Treatment for this group of lymphomas will probably include cranial radiation therapy in addition to any other therapy considered appropriate. A clinical trial investigating new types of treatment may also be an option. Chemotherapy - treatment with drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment, meaning that the drugs flow through the bloodstream to nearly every part of the body to kill cancerous cells. It is a local therapy that only affects cancer cells in the treated area.
Radiation given to the brain is called cranial irradiation.
Treatment of AIDS-related lymphomas depends on the stage, histology, and grade of the disease, as well as the general health of the patient. A doctor must consider white blood cell count and any other diseases caused by AIDS that the patient had or currently has. Treatment Side Effects Side effects can occur with cancer treatments because the treatment often damages healthy cells along with the cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs generally target rapidly dividing cancer cells. However, other cells that also divide rapidly include blood cells, cells that line the digestive tract, and cells in hair follicles.