Co roofer in the United Kingdom, Stephen Lea leads an active life when he begins to feel strong back pain in 2023. Nothing alarming, he believes first. He puts his pains on the account of his physical profession. But the embarrassment becomes persistent. “C” was around October 2023, we had just went to Venice for my girlfriend’s birthday and I had back pain. I thought it was normal wear and tear due to work “he tells Liverpool Echo.
Seeking to relieve the pain, he tries some adjustments in his routine, without success. “”I was lying on my back for ten minutes to try to calm her down. But it became really serious“. The doctors he consults evoke a muscular origin. It is only after several months and an MRI made in January 2024 that a diagnosis falls, as brutal as it is outstanding: it is a non -Hodgkin’s lymphoma of stadium 4.
Non -Hodgkin’s lymphoma, immune system cancer
Non -Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) is cancer of the immune system cells, more precisely lymphocytes. It represents approximately 90 % of cases of diagnosed lymphomas. In France, nearly 28,000 new cases were estimated in 2018, according to Roche data. Although this type of cancer is more common in people over 60, it can affect younger adults.
“”They are essentially distinguished according to the appearance of cancer cells under the microscope. Hodgkin lymphomas show a particular cell type: the Reed-Sternberg cell. This is absent in non-Hodgkin’s forms“, explained to us in a previous article Dr. Marc Bollet, oncologist and radiotherapist at the French Breast Institute.
The lymphatic system, made up of lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels, spleen, thymus and bone marrow, is essential to the defense of the organism. When lymphocytes become cancerous, they disrupt this defense and can spread throughout the body.
Lymphomas are very heterogeneous: some are indolent (slow evolution), others aggressive (rapid progression). The most frequent type is diffuse large B cells (LDGCB), of aggressive form but often sensitive to treatments.
Symptoms, treatments and life expectancy: what to know
Symptoms of non -Hodgkin’s lymphoma vary depending on the location of cancer: swollen lymph nodes, abdominal pain, persistent fatigue, shortness of breath, unexplained fever, night sweats, significant weight loss … They can go unnoticed, which delays the diagnosis.
“”A lymph node or tissue biopsy is the keystone of the diagnosis“, Recalls Dr. Bollet. Examinations such as MRI, CT scan or PET make it possible to assess the spread. In parallel, a blood test and sometimes a bone marrow puncture are carried out.
The treatment depends on the type, stage and general condition of the patient. Therapies often combine chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy and, in some cases, stem cell transplant or car-t therapies. “”Current treatments have considerably improved the prognosis “underlines the specialist.
Stephen, for his part, benefited from six cycles of chemotherapy. “”During this period, I had the impression that there was a good chance of remission“, He explains. Unfortunately, the treatments were not enough to stop the progression of the disease.
In general, life expectancy varies strongly depending on the type of lymphoma. Some patients can live more than 15 years with well -monitored indolent lymphoma. For aggressive forms, the chances of healing depend on the response to treatment: diffuse large B cells, for example, displays healing rates of 60 to 70 %.