymphocytes, begin to divide uncontrollably. As cells multiply, they collect in lymph nodes or tissues of other organs and form a tumor. Specialists distinguish two main types of pathology: 

• Hodgkin’s disease or Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lymphogranulomatosis); 
• other types of tumor, such as malignant lymphoma of the skin, collectively called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms in lymphomas can vary from case to case and depend on various factors: the location of the lesion, the size and extent of the tumor. If you notice the following symptoms in a child, you should immediately consult a pediatrician: 

• swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin; 
• the causeless decrease in body weight; 
• profuse sweating at night; 
• unreasonable fever, persisting for 3 or more days; 
• an unreasonable cough or shortness of breath.

Treatment

Tel Aviv Medical Clinic has a real team of professionals who have extensive knowledge and skills in the treatment of various pathologies in children. Our department is equipped with the latest equipment, with the help of which it is possible to identify pathology at the initial stage. Principles of treatment:

• Surgical treatment of lymphoma in children is not effective – the operation is necessary only for histological examination or is it a way to resolve complications due to tumor growth (intestinal obstruction, cholestasis, etc.). 
• Chemotherapy should be started immediately after diagnosis. For some variants of lymphoma, such as Burkitt’s lymphoma (most common in children), this is critical. 
• The use of radiation therapy is limited in pediatric practice and is only used in the treatment of advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 
• Children’s lymphomas are extremely aggressive in their biology. Therefore, very intensive therapy is needed using various cytostatics in high doses. But at the same time, the tumor is sensitive to chemotherapy (that is, it responds well to treatment).