Hodgkin's Disease

WHAT IS HODGKIN'S DISEASE?
Hodgkin's disease is a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, which is a part of the body's immune system. It can occur in both, adults and children. Lymph nodes gets enlarged for many reasons. A few simple tests conducted by your doctor, will help him determine the cause of the disease.

WHO ARE AT A GREATER RISK OF GETTING HODGKIN'S DISEASE?
People with certain medical conditions, like autoimmune diseases, HIV and organ transplant are at a higher risk of getting Hodgkin's disease. Certain inherent genetic conditions or environmental factor might trigger this disease. Hodgkin's disease can also be precipitated with the onset of certain viral infections like Ebstein bar virus.

HOW IS HODGKIN'S DISEASE DIAGNOSED?
The common symptoms of Hodgkin's disease are lumps in the body (enlargement of the lymph nodes) generally near the armpits, night sweats and itching. It is diagnosed by a biopsy of the lymph node. During the biopsy, the endeavour is to get enough tissue, to be sure of the diagnosis. Also, if you have Hodgkin's disease, your doctor needs to know exactly which type you have.

Excisional biopsy : This type of biopsy is commonly used. Your surgeon will remove the entire node (excisional biopsy). If the node is near the skin surface, it can be done with local anaesthesia, but if it is inside the chest or abdomen, general anaesthesia is used. This method usually provides enough tissue to make a diagnosis of the exact type of Hodgkin's disease.

THE TREATMENT OPTIONS
In recent years, many advances have been made in treating Hodgkin's disease. Most of the patients diagnosed during their early stage are cured with chemotherapy and / or radiation therapy. The treatments for Hodgkin's disease are based on the stage of the disease. However, factors that are unique to an individual, may alter standard therapy. Some of these factors include the person's age, general health and the type, stage, and site of the disease. After Hodgkin's disease is staged, the cancer care team will discuss the treatment options.

The treatment options for Hodgkin's disease are :

Chemotherapy

Radiation therapy

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs for killing cancer cells. The drugs can be taken orally, in pill or in liquid form. They can also be injected into a vein under the skin or in a muscle. Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, which means the drugs enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout your body to reach and destroy cancer cells. Multiple drugs are always used in chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease, because different drugs kill cancer cells in different ways.

Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy kills or shrinks cancer cells by using high-energy rays (such as X-rays). The radiation may come from outside the body (external radiation) or from radioactive materials placed directly in the tumour (internal or implant radiation). External beam radiation therapy is usually given in daily doses, 5 days a week, for few weeks. If Hodgkin's disease recurs after initial treatment, it can be treated with further chemotherapy, stem cell and bone marrow transplant.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THE TREATMENT ?
Unwanted side effects may sometimes occur, as cancer treatment can damage healthy cells and tissues. These side effects depend on many factors, including the type and extent of the treatment. The common side effects are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, hair loss etc. These side effects are temporary and go away with time. There can also be some long term complications like premature menopause, infertility or heart or lung damage. Most of the side effects are manageable.

PAIN MANAGEMENT
The management of pain is an integral part of cancer therapy. Medication are the cornerstone of cancer pain treatment, and their use is aimed at providing the greatest pain relief possible with the fewest number of side effects and the most ease of administration. Your doctor will prescribe a medication that ensures maximum pain relief. Sometimes your doctor might recommend some interventional procedures like surgery and / or injections.

FOLLOW UP CARE
In cancer treatment, follow up care is an essential element of the overall treatment plan. Regular checkups will be advised to detect any changes in your health as early as possible.

CANCER CARE AT ARTEMIS
At Artemis Health Institute state-of-the-art facilities are available for cancer diagnosis, treatment, follow up care and rehabilitation. These include advance imaging technologies such as a PET Scan, DWIBS and 3TMRI for diagnosing cancer. The hospital is also equipped with state-of-the-art radiation therapy such as Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) and Brachytherapy.

Prostate

Cervix

Head and neck

Breast

Gallbladder

Uterus

Vagina

In temporary brachytherapy, the radioactive material is placed inside or near a tumour for a specific amount of time and then withdrawn. In temporary brachytherapy, a delivery device, such as a catheter, needle or applicator is placed into the tumour using fluoroscopy, ultrasound or CT to help position them. The physician may insert the radioactive material at the same time remotely through the delivery device, and later remove the material and delivery device. Temporary brachytherapy can be administered at a high-dose rate (HDR). AHI has HDR Brachytherapy from Nucletron, Model Microselectron HDR.X.

Diseases:-
The oncologists at AHI are equipped to treat various kinds of cancers, including but not limited to:

• Larynx
• Colorectal Cancer
• Hodgkin's Disease
• Leukaemia
• Prostate Cancer
• Oesophagus Cancer
• Oral Cancer
• Thyroid Cancer

Special Care Units / Diagnostic Equipment / Facilities

• Diffusion Weighted Whole Body Imaging with Background Body Signal (DWIBS)
• 3 Tesla MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
• Mammography System
• PET Scan
• Advanced CT Scan (64-slice CT)
• PET-CT Fusion Technology
• Dual Head Gamma Camera
• Brachytherapy
• Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) - the first in North India

Team of Specialists:

• Dr Ranga Rao Consultant- Medical OncologyView Profile

• Dr. Deep Goel, Gastrointestinal Surgeon Consultant- Surgical OncologyView Profile

• Dr Subodh Pandey Consultant- Radiation OncologistView Profile