WORLD Lymphoma Day was observed this week, a day dedicated to raising awareness about this type of cancer, improving understanding, and emphasizing the importance of research.
Lymphoma is one of the most common haematological cancers in adults, with an incidence of around 15 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants annually.
Dr. Agustín Hernández, head of the Haematology at Quirónsalud Marbella and Malaga: “Colloquially, we refer to lymphoma as a very heterogeneous group of cancers originating in defence cells known as lymphocytes.
“Non-Hodgkin is more common than Hodgkin and contrary to what many people believe, both are malignant and potentially lethal.”
In many patients, the disease is detected late, often due to the appearance of an inflamed lymph node that does not go away or as a result of findings in tests conducted for other reasons.
The specialist warns that in some very advanced cases, ‘fever without an apparent cause, intense night sweats, unintentional weight loss, persistent fatigue, or generalized itching can be the first symptoms noticed by the patient.
“In any of these cases, the most advisable action is to consult a doctor,” continues Doctor Hernandez.
The shift from chemotherapy to chemo-free treatments
In therapeutic areas, recent years have marked a turning point. “We are experiencing a true revolution in lymphoma treatments,” says Dr. Hernández.
The introduction of technologies such as CAR-T lymphocytes and bispecific antibodies in non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as anti-CD30 drugs and checkpoint inhibitors in Hodgkin lymphoma, has allowed many cases to abandon conventional chemotherapy in favor of chemo-free treatments.
“These advances have allowed us to control the disease even in patients who previously had very few options, improving survival rates and quality of life.”
The personalization of treatments is another paradigm shift.
“Increasingly, we are seeking personalized therapies not only based on the tumour but also on the characteristics and preferences of our patients.
“These treatments are tailored to the biological and molecular profile of each patient’s tumor, achieving deeper, more lasting responses and, in many cases, with less toxicity. These recent advances are even leading us to reconsider therapies like bone marrow transplants, which in the past and still today, have saved many lives,” he continues.
Global survival rates
The data supports this progress: the global survival rate for lymphoma patients has doubled in the last 30 years.
“Today, more than 80% of patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma can be cured with first-line treatment.
“In indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas, although we don’t always speak of a cure, we achieve long survival with a good quality of life. And in more aggressive, chemotherapy-refractory lymphomas, both CAR-T therapies and bispecific agents are improving the prognosis for these patients, who until recently were facing purely palliative care.”
However, challenges remain.
The specialist cautions that we need to ensure that all patients have access to the best therapies, improve strategies to detect which patients will require more intensive therapies and which will need more targeted ones, and continue to explore the best combinations of drugs.
“We must optimize resources to the fullest, as all new therapies have significantly higher costs than conventional treatments.” In this context, he highlights the importance of complementary measures: “We are strong advocates for proper and directed physical activity, as well as correct nutrition, as these are relatively simple and inexpensive measures that help extend and improve the life of our patients.”
Clinical research as a key for the future
Clinical research is positioned as one of the keys to the future. “Clinical trials are the foundation of progress. They allow patients to access cutting-edge therapies sooner and help generate knowledge that benefits society as a whole.”
Quirónsalud in Andalucia
The Quirónsalud Group currently operates seven hospital centers in Andalucia, located in the cities of Málaga, Marbella, Los Barrios (Cádiz), two in Seville, Córdoba, and Huelva, as well as 18 medical specialty and diagnostic centers, and a day surgery hospital, positioning it as the leading private healthcare provider in this autonomous community.
About Quirónsalud
Quirónsalud is the leading healthcare group in Spain and, together with its parent company Fresenius-Helios, also in Europe. In addition to its operations in Spain, Quirónsalud is also present in Latin America. Together, they employ over 50,000 professionals across more than 180 healthcare centers, including 57 hospitals with over 8,000 hospital beds.
The group has the most advanced technology and a team of highly specialized professionals with international prestige. Among its centres are the Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Centro Médico Teknon, Ruber Internacional, Hospital Universitario Quirónsalud Madrid, Hospital Quirónsalud Barcelona, Hospital Universitari Dexeus, Policlínica Gipuzkoa, Hospital Universitari General de Catalunya, Hospital Quirónsalud Sagrado Corazón, etc.
The group is committed to promoting education (ten of its hospitals are university-affiliated) and medical-scientific research (it has the FJD Health Research Institute, accredited by the Secretary of State for Research, Development, and Innovation).
Furthermore, its healthcare services are organized into units and cross-cutting networks that optimize the accumulated experience across different centers and the clinical translation of their research. Currently, Quirónsalud is developing numerous research projects across Spain, and many of its centres are leading the way in specialties such as oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, gynaecology, and neurology, among others.
For more information, please visit www.quironsalud.com/marbella or call
+34 952 774 200
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My youngish friend died years ago of Non hodgkins and it was awful to see. His head became one giant lymph node. These therapies weren’t available at the time.
Thank you to all the wonderful researchers and scientists and doctors who save lives every day and have made great progress over the years.