Symptoms, causes, and treatments of B-Cell Lymphoma
B-cell lymphoma is referred to as the formation of cancer in the white blood cells (WBCs) that are known as lymphocytes. There are two types of lymphocytes found in the human body: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

What is the role of lymphocytes in the human body?

• Lymphoma develops in the ‘B’ cells of lymphocytes which are a part of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
• The primary role of the ‘B’ cells is to develop antibodies to fight against germs and infections.

What are the types of B-cell lymphoma?
Medical science has categorized B-cell lymphomas in the below-listed types, based on symptoms.

• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) which is most common among people
• Marginal zone lymphoma
• Burkitt lymphoma
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• Follicular lymphoma
• Mantle cell lymphoma
• Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma
• Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma

What are the causes of B-cell lymphoma?

• Medical science is working toward finding out the actual cause of B-cell lymphoma.
• Cancer triggers in the lymphocytes when they start uncontrolled growth.
• Primarily, the human body produces new lymphocytes to replace the old ones. In a situation where the body starts producing lymphocytes needlessly, it creates a cancer-like situation and ends up as B-cell lymphoma, in which case they start multiplying among themselves.

Who are at a higher risk of developing B-cell lymphoma?
If you fall into the below-listed categories, you are at a high risk of developing B-cell lymphoma.

• If your immune system is weak and needs regular medical assistance in fighting minor sickness.
• If you are 60 or older and under regular medication, which has been weakening your internal immune system.
• If you are infected with deadly viruses such as Epstein-Barr and HIV.
• If you work in a chemically-exposed environment.

What are the symptoms of B-cell lymphoma?
The primary symptoms of B-cell lymphoma include the following:

• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Regular fever
• Night sweats
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Uneasiness in breathing
• Severe itching
• Swelling or pain in the abdomen

What is the diagnostic procedure of B-cell lymphoma?
Physicians rely on multiple diagnosis procedures to confirm B-cell lymphoma.

• Tissue biopsy: Excisional or incisional biopsy procedure is followed in the initial diagnosis of B-cell Lymphoma.
• Laboratory studies: Pathologic study plays a key role in confirming the symptoms of B-cell lymphoma. Few of the key pathologic studies which are preferred are screening chemistries, complete blood cell count, HIV serology, and serum protein electrophoresis.
• Special processes: In addition to tissue biopsy and laboratory studies, few special diagnosis processes are also followed which include the following: Imaging studies, immunoglobulin gene rearrangement, polymerase chain reaction, and istologic findings.

What are the treatments for B-cell lymphoma?
Based on the stage of the disease, physicians may follow the below-mentioned treatment approaches:

• Consultations: Radiation is primarily used to treat B-cell lymphoma during the initial stages.
• Chemotherapy: In critical cases, the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy with axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) is followed to destroy large B-cell lymphoma from the body of adult patients. However, such therapies may lead to life-threatening complications such as neutropenic fever, tumor lysis syndrome, or severe hemorrhagic cystitis.
• Transfer: In the advanced stages, patients need to be transferred to a tertiary care facility for clinical trials.
• Diet: The patients who undergo prolonged neutropenia with chemotherapy are provided with a low bacteria diet.

What is the survival rate of a B-cell lymphoma patient?

• As per various studies and statistics, the 5-year survival rate of B-cell lymphoma patients is approximately 65%.
• It is estimated that this statistic applies to 90% of the people who are affected with cancer.

If you notice any of the symptoms listed above, consult your doctor today. An early diagnosis will increase the success rate of the treatments.