Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Aggressive lymphomas

• Patients with aggressive lymphoma undergoing chemotherapy should be aware of signs and symptoms of infection and report to their physicians if they develop fever, chills, headache, skin lesions, abdominal pain, pain on urination, or cough. Patients who are neutropenic should avoid close contact with sick people, or people who care of sick people. They should avoid crowded places, and they should wash their hands frequently.

• Patients should be educated on adverse effects of chemotherapy, such as bleeding, and should report to their physicians if they develop black stool or rectal, nose, gum, or vaginal bleeding.

• Balanced nutrition with lots of fruits and vegetables is important.

• Patients need to know the importance of having their chemotherapy on schedule.

• Patients treated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy should be informed of long-term risk for myelodysplasia and acute leukaemia.

Indolent lymphomas

• Recommendations for patients with aggressive lymphoma apply to this group.

• Patients with indolent lymphoma should report to their physicians if they develop fever, chills, night sweats, weight loss, and/or rapid increase in the size of their lymph nodes, as this can signify transformation to aggressive lymphoma.

• Patients should be aware of long-term complications of radiotherapy, such as breast cancer, and undergo appropriate screening.

• Patients with breast implants should report to their physician for evaluation if they develop swelling, mass, or pain in the vicinity of the implants (typically >1 year after implantation), particularly if implants are textured.