Military Officer - November 2008 - (Page 50)

askthedoctor Hodgkin’s Disease This form of lymphatic cancer is best treated when it is diagnosed early. Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, D.O., tells you more about recognizing and treating Hodgkin’s lymphoma. T Early Detection Is Key to Treatment ■ If you have any signs or symptoms of Hodgkin’s disease — especially a painless new lymph node without other signs of infecton — see your health care provider. he lymphatic system includes a maze of ducts and nodes that help ﬁght infection. Lymph, ﬂuid that contains white blood cells, ﬂows through these channels. If you have a routine infection, you might be able to feel lymph nodes in the groin, under the armpits, and around the ears and neck. The tonsils, thymus, and spleen also are part of the lymph system. Lymphomas are classiﬁed into Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. Microscopic examination of tumor cells is required to distinguish them. Hodgkin’s lymphoma, also called Hodgkin’s disease, is less common — each year, about 8,000 people are diagnosed with Hodgkin’s, while 60,000 people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. (To learn more, see the December 2008 “Ask the Doctor” column). Hodgkin’s lymphoma usually affects “B-cells” — a type of white blood cell. For reasons that are still unknown, a B-cell can change and become an abnormal, malignant cell, called a Reed-Sternberg cell. These Reed-Sternberg cells multiply and continue to grow, but they are unable to ﬁght infection. As time passes, ReedSternberg cells overwhelm the population of B-cell lymphocytes. Patients in the early stages of Hodgkin’s lymphoma might show few symptoms. General symptoms include unexplained weight loss, frequent or continual fever, night sweats, itching, and increased fatigue. Often at least one lymph node swells and stays swollen but does not hurt. One or more persistent, painless lymph nodes is a warning sign that should be assessed by your health care provider. Diagnosing lymphoma begins with a general physical exam. A blood test can assess the number and types of white and red blood cells, while a chest X-ray can identify enlarged lymph nodes and other masses in the chest area. A speciﬁc diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma requires a biopsy (removal of tissue, usually a lymph node). Diagnosis is conﬁrmed if examination of the node under a microscope reveals the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. An MRI, CT scan, or PET scan and often a bone marrow biopsy can help determine whether lymphoma is localized or has spread to other parts of the body. These tests, along with additional blood work and the patient’s overall condition, can stage the disease and determine treatment options. Chemotherapy is systemic and can kill abnormal cells throughout the body. Radiation therapy is localized and can reduce the size of a large tumor and kill cancer cells that have formed a mass. Both therapies require multiple treatments over a period of weeks. If the disease recurs after treatment, the patient’s own bloodforming cells might be removed, treated to remove any cancer cells, and transplanted back to the patient. MO — Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, USPHS-Ret., D.O., M.A., is vice president, Health Sciences, Battelle Memorial Institute, Arlington, Va. Find more health and wellness resources at www .moaa.org/wellness. For submission information, see page 18. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT 50 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2008 http://www.moaa.org/wellness http://www.moaa.org/wellness

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - November 2008

Military Officer - November 2008 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Chapters in Action Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Financial Guidebook Out of the Red 7 Year-End Tax Strategies Cover Story: Memory Survives Something to Say MOAA Scholarship Recipients Pages of History Faces of MOAA Information Exchange Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - November 2008

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