Information about Aids - AIDS Related Lymphoma

AIDS Related Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer that affects the white blood cells in the lymph system of our body. The lymph system is part of our immune system and helps fight infections and disease. Lymph fluid is a colorless and watery fluid that carries white blood cells throughout the body. A person who has AIDS has a weakened immune system and has a lower ability to fight off infections or serious diseases like cancer.

AIDS related lymphoma is when malignant cancer cells attack the lymph system. AIDS related lymphoma is known to develop and spread rapidly throughout the body. Lymphomas are divided into two different classes. There is Hodgkin’s lymphoma and nonHodgkin’s lymphoma. Both are likely to appear in AIDS patients but nonHodgkin’s lymphoma is the most common. Because it is common, it is called AIDS-related lymphoma.

Lymph nodes are small structures shaped like a bean that filter substances found in the body and help fight against disease and infection. They are found along the lymph vessel network and can be found under the arm, in the neck, abdomen, groin, and pelvic area. The spleen is an essential part of this system as it filters blood, stores blood cells, and gets rid of old blood cells.

Did You Know?

Since 1981 when the HIV and Aids was first recognized as something new in the medical world, researchers and scientists have been working to learn as much about the new disease as possible. So far they have determined the virus is spread by contact with another contaminated person’s body fluids. This could be through contact with blood, semen, and vaginal fluids.

Once the body has the HIV virus it begins to produce more HIV particles and these begin attacking the T-cells. The T-cells or CD4 cells burst and that allows the virus to enter the bloodstream and invade other cells. You should already know the difference between HIV and AIDS. HIV is a subgroup of retroviruses that cause AIDS. The virus kills cells in the body’s immune system and progressively destroys the body’s ability to fight infections.

This inability to fight off infections also affects some cancers too. HIV gradually gets worse until the body is no longer able to fight off the infections and other bacteria that would normally not make people sick. These opportunistic infections will attack the body and could be potentially life threatening.

AIDS is the acronym for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It was first recognized in New York City in 1981. The virus was isolated and identified in 1983, but it wasn’t until 1985 that a diagnostic test was developed to test for the disease.

A patient who is suffering from an unexplained fever, weight loss, night sweats, or swelling in the lymph nodes may have AIDS-related lymphoma. A patient may also suffer from a feeling of fullness below the ribs. If you are experiencing any of these known symptoms, you should contact your doctor and seek medical care immediately.

Tests and procedures that are used to detect AIDS-related lymphoma can include a physical exam. The doctor will look for lumps or other unusual physical signs that seems unusual. The doctor will discuss past health problems, physical habits, and other treatments you may have received. The doctor will also want a blood work up called CBC (complete blood count.) A sample of blood will be drawn and will be tested for red and white blood cells, and platelets in the blood. It also will check for hemoglobin levels.

If the doctor finds something suspicious in either the blood count or physical exam, they may order a lymph node biopsy. Part or an entire lymph node will be removed and a pathologist will view the sample for cancer cells. A bone marrow biopsy may also be ordered so a pathologist can look at the sample under a microscope for signs of cancer cells.

AIDS Facts

The best way to avoid HIV aids is to avoid taking part in risky behavior, so make sure to not have unprotected sex and make sure to use sterilized needles for injections.

If cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes or through the lymph system, further tests need to be completed to see how far the disease has spread through the body. This will allow the doctor to decide what stage the cancer is in and lay out the best treatment plan for that stage. The treatment for AIDS-related lymphoma is closely tied to treatment that is treating the patient for AIDS. If you are an AIDS patient, you may want to consider getting into a clinical trial program for AIDS-related lymphoma.

Better Your Health

HIV and AIDS Information and Resources

◦ World Health Organization’s AIDS Staging
◦ History of AIDS Looking Closer at the HIV Virus and AIDS
◦ Living With HIV and AIDS
◦ Know the Basics about AIDS
◦ What are the Causes of AIDS
◦ Homeopathic Ways of Treating the AIDS Patient
◦ AIDS and the Nervous System
◦ Options If You Are HIV Positive
◦ The AIDS Patient and Opportunistic Infections
◦ Advanced Signs of the HIV Virus
◦ Tests For the HIV Virus
◦ Other Health Concerns For The AIDS Patient
◦ Prayer And Spirituality Used In The Treatment Of AIDS
◦ How To Prepare For Your AIDS Medical Appointment
◦ Aids and Viral Complications
◦ Parasitic Infections Common to HIV Patients
◦ AIDS Related Lymphoma
◦ Treating AIDS Related Lymphoma
◦ Serious Complications Associated With The HIV Virus
◦ White Blood Cells And AIDS
◦ Neurological Complications Associated with AIDS
◦ What To Do If You Think You Might Have Aids
◦ New Developments In AIDS Research
◦ Coping With Your AIDS Diagnosis
◦ The Symptoms of HIV Infection
◦ Education Is The Key To Stopping the AIDS Epidemic
◦ The Emphasis Must Be On Prevention for HIV and AIDS
◦ AIDS Medical Terms
◦ Take An Active Role In Your AIDS Medical Treatment
◦ Reducing The HIV Risk Factors
◦ Keeping A Positive Outlook For AIDS Patients
◦ Acupuncture To Relieve The Side Effects Of AIDS Treatment
◦ A Healthy Lifestyle Can Help You Treat AIDS
◦ AIDS Patients Are In It For Life
◦ Basic AIDS Information
◦ Do You Need To Let Everyone Know That You Are HIV Positive
◦ Important Vitamins and Minerals for a Person with HIV
◦ Treatments Available for the Patient with HIV or AIDS
◦ Ways You Cannot Get The HIV Virus
◦ Treatments Available for the HIV Positive Woman
◦ Understanding the Basics of HIV
◦ The United States AIDS Policy
◦ Treatment Guidelines for the AIDS Patient
◦ Treating Serious Illnesses in The AIDS Patient
◦ HIV Transmission
◦ How The HIV Virus Progresses
◦ The Fear the AIDS Stigma Brings
◦ I Tested Positive For the HIV Virus: What Now
◦ How To Tell Other People You Are HIV Positive
◦ Facts And Myths Regarding HIV Transmission
◦ Some Recent Advances In The Fight Against AIDS
◦ Preventive Measures You Can Take Concerning HIV Infection
◦ Dates In AIDS History
◦ The Impact of AIDS On MSM, Men Who Have Sex With Men
◦ Dealing With Malnutrition For The HIV Infected Person
◦ Know Your Personal HIV Risk Factors
◦ Keeping Yourself AIDS Free
◦ Are Condoms Effective As Protection Against AIDS Transmission
◦ Juicings Possible Benefits To The Person With HIV
◦ What Are The Initial Signs and Symptoms of HIV Infections
◦ AIDS Faqs
◦ Five Classes of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating AIDS
◦ Dietary Needs And The HIV Patient
◦ Misconceptions About AIDS
◦ Oh No I have AIDS
◦ The Staggering AIDS Statistics
◦ Exercise May Boost Your Imune System
◦ Aids And The Toll On Families
◦ Immunization Needs For Adult AIDS Patients
◦ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: The Basic Facts
◦ Is There A Silver Lining in The Cloud of AIDS

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