Paediatrics Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Treatment

There are different types of treatment for children with Hodgkin lymphoma. The primary treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma are immunotherapy, chemotherapy, stem-cell transplant and/or radiation therapy. These therapies may be used alone or in combination with one another.

  • Chemotherapy - Chemotherapy is the primary treatment and standard of care for Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses one or more drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or preventing them from dividing. Cancer treatment using more than one chemotherapy drug is called combination chemotherapy
  • Targeted therapy - Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells. Targeted therapies usually cause less harm to normal cells than chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
  • Immunotherapy - Immunotherapy is a treatment that uses the patient’s immune system to fight cancer. Substances made by the body or laboratory boost, direct, or restore the body’s natural defences against cancer.
  • High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant - In selected cases, high doses of chemotherapy are given to kill cancer cells. Healthy cells, including blood-forming cells, are also destroyed by cancer treatment. Stem cell transplant is a treatment to replace the blood-forming cells. Stem cells (immature blood cells) are removed from the patient's or donor's blood or bone marrow and are frozen and stored. After the patient completes chemotherapy, the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion. These reinfused stem cells grow into (and restore) the body's blood cells.

Involved site radiotherapy may be advised in early diseases to target the areas that harbour the tumour and sometimes in advanced cases. The doctors may recommend External beam radiation therapy as and when required and deliver them over 2 - 4 weeks.

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