Lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system, which includes tissues, lymph nodes, a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, and organs such as your tonsils and spleen. If you have lymphoma, you will most likely consult different medical professionals who specialize in dealing with the disease.
Perhaps the first medical professional you will encounter will be your primary care physician. He or she may be the first to suspect lymphoma. Your doctor will arrange for a biopsy, which will be examined by a pathologist. Pathologists are experts at studying disease by analyzing tissues. If the results of your biopsy turn out to be positive for lymphoma, you will be referred to physicians who specialize in treating lymphoma.
One member of your healthcare team is likely to be an oncologist. Oncologists are doctors who specialize in treating all types of cancers. Some oncologists specialize in using radiation to treat cancer. These specialists are known as radiation oncologists. If your treatment plan includes radiation, it’s likely that you will work with a radiation oncologist. Or, you may see a lymphoma specialist, an oncologist who focuses only on treating the different types of lymphoma. Because lymphoma specialists focus only on treating lymphoma, they are usually abreast of the most cutting edge research and treatments for the disease.
Since lymphoma is a cancer that affects the blood, your healthcare team is likely to include a hematologist. Hematologists are doctors who focus on treating cancers of the blood such as lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma.
Your treatment plan may require the services of other physicians who will play more of a secondary role. If your illness requires surgery, you may be referred to a head and neck surgeon or a general surgeon, depending on where the surgery is required. A radiologist’s skills may be needed for reading x-rays and interpreting the results of scans performed by other imaging processes. Finally, if you need help coping with the emotional aspects of the disease, you may consult a psychiatrist or psychologist.
Treatment for lymphoma can be very complicated. If you have been diagnosed with lymphoma, you should definitely seek at least a second and possibly a third opinion about your diagnosis and treatment plan. This is the best way to ensure that the diagnosis is correct and your treatment plan is appropriate. A second opinion can also help you better understand the disease by providing you with another source of information and a fresh perspective.
