Today's post discusses lymphadenopathy and lymphoma; plus its differences. Lymphadenopathy is the condition of immune system glands that usually enlarge in response, to a bacterial or viral infection. It can be referred to as swollen lymph nodes, which makes the whole body feel a viral infection is attacking it. For myself, lymphadenopathy was my diagnosis in October 2006. But, my hematologist did not give me this diagnosis until lymphadenopathy disappeared 100% from my body in May 2007. It was my friend, Dr. NJ that told me I was diagnosed with this medical condition in December 2006/January 2007. He works in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in Los Angeles. In this second paragraph, let's look at why Lymphadenopathy is not considered to be cancer. If a person has swollen lymph nodes at .7 mm (millimeters), then it's considered mild. Once you get to 1 full MM, then the primary care physician can issue tests to you for cancer. The first test is a biopsy, and this one is standard to see if you have any cancerous tissue. With myself, the biopsy was not recommended since the lymphadenopathy disappeared. With lymphadenopathy, doctors might recommend you go through an endoscopy or colonoscopy. Next, let's look at Lymphoma. Lymphoma is cancer that begins in infection-fighting cells of the immune system. The infection fighting cells are called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes tend to grow out of control, and this step is the main cause of lymphoma. The main types of Lymphoma are Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (often termed as NHL). Treatment may involve chemotherapy, medication, and radiation therapy. In addition, Hodgkin's lymphoma is known for three main symptoms in the body. The three primary symptoms are night sweats; weight loss; and fever. Night sweats can appear in lymphadenopathy, but they will go away in less than 9-10 months. Lymph nodes can be swollen in the neck, arm, groin; or other body parts. For surviving Hodgkin's lymphoma, this feat can be done through various forms of treatment. Hodgkin's lymphoma can happen to a person when they are fairly young (19) or old (75 and above age bracket). In this penultimate paragraph, let's discuss the case of Paul Allen and non-hodgkin's lymphoma. Paul Allen was the owner of Portland Trailblazers and Seattle Seahawks (NBA team and NFL team), but he's known for founding Microsoft in 1975 with William Gates III. Paul Allen died in 2018 from his fight with non-hodgkin's lymphoma. At age of 65, the demise of the billionaire Allen hurt many in the sports world; technology world; and venture capital world in different ways. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in the lymphatic system, and tumors can come into the body's system. Tumors can be malignant or benign. In closing, Lymphoma and lymphadenopathy are medical dilemmas that cannot be taken lightly. A person may not know that they have either condition for months, unless they see a primary care physician. It is best to get treatment as quickly as possible. Human life is so precious, that time can only tell how long a person stays on this planet. My final statement is to be safe; be resilient, and take care of your body. Hope you learned valuable information about both medical dilemmas. Enjoy the photos of Paul Allen, the founder of Vulcan Ventures. In the second photo, Bill Gates is to the left of Paul Allen.
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