A Patient’s Guide to Understanding
Cutaneous Lymphoma
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Electron beam therapy:
A form of radiation therapy that only treats the
superficial portions of the skin. It is highly effective in clearing all forms of
lesions of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma from the skin. It can be used to treat
portions of the skin or the entire skin surface. When used to treat all of the
skin it is referred to as total skin electron beam (TSEB) therapy.
Etiology:
The cause or origin of a disease.
Extranodal disease:
A lymphoma that originates or spreads outside of the
lymphatic system.
Fatigue:
A decreased capacity for activity that is often accompanied by
feelings of weariness, sleepiness or irritability.
Generalized disease:
A cancer that has spread throughout the body.
Genes:
The basic building blocks of heredity that are present in all cells.
Genes are comprised of DNA and other materials.
Grade:
A method of classifying a cancer on the basis of how aggressive it
looks under the microscope.
Graft versus host disease (GVHD):
Occurs when a donor’s bone marrow
(graft) recognizes the recipient of the marrow (host) as foreign. In response,
the immune cells in the donor marrow attack the cells in the host. This can
be a side effect of bone marrow transplantation.
Graft versus lymphoma reaction:
Occurs when a donor’s allogeneic bone
marrow generates cells that recognize the recipient’s lymphoma cells as
foreign and produces an anti-lymphoma response.
Harvesting:
A procedure in which stem cells are obtained from the blood
or bone marrow for use in repopulating the body’s cells after high-dose
chemotherapy.
Hematologist:
A physician who specializes in treating diseases of the
blood and blood-forming tissues, including cancer. Often, but not always,
hematologists are also specialized in medical oncology.
