I have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma currently and I’ve battled it twice before. I have been in remission after each new occurrence. The Hodgkin’s has come back in my abdomen and is stable. I have recently discovered that I have bone cancer in my leg. This is an entirely new cancer and not metastasized from the other. I am scared. What type of treatment is normal for this type of situation? Am I going to be able to come back from this?
Tags: abdomen, bone cancer, hodgkin s lymphoma, lymphoma, occurrence, remission
I am assuming that you have been diagnosed with a second primary sarcoma . . there are different types of bone cancer . . survival will depend on the type of tumor, stage, grade, location, response to first line treatment, overall health, and age.
It is not ‘common’ . . but there are reports in the literature of a second primary cancer (including bone cancers) occurring after treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma. Sometimes the tumor is located in a place radiation occurred but sometimes there is no ‘explanation’ . . there is also some speculation that a primary bone sarcoma after treatment for Hodgkins Lymphoma may be genetic and your family should be checked for hereditary cancers.
It’s difficult to answer your specific questions as far as treatment is concerned . . your doctor is the best person to answer that question since he has examined you and knows the entire circumstances of your case. But . . in general . . there is treatment for sarcoma with the goal being surgical removal whenever possible . . it really depends on how advanced the disease has become and if there is any metastatic disease. But there is treatment. You should ask to see a sarcoma specialist as sarcoma should be treated by someone familiar with the disease. If patient is healthy enough they would follow the first line protocol for the type of bone cancer they have . . (which will be different than the treatment you received for Hodgkins).
ACS: What is bone cancer
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_Is_bone_cancer_2.asp?sitearea=CRI