Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma DLBCL

ashsaj

Hi all, My dad has been diagnosed recently of Non-hodgkins lymphoma, stage 4. Its involving skeleton as well. Has someone gone through the skeletal involvement? He can move along or carry out his minimum activities daily or you can say take care of himself - he has no problem in walking etc. other than severe weakness, after first R-CHOP treatment has been given. 
What are the chances? is it completely curable if it involves skeleton? 

po18guy

Bone marrow?

Lymphoma is treatable at all stages. Even if it is present in the bone marrow it can be eliminated. If it is actually in the bone itself, rather than the marrow, that may require some local radiation, but that is up to doctor to decide. Nevertheless, it remains treatable. As to being "curable" that is predicting the future. We can never be 100% certain that lyphoma will not return. What we are looking for is a long-term remission. Sometimes, that remission lasts for the rest of one's life.

ashsaj

po18guy said:

Bone marrow?

Lymphoma is treatable at all stages. Even if it is present in the bone marrow it can be eliminated. If it is actually in the bone itself, rather than the marrow, that may require some local radiation, but that is up to doctor to decide. Nevertheless, it remains treatable. As to being "curable" that is predicting the future. We can never be 100% certain that lyphoma will not return. What we are looking for is a long-term remission. Sometimes, that remission lasts for the rest of one's life.

thanks alot po18guy for your

thanks alot po18guy for your response and your word
My father has been experiencing severe pain in skeleton after his first chemo - is this normal? do you have any information regarding this? 

Sandy Ray

Bone pain

if your Dad had Neulasta the bone pain is often associated with that. It is not a Chemo drug but a drug to keep white blood cell count up to reduce risk of infection. If that is the case some on this forum and others have said Claritin seems to help with that.

I took Neulasta and had some pain but nothing severe.

Sandy Ray

ashsaj

low grade fever in third week

Hi all, thanks Sandy Ray
My father was doing great in the end of second week and start of third week, but as the third week progresses low grade fever ranging from 99 degree F to 100.5 degree F started - usually at night - for first day it was almost 100 degrees - and automatically goes away in an hour or so. the next day it shoots above 100 and we have given him paracetamol - consulted oncologist as well - He suggested an immediate blood CP to check WBC counts which are in normal range - He suggested it might be due to any bacterial infection and started antibiotics - but he could not take more than one dose as it was third generation, he started throwing up today - and feeling of uneasiness and cough is increasing along with fever. 

His next chemo is on 3rd october. What concers me most is this fever, its not the same as he got before starting chemo - but is this a sign of cancer progressing? Can any one please suggest something or share any information in this regard.

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

ashsaj said:

low grade fever in third week

Hi all, thanks Sandy Ray
My father was doing great in the end of second week and start of third week, but as the third week progresses low grade fever ranging from 99 degree F to 100.5 degree F started - usually at night - for first day it was almost 100 degrees - and automatically goes away in an hour or so. the next day it shoots above 100 and we have given him paracetamol - consulted oncologist as well - He suggested an immediate blood CP to check WBC counts which are in normal range - He suggested it might be due to any bacterial infection and started antibiotics - but he could not take more than one dose as it was third generation, he started throwing up today - and feeling of uneasiness and cough is increasing along with fever. 

His next chemo is on 3rd october. What concers me most is this fever, its not the same as he got before starting chemo - but is this a sign of cancer progressing? Can any one please suggest something or share any information in this regard.

Bone pain

As Sandy Ray mentioned above, his bone pain may well relate to a drug he is probably receiving called Neulasta, which  encourages WBC production in the bone marrow.  Neulasta gave me severe back pain by the next morning, but I have had a broken back and severe arthritis, so the pain reaction was expected in my case. My doctor later lowered me to half-doses.

Whilte Blood Cell levels commonly oscillate (go up and down) while on chemo at differnt points in the cycles. This commonly causes fevers.  But any fever above 100.5 requires that you call his oncologist.

I was put in the hospital for two days immediately after my first infusion due to fever.  I received a huge amount of antibiotic as a precautionary, but I had no infection, just a low WBC count.  Heavy antibiotic application often causes nausea, and in fact it gave me Red Man Syndrom -- I turned blood red all over -- which it took a week of Benadryl to clear.

Realize that these issues are common, but you will have to pester the oncologist for relief. Fever in a cancer patient cannot be ignored.

max