Spleen lymphoma is a dangerous cancer disease. Such a diagnosis indicates the appearance of a tumor in the tissues of the spleen. The occurrence of this pathology is considered a rare occurrence. Distinctive features of this disease are the slow pace of development and the complexity of the treatment, due to the absence of symptoms in the early stages of the disease. What you need to know about this disease and is it possible to get rid of it forever?
Lymphoma
The medical term "lymphoma" is understood to mean a serious disease in which pathological processes occur in the organs of the lymphatic system (lymph nodes, spleen). To understand the essence of the disease, it is necessary to study in more detail the work of this system of the human body.
The lymphatic system is represented by lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes and the spleen. With the help of these organs, lymph is produced and transported throughout the body (a colorless liquid).
This system plays an extremely important role.
- Barrier. With the flow of lymph from the organs, pathogenic bacteria, viruses and other pathogenic microorganisms that enter the human body are eliminated.
- Nutritious. Useful substances that are absorbed in the intestine are distributed by lymph to all organs and tissues.
- Immune Pathogenic microorganisms from the outside are quickly eliminated by lymphocytes and excreted from the body.
Lymphoma is said if an accumulation of mutated lymphatic cells appears in the organs of the lymphatic system. They rapidly divide and cease to fulfill their tasks, as a result of which the whole organism breaks down.
Types of spleen lymphoma
In medicine, it is customary to distinguish several types of this disease. Among them are the following forms:
- follicular;
- B-cell;
- T cell
- diffuse large cell.
Differentiate the disease based on the cells involved in the pathological process.
In 1994, scientists introduced another term, "lymphoma of the marginal zone of the spleen." To understand the significance of this form of the disease, you should study the structure of the organ in more detail.
70-80% of the spleen consists of red pulp - its basis is a special connective tissue, veins and other anatomical structures. The remaining 20-30% of the spleen is a white pulp. It contains a large number of lymphocytes. The space separating these departments is called the marginal zone. If cancer cells affect this area, the disease is referred to as marginal splenic lymphoma.
Causes of the disease
Research in this area is given special attention. Despite this, the exact causes of the development of lymphomas have not yet been identified. At the same time, there is a theory according to which oncological diseases of the spleen arise due to a sharp weakening of immunity.
Quite often, patients with spleen lymphoma develops against the background of the following pathologies:
- Epstein-Barr virus;
- human immunodeficiency virus (HIV);
- hepatitis.
In some cases, lymphoma of the lymphatic system acts as a secondary cancer. In other words, these are metastases of a tumor of other organs.
Symptoms
The main danger of this type of cancer is the absence of symptoms at an early stage. A person can live for several years without suspecting a serious illness. Among the first symptoms of spleen lymphoma are:
- fatigue;
- decreased performance;
- increased sweating of the body;
- state of apathy and depression;
- general weakness.
People usually do not pay much attention to such symptoms. These conditions are associated with an accelerated rhythm of life, a lack of vitamins, and frequent stresses.
With the further development of the disease, there are:
- a feeling of heaviness in the stomach and intestines;
- possible stool disorders;
- increase in body temperature;
- sleep disturbances (drowsiness or insomnia);
- persistent irritability;
- lack of appetite;
- sudden weight loss.
Laboratory tests for diagnosis
During the initial visit to the clinic, the doctor examines the patient's complaints and conducts an examination. During it pay attention to the lymph nodes and the general condition of the patient. In this case, the doctor necessarily gives a referral to a general blood test.
Among the important indicators:
- hemoglobin - its level should be in the range of 120-160 g / l;
- white blood cells - the normal content ranges from 4 thousand / ฮผl to 9 thousand / ฮผl;
- platelets - the permissible amount is 180-320 thousand / ยตl.
An increased level of leukocytes and a decrease in other indicators indicate pathological changes in the body. However, diagnosis cannot be made solely on the basis of blood tests. Hardware research required.
Ultrasound for oncology
Ultrasound for splenic lymphoma is considered one of the most informative diagnostic methods. With it, doctors receive data on the condition of the spleen, its size, the presence or absence of a tumor in it.
The advantage is that pathology can be detected even when the tumor is small. In addition, in the presence of metastases to other organs, they will be detected. If a pathology is detected, additional tests are prescribed to the patient.
CT and MRI
If tumor diseases are suspected, the patient is prescribed computed and magnetic resonance imaging. Thanks to these hardware studies, it is possible to obtain a three-dimensional image of the spleen and tumor inside it (if any). In this case, doctors receive data on the exact location of the neoplasm, its size and shape. These indicators will be extremely important for further treatment (including surgery).
During CT and MRI, all metastases in the human body located in the soft and bone tissues are detected.
Biopsy
The most accurate diagnosis can be obtained after a biopsy. Under this term is the procedure for extracting a sample of tumor tissue. Spend it with a long thin needle.
After tissue extraction, they are sent to the laboratory for histological examination. By the result of the diagnosis, the nature of the tumor (whether it is malignant) and its type are revealed.
The basic principles of treatment
For each case, the methods and methods of treatment are selected individually. In this case, the doctor must take into account the following features:
- form of lymphoma;
- stage of the disease;
- patient age;
- accompanying illnesses.
In most cases, the emphasis is on complex therapy, which may include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.
Observation
Active treatment of splenic lymphoma is not always required. So, when identifying a tumor of the marginal zone, oncologists recommend constant monitoring. This is explained by the slow development of the neoplasm and the absence of pronounced symptoms.
In the case of the transformation of this form of the tumor into an aggressive one, treatment is started using surgery, chemo- and radiation therapy. The main requirement when choosing such a position is the strict observance of the recommendations of the oncologist and the regular passage of diagnostic procedures.
Surgery
This approach refers to radical methods of therapy. Despite the development of medicine and the development of many methods of treating cancer, surgery remains the most effective. The spleen removal procedure is called splenectomy.
Its essence is to remove the spleen with a tumor located in it. The nearby soft tissue may also be excised. This is necessary if the tumor has already gone beyond the organ and spread to neighboring tissues.
Complete removal of the organ blocks the further development of the disease. An important requirement is the elimination of all pathological cells. The presence of at least a small tumor focus increases the risk of relapse (re-development of the disease).
Most often, surgery is combined with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of splenic lymphoma with the use of drugs. This method is often combined with surgery to consolidate the effect and reduce the risk of relapse. The principle of operation of these medicines is reduced to the destruction of the structure of pathological cells. As a result, cancer cells lose their ability to divide.
The appropriate medicines for the patient are selected by the doctor. They may take the form of tablets or an intravenous solution. Recently, a new generation of drugs with minimal side effects has gained wide popularity. However, they give a high percentage of cure.
Forecast
This diagnosis is a cancer, therefore, with spleen lymphoma, doctors try to abstain from treatment forecasts. In each case, there are certain characteristics.
The maximum chances for a complete cure are those patients in whom oncology was detected in the early stages. Here, the patient survival rate reaches 90%. It is for this reason that the early diagnosis of lymphoma with damage to the spleen plays an important role.
Another important factor in predicting is the form of the disease. The maximum chance of cure is for patients who have a marginal zone tumor. She has the least aggressiveness and slow pace of development.