This entry looks at pediatric lymphoma, one of the types of lymphoma. 'Lymphoma' is an umbrella term that loosely refers to several dozen independent categorical types and subtypes of cancers of the lymphatic system.
Pediatric Lymphoma: Definition
There isn't one single disease that is called pediatric lymphoma. Instead the term is used to describe a handful of lymphoma subtypes that are found in children. These subtypes are:
Hodgkin's lymphoma
Pediatric Hodgkin's lymphoma can include patients up to the age of 22.
Burkitt's lymphoma
Burkitt's is uncommon in the US but common in Africa. It is one of the fastest growing cancers known to medicine.
Lymphoblastic lymphoma
This is a T-cell lymphoma, which means that it tends to be more difficult to treat. It represents about one third of all pediatric lymphomas.
Large cell lymphoma
This is a sub-category that includes both diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and anaplastic large T-cell cell lymphoma
Pediatric lymphoma: Symptoms
Symptoms in pediatric lymphomas are no different than they are in most other lymphomas. They include:
-- Swollen lymph nodes in the neck or groin that are rubbery to the touch and painless
-- Unexplained weight loss
-- Appetite loss
-- Unexplained fevers (lasting several months)
-- Drenching night sweats
Pediatric lymphoma: Treatment
Treatment for pediatric lymphoma will depend on several important factors, which doctors will take into consideration when planning treatment, including:
-- The lymphoma subtype
-- The stage of disease
-- The absence or presence of B symptoms
-- The age of the child
-- The presence of bulky disease
Thus treatment may include radiation, multi-agent chemotherapy, and/or immmological agents such as monoclonal antibodies. At the extreme end, treatment may involve high-dose chemotherapy followed by what's called stem cell rescue, also known as a stem cell transplant.
Sources
MD Anderson Cancer Center, Pediatric lymphoma
Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Pediatric lymphoma treatment
Medscape reference, Pediatric Lymphoma
