Your thoughts and feelings are very typical for any of us faced with a new diagnosis of cancer. The good news is that Hodgkins Disease is very curable and your meeting with your oncologist will focus on determing the best treatment plan for you. Many individuals with HD actually work through some or all of their treatment. The key for your meeting is to do some homework; learn as much about HD as you can so you can optimize your visit. Write down all your questions before hand so that you remember to ask them and consider taking a tape recorder to the meeting so you can record all the answers. As you pointed out, its very difficult to listen and take it all in. Lastly, there are many members in this community that have gone through what you are faced with and we can support you and answer questions along the way. Here is a link to some general reading that you may find useful http://news.cancerconnect.com/types-of-cancer/hodgkins-lymphoma/
and let me know what questions or topics you wish to discuss and we will create ”forums” in the community for others to share what they have learned with you.

C

Welcome to CancerConnect Hodgkins Lymphoma Group. I am one of the moderators and I am here to help in any way I can.

I too have Hodkins Lymphoma but that was my secondary cancer. I was diagnosed with eye melanoma. Luckily, my hodgkins is gone (at least that is what we hope for) but my melanoma is another isse. According to my oncologist, who I highly respect, and he told me that it is curable. I saw him yesterday and he considers me cured despite the fact that I am still doing six months total body PET/CT Scans but because of my melanoma, he has to be cautious about that.

Did they give you the course of treatment? How many cycles and what type of drugs? I was given weekly (sometimes bi-weekly) sessions of chemo (Stanford 5 light) but that was due to my heart surgery of two years ago.

Another sidebar. My brother had hogkins when he was 21 and he was diagnosed at stage 4A and he has been cured and hodkins free for 20 years with no recurrence or issues.
Luciana

Treatments will be made for when you are ready. They have lots of other tests to do as well. They will probably, like I did, have you go for a bone marrow biopsy to make sure it has not spread to the bone (highly unlikely in your case since you have only one area) but it is best to be sure. Additionally, they will have you go for other tests such as heart function (Ekg) as well as lung function test. At least those were the tests I was required to take. This will all take some time.

Regarding work, they will probably give you some desk job or something lighter but you don’t have to take off if you are feeling well after the treatments. Everyone is different so don’t assume that you will be very sick from it. I had one drug that was considered toxic to the point that most people get very sick with it, however, I did not get sick. Think the best and that you will beat it and that’s all you have to think about. Remember, you have one of the most curable of all cancers so that is in your favor.

Luciana

Ty all for the information.. Roughly how long are the treatments.. 2 – 4 months??

Wow, I remember that day as if it was yesterday! My surgeon actually made me think that everything was ok, so I went to the oncologist for the opfficial report and he said that it was cancer. All I could hear was my husband taking a huge deep breath and my mom starting to cry. I was numb. I had a 1 year old, 3 year old and 7 year old. I am a full time teacher and my husband works a lot, so I do all of the running, housekeeping, homework, cooking, sports, etc. Then when he said I’ll give you 2 weeks to get your life in order before I take you off work, I panicked! How would I get everything done in 2 weeks, plus all of the tests at the hospital? My coworkers donated enough sick leave and I borrowed some to keep my paycheck going until I returned. I was diagnosed April 3, 2008, left work 2 weeks later and didn’t return until November. I had ADVB and no, it cannot wait! I had the same size nodule mass on the left side of my neck. My oncologist was extremely aggressive with chemo, every other monday for 14 weeks and then 5-6 weeks of radiation daily (no weekends). I lost all of my hair ( which was my biggest devastation). I was sick the 1st week and then felt pretty good the second week. I am a teacher so I had to stay away from germs so I didn’t get an infection, but maybe you can work the 2nd week if you are on the same rotation. You’ll be tired and weak, but I still cooked and cleaned and tried to go to some sporting events. Do you feel like your world is spinning out of control right now? That is how I felt, but with a support system in place to get you through, you can do it! It is treatable and can be cured since you found it early. I had Stage 2a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma with nodular sclerosing. I am doing great! PLease ask if you have any questions and I’ll try not to blab on again! Take care and God Bless!
Lisa

Treatment length will depend on the stage of the Hodgkin’s. My pal was either sstage 4A or 4B at age 21- she went through the standard chemo & radiation protocols. It was a very rough time (she got married during her treatments). She saw her doc at the end of all this filled with relief it was over. Her doc, however, said he wanted her to have another few months of treatment. He said it was the ”belt and suspenders” approach because her cancer had been so advanced. She was devasted because she thought she was done. He counseled her that it is better to get it all the first time rather than having to deal with a recurrence. She did the extra treatment. That was almost 25 years ago. She went on to have two healthy children – now adults – and has been cancer free the whole time. Though she is conscientious on having her routine check-ups, she lives life to the fullest!

New update… Caught early!!!!! Is in both regions of the body… Tumor in left leg/groin.. And Others in diaphram/ upper stomach area.. Area is too large for radiation only.. Starting Chemo Thursday.. ABVD is the drug of choice more than likely will be 2 cycles ( each cycle equals 1 month) … The a rescan pet/ct scan.. Even if nothing then detected will be one more minimum cycle of chemo… So looks like best outlook of 3 months… Thanks to u all for all the info.. Little overwhelmed never expected it to be anything more than a stage 1…