Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Treatment at Jefferson
If you are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the experienced team at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson can carefully guide you through available treatment options depending upon your specific type and the disease stage.
Treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma usually involves radiation therapy, chemotherapy, bone marrow and stem cell
transplantation or a combination of these four
types of treatments. Bringing together the expertise of Jefferson oncologists, pathologists, radiation therapists and radiologists, your medical team will help you weigh the benefits and risks of each treatment so you can
choose the option that is best for you.
If a bone marrow and/or stem cell transplantation is recommended specialists in Jefferson's transplant program are pioneering efforts to reduce complications of transplant procedures, such as a potentially fatal reaction called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in which the donor marrow attacks its new host.
The standard method for preventing GVHD, which involves delivering chemotherapy drugs prior to transplantation, can weaken the immune system, which may cause infections and even secondary cancers. Through this novel procedure developed at Jefferson, chemotherapy drugs are administered after the introduction of T cells but before stem cells are given. As a result, GVHD-causing cells are killed, while sparing cells that restore the immune system. In clinical trials, this approach is bringing individuals lacking well-matched donors quicker, broader access to transplants with better results.
The Kimmel Cancer Center's physicians and scientists have helped pioneer new approaches to cancer treatment by translating scientific discoveries into improved patient care. Our physicians are experienced in using the most advanced treatment methods and technologies and are at the forefront of developing new chemotherapies. Jefferson is also home to the Bodine Center for Radiation, the region's busiest radiation oncology center and one of the largest programs for cancer treatment in the Delaware Valley.
Additionally, we will provide you and your family a support network that includes specially trained nurses, educators, fellow patients and cancer survivors. Among the wide variety of support programs offered at Jefferson is our Buddy Program, which matches cancer patients with trained volunteer cancer survivors who have been through treatment themselves. These volunteers provide one-on-one support either over the telephone or on-site in the waiting area at the Bodine Center for Radiation Therapy/Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. You can also access services to meet your emotional and psychological needs during your course of treatment through the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine.