Hodgkin Lymphoma

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Hi I just wondered if anyone can help with a few questions I have about my son?  He was diagnosed last August aged 20 with Hodgkin Lymphoma Stage 2 Bulky Mass on his chest and neck, he's had 6 cycles of ABVD chemo.  He had a PET scan after 2 cycles and the Bleomycin was dropped.  His last chemo was 3 Feb, he waited 4 weeks then another PET scan.  We were hoping for an all clear as he seemed to respond well to the treatment with minimal side effects and has remained fairly healthy.  We had an appointment with his doctor on 13 March and were told his chest is clear, but there was still cause for concern with a small area on one side of his neck.  The doctor said he needed a biopsy 'to check if it's Hodgkins' and if it was they can treat with radiotherapy.  He's had the biopsy this morning, the radiologist told him one side of his neck seemed abnormal, but they couldn't get a biopsy from the other side as it was too close to an artery.  The questions I have are:  is there any reason why the chemo didn't get rid of all of the cancer?  If it started in his neck is this a stubborn area that needs more treatment to get rid of it?  Or is it possible the cancer went but has now started to come back in his neck again?  Thanks for any help.  

  • Hi Madge101,

    Thank you for contacting Macmillan Cancer Support. My name is David, one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.

    Sorry to hear of your son’s diagnose of Hodgkin Lymphoma and his ongoing cancer battle and symptoms.

    We have more information on Understanding Hodgkin Lymphoma which you may find useful going forward.

    The hope will be that the biopsy results will shed some light on exactly what is going on.

    It is impossible for us to give specific information about your son’s case as we don’t have access to his hospital records or test results.

    We would therefore advise to speak directly to the Haematologist or Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) if he has one. They are best placed to give you the answers you require.

    We must remember though that everyone’s cancer journey is different and unique to them, and we all respond differently to treatment.  

    The hope is that the chosen treatment plan gives the desired response which is verified by the follow up scans.

    Sometimes though, that turns out to be a partial response to the treatment or, the person has not responded to that particular regime.

    If this is the case, you normally find that the healthcare team have a Plan B or Plan C and sometimes that means trying a different chemotherapy regime or treatment approach.

    It is a good idea to explore with your son’s Haematology team what other treatment options may be suitable for him.

    Sometimes people find strength in talking to others that may be in a similar situation. Our Hodgkin Lymphoma Forum may be a good place to start.

    Alternatively, Lymphoma Action, CRUK and Blood Cancer UK are also good sources of information and support going forward.

    If there is anything else we can help you with please feel free to get back in touch

     

    Best wishes

    David, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

     

    You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.

     

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