B-cell lymphoma is the general term for several forms of cancer affecting the cells of the lymph system, which fights off infections in the body. Taken together, these cancers account for most cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Treatment for B-cell lymphoma varies according to its severity and the specific type of cancer present.
Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBC) is curable in a large number of cases. Basic treatment for the disease centers on the simultaneous use of four chemotherapy drugs: cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone. Doctors refer to this combination of drugs as CHOP. CHOP treatment is typically combined with rituximab (Rituxan), one of many monoclonal antibodies, which are special antibodies designed in a laboratory to fight specific diseases. This five-drug formula is referred to as R-CHOP.
The length of R-CHOP treatment varies according to the stage of cancer. If your DLBC is in stage one or stage two, you may be treated with a combination of R-CHOP and radiation. In these cases, R-CHOP is usually given for three months. If your cancer is in stage three or stage four, you will likely receive R-CHOP by itself for a six-month period. Your oncologist (cancer doctor) may also prefer other chemotherapy compounds.
All medications used in B-cell lymphoma treatment come with significant risks. Consult your oncologist for a full discussion of any treatments he may prescribe.
Follicular Lymphoma
Follicular lymphoma is both slow-growing and hard to cure. If you have this form of cancer, your oncologist may choose to delay treatment until you begin to suffer symptoms. If this is true for you, this period of "watchful waiting" may extend for several years. Once you need active treatment, your doctor may choose between several combinations of chemotherapy and monoclonal antibodies. In addition to the R-CHOP regimen, a separate combination of cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (CVP) is sometimes used. Newer types of radioactive monoclonal antibodies such as tositumomab (Bexxar) or ibritumomab (Zevalin) may also be used, either by themselves or in combination with chemotherapy drugs.
Lymphocytic Lymphoma
Chronic lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) also are slow-growing and hard to cure. Watchful waiting is frequently employed in their early stages. If you need active treatment for these cancers, chemotherapy will be used, sometimes in combination with rituximab or a second monoclonal antibody called alemtuzumab (Campath).
Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Mantle cell lymphoma is slow-growing, but also can be fatal in just a few years. For this reason, it is treated aggressively. Most of these cancers are discovered at stage three or later, and are treated with some combination of rituximab and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy is also used if stages one or two are found. Mantle cell cannot typically be cured, and your doctor may suggest you enter an experimental clinical trial if this lymphoma is present.
Additional Lymphomas
Additional forms of B-cell lymphoma include nodal lymphoma; splenic marginal zone ; extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma; Burkitt lymphoma; primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma; and hairy cell leukemia. Consult your oncologist for more information on the treatments used for these illnesses.
Tags: B-cell lymphoma, zone B-cell lymphoma, marginal zone, marginal zone B-cell, monoclonal antibodies, these cancers, zone B-cell