Lasting Effects of Lymphoma Treatments

Ingrid Glimelius, MD, PhD, a senior lecturer and assistant professor in the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Experimental and Clinical Oncology at Uppsala Universitet, discusses the lasting effects of lymphoma treatments.

According to Glimelius, physicians should be mindful about how they surveille patients as some efforts may cause more worries. It is common for things to happen as a patient ages. Additionally, oncologists should coach patients on preventative measures they can take to lower their risk of long-term complications.

0:08 | Things happen as we grow older, and we would don't want to harm people by controlling them and causing more worries. So, we have to direct our interventions where we can really prevent things. For example, if you have been given radiotherapy to the breast and you're a young female, an MRI of the breast in the long run, then you can maybe detect, if there is an early breast cancer, you can detect it and you can remove it and the woman can be saved. So that is one thing. And also measures for primary prevention. For example, if you have had this intensive chemotherapy or radiotherapy, you shouldn't be smoking. I mean, you shouldn't anyway, but it's even more important to avoid smoking and advice around those factors is also important. And then of course, we have to meet the patients where they are, what are the problems they are burdened with? And what can we help them with?