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Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that originates from lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cells that circulate in the lymphatic system and fight infections. Lymphoma has become more common in Hong Kong and there are nearly more than 1000 new cases each year.
Lymphoma occurs when lymphocytes develop a malignant genetic mutation i.e. they change and grow uncontrollably, affecting the normal functioning of the immune system. Lymphoma cells also have the ability to enter the bloodstream, so that the cancer cells would travel to a new site to form a tumor.
There are two main types: non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). These two types can be further divided into many subtypes.
General symptoms are :
Specific symptoms include:
Lymph nodes are one of the components of our lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of our immune system. The role of lymph nodes is to filter out fluid and substances such as wastes and bacteria. Immune cells (lymphocytes) can also be found in lymph nodes to fight infection.
The exact causes remain unknown. However, several factors can increase risks. They include:
Doctors would usually diagnose it by:
There are four stages of lymphoma:
Generally speaking, it is a highly treatable type of blood cancer. With the right treatments, 80-90% of early stages of Hodgkin lymphoma can be cured (dropping to 60-70% for late stages). For non-Hodgkin lymphoma, around 70% of patients with early stages can be cured (30-50% for late stages). For patients who do not respond to chemotherapy, stem cell transplants may save the lives of up to 50% of them.
There are several treatment options, although the choice of treatment depends greatly on the type of lymphoma.
The most common treatments are:
If these treatments do not show any effect, a stem cell transplant might be necessary.
Cost of Lymphoma Treatment in Hong Kong’s Public Sector:
For eligible persons with an HKID card, the cost for inpatient service is $75 admission fee and $120 per day. Extra medications or other injections needed are not included. For day procedure and treatment at Clinical Oncology Clinics, the cost is $96 per attendance.
For non-eligible persons without an HKID card, the cost for inpatient general hospital is $5,100 per day. For day procedure and treatment at Clinical Oncology Clinics, the cost is $895 per attendance.
Beware of waiting times which can be very long in the public sector.
For details, call the Hospital Authority at 2300 6555.
Cost of Lymphoma Treatment in Hong Kong’s Private Sector:
The cost of in the private sector would be determined according to the condition of the patient. Consultation in private sector ranges from $800 to $2500 and chemotherapy costs range from $150,000 to $500,000. Fees for radiation therapy can reach up to $50,000 - 100,000 but it depends highly on the number of doses assigned by your doctor.
* All amounts are in HKD. No responsibility is accepted for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. It is always best to call ahead to make sure the information is still up-to-date.
Most likely, lymphoma starts in lymph nodes, which are small clusters of cells responsible for filtering lymph. Other lymph tissues may also be the starting site in some cases.
Chemotherapy, drug therapy and radiation therapy are the most common treatments for lymphoma. For patients who fail to respond to these therapies, doctors may perform stem cell transplants to replace the damaged bone marrow cells.
For HKID holders, it costs HK$75 to be admitted to the inpatient service and $120 a day staying in a ward. Day procedure and treatment at Clinical Oncology Clinics, meanwhile, costs $96 per attendance. On the other hand, medical costs in the private sector vary greatly and can range from HK$50,000–500,000 subject to the specific treatments and the patient’s condition.
If detected in its early stages, Hodgkin lymphoma patients have an 80-90% rate for cure, which decreases to 60-70% in later stages. For non-Hodgkin cases, the cure rate is around 70% in the early stages and 30-50% in the late stages.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Herman Liu. Dr. Herman Liu was a graduate of the University of Hong Kong in 1992. He has been practicing haematology and haematological oncology for 20 years. He was a consultant in haematology before he left the public service sector in 2016. His clinic in Central provides a series of haematological consultation, diagnosis and treatment.
According to Alea, surgery is usually reimbursed under hospital/surgical benefits whereas chemotherapy/radiation therapies are usually reimbursed under cancer cover. Generally, high-end medical plans will reimburse cancer treatments in full without any sub-limit whereas local plans will have sub-limits. If you have questions, contact an expert at [email protected].
This article was independently written by Healthy Matters. It is informative only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be relied upon for specific medical advice.
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