The patient's doctor may be able to suggest a doctor who has a special interest in lymphomas. Patients can obtain the names of doctors from their local medical society, a nearby hospital or a medical school. Treatment planning takes into account the type of lymphoma, the stage of disease, whether it is likely to grow slowly or rapidly, and the general health and age of the patient. For low-grade lymphomas, which usually grow very slowly and cause few symptoms, the doctor may decide to wait until the disease shows signs of spreading before starting treatment. In addition, surgery may be needed to remove a large tumor.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphomas usually is a combination of several drugs. The drugs travel through the bloodstream to nearly every part of the body. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is generally given in the outpatient department of a hospital or clinic. Most often, patients receive radiation therapy five days a week for five to six weeks.