Colon Lymphoma: Facts, Types and Symptoms

In order to understand what lymphoma means, you need to know its root word. Obviously, this involves lymph nodes, and when you hear the word lymphoma, it means that there’s an irregular growth in your lymphatic system.

The word lymphoma is connected to cancer. Simply put, it means that you have cancer of the lymph nodes. Remember, your body is made up of millions of lymphocytes. You can think of yourself as a giant map wherein these lymphocytes make up a country, or a lymph node.

Colon lymphoma is when the lymph nodes in your colon go haywire because of the abnormal cellular growth. Remember, cancer invades quickly if and when left untreated, which is why doctors urge you to take immediate action before it spreads to the different parts of your body. If you’re a giant map, then imagine how one country is trying to invade the rest for the world and become the most feared dictator.

The Painful Truth

Most people simply assume that lymph nodes are only located in the neck, chest, abdomen, underarms, and groin. The truth is that while they may be partially correct, lymphomas can actually occur anywhere in the body.

The non-Hodgkin’s type of lymphoma is actually the more aggressive form of lymphatic cancer. This accounts for a relatively big portion of patients who suffer from colon lymphoma. The scary part is that colon cancer doesn’t just in one form. In fact, there are several types of colorectal cancer. Some of the include the following:

• Anaplastic large cell lymphoma
• Mantle cell lymphoma
• MALT lymphoma
• Follicular cell lymphoma
• Burkitt’s lymphoma
• Peripheral T-cell lymphoma
• CLL/SLL lymphoma

Be Aware

Sometimes, the symptoms for colon lymphoma are so subtle that patients and doctors often catch them at its later stage. Cancer is best addressed during its earlier stages. Otherwise, your chances of survival lower significantly.

If you notice that you’ve been experiencing irregular bowel movements or if you see blood in your fecal matter, always talk to your doctor so you can undergo further testing. More importantly, it’s best that you make it a point to schedule a visit to the physician every six months even if you feel fine. Be proactive about your health and check if there’s anything wrong. Thorough and regular checkups have already saved thousands of people simply because they’ve caught the cancer before it can do further damage to their bodies. With early intervention, you may not even have to go through several painful rounds of chemo or radiation therapy.