Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Biological Therapy
People with certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma may have biological therapy. This type of treatment helps the immune system fight cancer.
Monoclonal antibodies are the type of biological therapy used for lymphoma. They are proteins made in the lab that can bind to cancer cells. They help the immune system kill lymphoma cells. People receive this treatment through a vein at the doctor's office, clinic, or hospital.
Flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, weakness, and nausea may occur. Most side effects are easy to treat. Rarely, a person may have more serious side effects, such as breathing problems, low blood pressure, or severe skin rashes. Your doctor or nurse can tell you about the side effects that you can expect and how to manage them.
You may want to ask the doctor these questions before having biological therapy:
- What will the treatment do?
- Wil I have to stay in the hospital?
- How will we know if the treatment is working?
- How long will I be on biological therapy?
- Will I have side effects during treatment? How long will they last? What can we do about them?
