Radiation therapy and chemotherapy kill cancer cells directly andare standard treatments for follicular NHL. Unlike many other cancers, follicular NHL is very sensitive to both of these treatments.

A newer treatment, called immunotherapy, boosts the body’s own ability to fight cancer. There are several types of immunotherapy, but one in particular, treatment with monoclonal antibodies, has been very effective against follicular NHL. Antibodies are a normal part of the body’s immune system; they destroy invasive substances such as viruses and bacteria. Monoclonal antibodies are man-made antibodies that are injected into the bloodstream. They travel throughout the body and attach themselves to cancerous B cells. Once this attachment occurs, the body is able to move the B cells to the spleen, where they are destroyed. The brand name of this monoclonal antibody treatment is Rituxan®.

Another new treatment, called radioimmunotherapy, uses monocolonal antibodies to carry small amounts of radiation. When they attach to cancerous B cells, the radiation kills both the attached B cell and any surrounding B cells. There are two brands of this type of treatment, Bexxar® and Zevalin®.

Stem cell transplant is used to treat a patient whose cancer does not respond to other treatments. Stem cells are immature blood-forming cells produced in the bone marrow. Before a patient has a stem cell transplant, doctors collect stem cells – from either the patient or a donor – and store them. The patient then receives high doses of chemotherapy to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Because this treatment also damages the bone marrow’s ability to produce blood cells, the stored stem cells are also immediately injected into the patient’s blood stream. The new stem cells then make their way to the bone marrow and begin producing new blood cells.