Mick
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 Posted: 03/02/06 - 03:48 Post subject: |
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Hello there! The most common symptoms of Hodgkin’s disease resemble flu. Lymph nodes get swollen, a person may suffer from fever, fatigue and night sweats and then a tumor forms. Other indicators could be unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite and itching. Lymph nodes usually swell in the neck, underarm, or groins.
Diagnosis is made by performing a biopsy and searching for the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells that are specific for this kind of disease. Doctors may order additional blood tests, CT scans or MRI scans.
The treatment and prognosis depend on the several factors like age, symptoms, stage of the disease, sex (males are more prone to the disease), and overall health condition. The treatment is indicated for destroying malignant cells and for bringing the disease into remission.
A person would fall into the risk group for developing Hodgkin’s disease if they had a family history of the disease, if they were infected with Epstein-Barr virus like infectious mononucleosis, and if their immune systems were compromised.
As for the prognosis, it is said that Hodgkin’s disease is the most curable of blood cancers. Like with any other disease, the earlier discover, the better survival rate.
It is said that over 75% newly diagnosed patients get cured by a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. |
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