Recurrent Lymphoma

The term recurrent lymphoma refers to a lymphoma that returns after it has been treated.

A recurrent lymphoma does not have to return to the same site of the body or be the exact same subtype in order to be considered a recurrent lymphoma. In fact, a recurrent lymphoma may return in parts of the body beyond the lymph system, and it's possible that lymphomas that were originally aggressive can be recurrent as indolent lymphomas, and originally indolent lymphomas can recur as aggressive ones.

Treatment of Recurrent Lymphoma

Treatment for recurrent lymphoma depends upon the subtype of lymphoma that has recurred.

For indolent, recurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, treatment options will vary and will depend on the patient's individual disease and the judgment of the patient's oncology team, but it may include:

• Combination chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy (RT)
• Radioimmunotherapy (RIT)
• Monoclonal antibody maintenance therapy
• An appropriate clinical trial, involving combination chemotherapy, RT, RIT, or other experimental drug or procedure.

For aggressive recurrent lymphoma that remain aggressive, treatment can be expected to be more aggressive:

• Salvage combination chemotherapy
• Autologuous or allogenic stem cell transplantation
• Recommendation for an appropriate clinical trial

This does not represent the entirety of the options available to patients with recurrent lymphoma. Patients should discuss this with their physicians and together explore all the options available to them.

Sources

Mayo Clinic
Lymphoma Information Network