Induction therapy for relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
If your aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) has relapsed, you may be starting to experience NHL symptoms again. Alternatively, your doctors might have noticed that your NHL is returning during a routine check-up, and you may still be feeling relatively healthy.
You may have had treatment such as immunotherapy radiotherapy, or chemotherapy previously, but you’ve probably also just spent time in remission. So it might have been some time since you’ve been to the hospital for treatment.
Induction treatment for relapsed NHL can help reduce your symptoms again and give you another period of remission. Many people with relapsed NHL will have periods of relapse and remission throughout the course of their disease. In some cases, a stem cell transplant may be offered, and it is possible that this may lead to a cure. However, in other cases, further intensive treatment or a transplant might not be suitable for you, and your treatment will then be aimed at reducing your symptoms.
What is induction therapy?
The aim of the initial induction therapy in relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is to have a second attempt at trying to cure you of the disease, or help you enter remission, if the first round of treatment you received was not successful.
How does induction therapy work?
- Induction therapy for relapsed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) works in the same way as for newly diagnosed NHL, by reducing the number of lymphoma cells in your body, and if it is successful, causing a remission. Sometimes aggressive NHL can be cured, although this may be less likely after relapse. Often, people with aggressive NHL will have a period of remission, when they have no symptoms, which can end if symptoms return – known as relapse.
- Induction therapy is usually given as a combination of immunotherapy plus chemotherapy. However, immunotherapy or chemotherapy can sometimes be given on their own. Furthermore, for relapsed aggressive NHL, you may receive radio-immunotherapy either alongside, or instead of, the conventional immunotherapy that you may have had before.
Your doctor will decide what kind of induction therapy is best for you based on your type of disease as well as your personal health and circumstances. You will also receive regular check-ups after induction therapy to monitor your progress.
Find out more about immunotherapy for relapsed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
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Find out more about radio-immunotherapy for relapsed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
What are the side effects of induction therapy?
All the possible types of induction therapy that you could be given can cause side effects – as is true for most medications. However, many of these possible side effects can be controlled or prevented with other drugs. There are also many things you can do that can make possible side effects easier to deal with. It is also important to remember that not everyone gets side effects.
Many side effects are relatively minor and will pass once the course of treatment is over. However, some medications do have the potential to cause more serious or permanent side effects. You should discuss all these issues in detail with your doctor before you begin treatment. Further details about possible side effects are available in the patient information leaflets that come with your medication, which your healthcare team will be able to provide you with.
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