Aa
Lymphoma and Hep c
Hi Everyone
I have been trying to get up the nerve to post now for a few weeks. I have marginal zone lymphoma which is a slow growing lymphoma I found this out January 09. I also have hep c geno type 1A. My onaco. feels if I treat the hep I may rid the lymphoma. I am trying to get things arranged so I can begin treatment early January I am thinking around the 7th. I am very scared. I am scared of the treatment, scared to try to give myself a needle, and what if I develop symptoms to treat the lymphoma but cannot tell this from the sides of the hep drugs? So many questions and so scared. I was wondering if anyone else on this board has lymphoma and hep c also is anyone else starting treatment in January?
I have been trying to get up the nerve to post now for a few weeks. I have marginal zone lymphoma which is a slow growing lymphoma I found this out January 09. I also have hep c geno type 1A. My onaco. feels if I treat the hep I may rid the lymphoma. I am trying to get things arranged so I can begin treatment early January I am thinking around the 7th. I am very scared. I am scared of the treatment, scared to try to give myself a needle, and what if I develop symptoms to treat the lymphoma but cannot tell this from the sides of the hep drugs? So many questions and so scared. I was wondering if anyone else on this board has lymphoma and hep c also is anyone else starting treatment in January?
"People infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) are at an increased risk of developing certain lymphomas (cancers of the lymphatic system), according to a study published in the May 8, 2007, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association."
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2007/nci-08.htm
The report of Hermine et al. (July 11 issue)1 provides important additional evidence as to the possible role of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the treatment of patients with HCV-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia and lymphoma. They report regression of splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes and loss of HCV RNA in seven patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia and HCV infection after treatment with interferon. In five of these patients, molecular studies were performed, but none of them showed loss of the monoclonal immunoglobulin gene component.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/extract/347/26/2168
Regression of Low-Grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma After Treatment With Pegylated Interferon Plus Ribavirin in Hepatitis C Virus Infection
http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/23/19/4470
I looked up some articles on lymphoma treatment and hepc, and it appears that the hep c actually increases the risk for lymphoma. I'm surprised that no one has responded that has both diseases, like you.
But also, the treatment for one, has a chance of curing the other....good luck!!
What kind of lymphoma do you have?
Bug
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2007/nci-08.htm
The report of Hermine et al. (July 11 issue)1 provides important additional evidence as to the possible role of antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the treatment of patients with HCV-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia and lymphoma. They report regression of splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes and loss of HCV RNA in seven patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia and HCV infection after treatment with interferon. In five of these patients, molecular studies were performed, but none of them showed loss of the monoclonal immunoglobulin gene component.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/extract/347/26/2168
Regression of Low-Grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma After Treatment With Pegylated Interferon Plus Ribavirin in Hepatitis C Virus Infection
http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/23/19/4470
I looked up some articles on lymphoma treatment and hepc, and it appears that the hep c actually increases the risk for lymphoma. I'm surprised that no one has responded that has both diseases, like you.
But also, the treatment for one, has a chance of curing the other....good luck!!
What kind of lymphoma do you have?
Bug
I agree with your doctor that treating the HCV will help with the Lymphoma. If you can get your immune system away from the constant battle it has going on with the HCV then it would have the strength to fight the Lymphoma.
Awww, don't be shy! I know the feeling tho, I felt the same way before I got comfortable with the community and got over my "stage fright"...
I wish I had some answers for you. Bill is right about the injections. They are the most tolerable thing about treatment.... except after saying that I remember all the people who have an aversion to needles or have no fat to stick them in. I had a nice comfortable spare tire from middle age and having 4 kids. The shots didn't bother me at all.
Treatment is no fun, but if you're killing two birds with one stone it would really be worth it! You are going to have side effects from treating one or the other, that would be way cool if you only had to go through it once.
I feel your anxiety, but you've come to the right place. There have been others here who fought cancer on top of the hep c. It does take a lot of strength, I'm sure. Mental as well as physical.
Take care, keep posting, and don't take it personal if you don't get answers everytime....(This from a woman who once posted "Is it me, or is everyone ignoring me?" :)
Bug
I wish I had some answers for you. Bill is right about the injections. They are the most tolerable thing about treatment.... except after saying that I remember all the people who have an aversion to needles or have no fat to stick them in. I had a nice comfortable spare tire from middle age and having 4 kids. The shots didn't bother me at all.
Treatment is no fun, but if you're killing two birds with one stone it would really be worth it! You are going to have side effects from treating one or the other, that would be way cool if you only had to go through it once.
I feel your anxiety, but you've come to the right place. There have been others here who fought cancer on top of the hep c. It does take a lot of strength, I'm sure. Mental as well as physical.
Take care, keep posting, and don't take it personal if you don't get answers everytime....(This from a woman who once posted "Is it me, or is everyone ignoring me?" :)
Bug
Hi there, and welcome to the discussion group! I can’t speak for lymphoma, but I have treated with the combo treatment for HCV twice, and am now HCV free.
The actual injections are very simple; little tiny needles that tuck under the skin, similar to insulin shots… nothing to them, really.
The meds can be challenging at times, but almost all of us muddle through them somehow.
As a genotype 1, you will require a minimum of 48 weeks treatment, and possibly more. Have you had a biopsy to study how much fibrosis you might have? If you only have mild fibrosis, it might be possible to postpone treatment in favor of adding new drugs to the therapy that are currently in late-phase clinical trial. Have you discussed this with your doc yet?
Again, welcome; you are in good company here. Feel free to ask questions and become familiar with the goings-ons of this disease.
Best of luck,
Bill
The actual injections are very simple; little tiny needles that tuck under the skin, similar to insulin shots… nothing to them, really.
The meds can be challenging at times, but almost all of us muddle through them somehow.
As a genotype 1, you will require a minimum of 48 weeks treatment, and possibly more. Have you had a biopsy to study how much fibrosis you might have? If you only have mild fibrosis, it might be possible to postpone treatment in favor of adding new drugs to the therapy that are currently in late-phase clinical trial. Have you discussed this with your doc yet?
Again, welcome; you are in good company here. Feel free to ask questions and become familiar with the goings-ons of this disease.
Best of luck,
Bill
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