In some cases, the doctor may need to do an operation called a laparotomy to determine the stage of the cancer. During this operation, the doctor cuts into the abdomen and carefully looks at the organs to see if they contain cancer. This type of staging is called pathologic staging. Pathologic staging is usually done only when it is needed to help the doctor plan treatment. The lymphoma may have spread from where it started throughout the body, including to the brain or bone marrow.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by inserting a needle into a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. Radiation given to the brain is called cranial irradiation. Radiation therapy may be used alone or in addition to chemotherapy. Treatment of AIDS-related lymphomas depends on the stage, histology, and grade of the disease, as well as the general health of the patient.