Lymphoma

Main article: Cancer (cancer)

Incidence

According to the data for 2024, the structure of oncology lymphoma accounts for 3-4% of all malignant neoplasms in adults, and 10% of cases in children, ranking third in frequency after leukoses tumors. brain

As of 2023, more than 25,000 new cases of lymphoma are diagnosed in Russia every year - this is about 4% of all malignant tumors. As a rule, lymphoma develops in people over 55-60 years old.

American scientists have found that the increase in the level of lymph diseases depends on race, place of residence and gender. Black people are most susceptible to this disease (9 people per 1 million per year), Asians - 4.9, and white-skinned - 6.1.

In men, this disease is more common than in women.

Risk factors

The exact causes of lymphoma for 2023 are not known, but there are some risk factors. Among them:

• increased likelihood of developing lymphomas with age,
• presence of infections (HIV infection,
• Epstein-Barr virus,
• HelicobacterPylori infection,
• infection with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus,
• autoimmune diseases,
• use of immune-suppressive therapy (often after organ transplantation),
• immunodeficiency diseases.

Exposure to toxic chemicals during agricultural work and in other activities with toxic chemicals such as: pesticides, herbicides, benzene.

According to British scientists, people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis in the presence of 2 or more affected joints are more at risk of developing lymphoma.

People with a small level of selenium in the blood also fall into the risk group.

The American Journal of Epidemiology expressed the opinion that hair dye also increases the danger of developing this disease. If hair is dyed more than 1 times a month, then the risk of the disease increases to 26%. Dark paint is recognized as the most harmful.

Symptoms of lymphomas

Symptoms of lymphoma:

• Lymph node enlargement
• Increase in body temperature above 37 C
• Headache
• Perspiration
• Cough, shortness of breath
• Skin itching
• Weight loss
• Increased fatigue
• Loss of appetite

If these symptoms are preserved for several weeks, it is necessary to consult a doctor without fail.

2 types of lymphomas

There are 2 types of lymphomas: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

Mortality

2023

If lymphoma is detected at an early stage, it can be cured in 80% of cases.

According to 2023, over the past 10 years, thanks to modern drugs, mortality from lymphomas in Russia has decreased by 27%.

2022: Mortality from lymphatic and hematopoietic tissue decreases in Russia, up to 6.6 thousand people

In September 2024, it became known that in Russia there is a decrease in mortality from cancer of lymphatic and hematopoietic tissue. In 2022, this type of cancer caused the death of 6.6 thousand people, which is 5.1% of all deaths from malignant neoplasms in the country. According to clinical recommendations, this type of cancer ranks eighth most common among cancer and was diagnosed in 27.8 thousand people in 2022.

According to the Pharmaceutical Bulletin, a significant decrease in mortality is associated with the introduction of new treatments, including targeted therapy, which has dramatically changed the approach to treating blood cancer. Previously, the prognosis for such patients was unfavorable, however, thanks to the use of modern drugs, it became possible not only to prolong the life of patients, but also to significantly improve its quality. These drugs allow patients to maintain their ability to work and lead an active lifestyle.

According to the president of the All-Russian Society of Oncohematology "Assistance" Lilia Matveeva, targeted therapy was first used in the early 2000s and had a revolutionary impact on the treatment of oncohematological diseases. Drugs targeting specific genetic changes in cells significantly improved patient survival and made long-term retention of remission possible.

The main success in the fight against leukemia was the development of drugs that affect genetic mutations, such as the Philadelphia chromosome. This chromosomal mutation, first described in the 1960s, disrupts cell division processes, leading to the development of chronic myeloid leukemia. As a result of the emergence of drugs such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, it became possible to slow the development of the disease and increase the survival rate of patients.^[1]

Prevention

As of 2023, Swedish scientists have established that tanning (vitamin D) has protective properties against the onset of lymphoma.

Treatment

Lymphomas progress rapidly and aggressively, but are treatable with early detection and access to current therapies.

2024: New CAR T-cell therapy copes with lymphoma even after relapse. People are already recovering

In mid-July 2024, researchers at Stanford Medical University presented new data on CAR-T cell therapies that help some patients with intractable lymphoma even after relapse. Read more here