Before Treatment
It's important that your doctor is experienced in treating patients with Hodgkin lymphoma or works in consultation with a Hodgkin lymphoma specialist. This type of specialist is usually called a hematologist oncologist.
Finding the Best Treatment Approach
The goal of Hodgkin lymphoma treatment is to cure the disease.
The treatment your doctor recommends is based on several factors, including:
- your disease subtype
- your disease stage and category
- your overall health and whether you have any conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, diabetes or anemia
- whether you're pregnant
As you develop a treatment plan with your doctor, be sure to discuss:
- the results you can expect from treatment
- potential side effects, including long-term effects and late-term effects
- the possibility of participating in a clinical trial, where you'll have access to advanced medical treatment that may be more beneficial to you than standard treatment
Other Treatment Considerations
If you're age 60 or older, your treatment may vary from standard approaches. For instance, your body may not be able to tolerate toxic chemotherapy drugs or you may have other ailments that are more common as we age. These factors, among others, may make choosing a treatment more complicated.
If your child is being treated for Hodgkin lymphoma, therapy may differ slightly from that of the average adult. See Childhood Hodgkin Lymphoma.
