A newer treatment uses immunotherapy . The body's own immune system is used to fight the cancer. One group of agents currently used are monoclonal antibodies - antibodies which seek out cancer cells and either have the body identify them for destruction or kill them using an attached radioactive isotope. This may offer new hope for many low grade and follicular NHL patients. Other drugs in trials include Bexxar and Oncolym .
Chemotherapy is tough on the body.
There are a number of side effects which can include nausea and hair loss. Nausea is controllable with newer drugs such as Zofran and Kytril . Hair loss is another matter - many people come up with creative coping mechanisms including scarves and hats. Wigs are also an option and should be explored before chemotherapy is desired. For Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that is resistant to chemotherapy, bone marrow or stem cell transplantation is an option.