Lymphoma Not a Death Sentence for Thompson
April 11, 2007 — -- News today that a presidential hopeful and former U.S. senator has been treated for indolent lymphoma adds to the visibility and impact of cancer diagnoses and treatment in the current presidential campaign.
First, we wish former Sen. Fred Thompson well in his journey with his illness. He is another example of how people with cancer continue to live their lives with vigor and expectations.
As with the recent announcements from Elizabeth Edwards and White House press secretary Tony Snow, we once again see someone who is determined to move forward with life despite his illness, just as millions of people surviving cancer do every day in this country.
The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 63,190 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed in the United States in 2007. An estimated 18,660 people will die from this disease.
The International Lymphoma Classification Project estimates that about 22 percent of lymphomas are of the follicular variety, a lymphoma in which the lymphoma cells are grouped in clusters or follicles in the lymph node -- the one most likely associated with Thompson's illness.
Not all non-Hodgkin lymphomas are alike. Some are more aggressive, some less so. Some can be treated for cure; others are less responsive.
In one particular paradox, treatments for the less aggressive lymphomas are less likely to result in cures. That said, these lymphomas are usually associated with long survivals.
Many patients who are diagnosed with this lymphoma have no symptoms and are otherwise healthy. This is one of the situations where doctors frequently advise no treatment for the disease, as mentioned in the news release by Thompson's doctor.
Some patients, such as Thompson, opt for treatment for various reasons, including personal choice or perhaps because they have decided to participate in a clinical trial.
No matter the choice, it is clear that initial treatments in this disease should be the least compromising and toxic as possible, in order to preserve the most serious treatments for possible use in the future when they may be most needed.
Trending Reader Picks
ABC News Live