Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Care for Children, Adolescents, & Young Adults with Lymphoma
Lymphoma is the most common type of cancer in adolescents and young adults. Yet physicians are still unsure how to treat people with lymphoma between the ages of 18 and 30. Young patients also have other needs during this critical time in their lives — going to school, playing sports, finishing their educations, living on their own for the first time, and feeling concerned about preserving their fertility. The pediatric and adult lymphoma teams at NewYork-Presbyterian are experienced in treating lymphoma in young patients and are aware of the challenges faced by people in this age group. When planning your treatment, we take into account not only your cancer but your personal preferences and goals so we can maximize treatment effectiveness while minimizing its impact on your quality of life.
Types of lymphoma
We care for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma as well all subtypes types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including:
- Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL)
- Burkitt lymphoma
- Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
- Follicular lymphoma
- Lymphoblastic T-cell and B-cell lymphomas
- Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL)
- Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL)
Signs & symptoms
The signs and symptoms of lymphoma can vary from person to person and depend on the type and stage of lymphoma. Some symptoms include:
- Painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, stomach, or groin
- Drenching night sweats
- Trouble breathing
- Wheezing or coughing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Unexplained fever or weight loss
- Painless lump or swelling in a testicle
Tests & diagnosis
We will perform several tests to determine if you have lymphoma and, if so, identify what type. You may have:
- Physical exam
- Blood and liver function tests
- Imaging exams, such as x-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, or PET scanning
- Biopsy of affected lymph nodes by world-class hematopathologists
- Bone marrow analysis
Our approach to care
The goal of our programs at NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is to ensure the most effective and appropriate medical care for each patient, meet their nonmedical needs, and ensure access to clinical trials of promising new therapies. In addition to medical treatment from hematologists/oncologists and experienced oncology nurses, we offer psychosocial support, art therapy, nutritional guidance, and integrative health approaches to ensure your life during cancer treatment is the best it can be.
Treatments we offer
Lymphoma in young patients tends to be more aggressive and has a higher chance of coming back, so we may treat it more intensively than we do in adults. We offer every treatment available for all types of lymphoma, including:
Chemotherapy. You can receive chemotherapy treatments in our modern and comfortable infusion suites.
CAR T-cell immunotherapy. Some patients with select lymphoma types that persist despite other treatments are eligible for CAR T-cell therapy. NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is certified to provide this "living therapy," in which a patient's T cells are removed, modified in a lab to recognize lymphoma cells, multiplied, and then returned to the patient to detect and destroy cancer cells. Learn more about CAR T-cell therapy.
Stem cell transplantation. Our teams include specialists in bone marrow and stem cell transplantation, with expertise in cord blood transplants and the transplantation of stem cells from a partially matched donor to a patient. This treatment is provided at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
Investigational treatments. You may have opportunities to participate in clinical trials of innovative therapies. Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University investigators are studying the biology of lymphoma, such as seeking to learn what differentiates lymphoma in young adult patients from the disease in younger and older patients. In collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine's Institute for Precision Medicine and Columbia University's Center for Precision Medicine and Genomics, they perform genetic analyses to generate information that may help guide treatment. Our care teams also work with internationally recognized laboratory researchers specializing in T-cell and B-cell lymphomas, which allows us to apply what we learn from their findings to the care of young patients.
Why choose us
We have specialized programs for young lymphoma patients, such as the Adolescent and Young Adult Lymphoma Program: a collaboration between NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center’s adult lymphoma program and pediatric oncologists at NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital. Adolescent and young adult patients can receive all the care they need in one medical center.
In addition to oncology treatment teams, you'll have access to social workers who can assist with educational and practical needs. Patients interested in fertility preservation can receive care through the Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine of Weill Cornell Medicine and the Columbia University Fertility Center. Call us today for an appointment and find out how we can customize your care to your needs and goals.