Lisa Diller, MD, takes a closer look at long-term side effects in survivors of childhood Hodgkin lymphoma and other related cancers.

A lymphoma diagnosis is a stressful and often overwhelming time for most people. During the initial days to weeks there are many health professionals to meet, tests and scans while treatment is being organised, all while you are still trying to come to terms with your diagnosis. You are also provided with a lot of education about your treatment and the possible side effects that you may have for the treatment of lymphoma.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy for the treatment of lymphoma can also affect fertility. For many young people having children may be the last thing you want to think about right now. But it is important to discuss your fertility with a specialist who can help you to understand the long term effects of your treatment. They can discuss the options that are available to you before starting cancer treatment and the follow up after treatment.

Lymphoma Australia were pleased for A/Prof Kate Stern, a leading specialist in fertility preservation for people undergoing cancer treatment in Australia, to speak to us about what is fertility, fertility preservation and the options available to young patients receiving treatment for lymphoma. Kate heads the fertility preservation at Melbourne IVF and The Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne. The information provided in this video will hopefully help you understand fertility preservation and to help you make decisions that are right for you.

Lisa Diller, MD discusses how survivors should follow an individualized approach to survivorship care after the end of active treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma and other related cancers, including using a framework like those at SurvivorshipGuidelines.org.

Hodgkin's Lymphoma has many innocuous symptoms that are exhibited differently in all patients. Common symptoms include unexplained weight loss, and itching among other seemingly innocuous symptoms. Surprisingly, most patients with symptoms, including swollen lymph nodes fearing lymphoma, do not have this disease. Dr. Hanson tells us more.

David S. Hanson, MD, FACP: Oftentimes patients are concerned that they may be exhibiting symptoms of Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. These symptoms are highly variable. For example, there are patients who will come to medical attention by a swelling gland. They will think that there is possibly an infection or some innocuous reason for that swelling. Their physician will examine them, find that they have an abnormal gland or lymph node and recommend biopsy.

This can be a very frightening experience because a patient will go from having a simple swelling gland to being diagnosed with cancer. The bottom-line is that if you have such a swelling lymph node, it needs to be evaluated by a doctor and finally the majority of patients do not have lymphoma or cancer.

There are patients, however, that will have symptoms of their Hodgkin's disease or lymphoma that come on as a part of their illness and those may be unexplained fevers, sweating at night, unexplained weight loss or even itching.

So, when patients have a constellation of concerning symptoms, oftentimes associated with a swelling gland or lymph node, a rapid evaluation with the physician is required.

David S. Hanson, MD practices oncology and internal medicine in Baton Rouge and Zachary, Louisiana. Dr. Hanson graduated with an MD, 27 years ago.

Dr. Kara Kelly, Chair, of the Department of Pediatric Oncology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, presents a subgroup analyses of an international trial for relapsed pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma.