This form of Lymphoma is found in 1 out of 5 diagnosis. It is usually hard to cure being it is very slow-growing. Sometimes when it is first diagnosed unless, symptoms appear and are bothersome it might not be treated and some oncololgists might do a “watch and wait” approach. Only treating it when something new or troublesome might pop up or arise.
I have been treated mutiple times for it, 5 times and have spent a total of 5 years and 3 months on different chemo’s drugs. The 5-year survival rate (the percentage of people surviving at least 5 years) is around 70%. I guess this is one you can grow old with.
The reason why it is so hard to cure is because of its growth rate. It is so slow-growing that the chemo drugs do not recognize the tiny little cancer cells that are newly, being developed either in the lymph nodes or the bone marrow. I was told I had it for about 20 years before I first found it and was diagnosed.
It is called Folliular because of the shape or the round pattern which the cells tend to grow in.
The average age of this form of Lymphoma is 60. It is rare to find it in younger people. Symptoms are not displayed early. It usually takes years for it to make its appearance.
It is usually male dominant, Non-Hodgkin on the whole is usually male, 75% of those with it are. Only a very small percentage are children, 5%. Yearly, 53,000 people will be diagnosed with T-Cell Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.
With Follicular Lymphoma overtime, about 1 out of 3 follicular lymphomas changes (transforms) into a fast-growing diffuse cell lymphoma.
Mine was in 1998, already diagnosed with an intermidiate Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma as well. I have indolent and intermediate Non-Hodgkins with 2 forms of cells present.
However, as dastardly as my prognosis is, I respond well to treatment. Almost to the point where my oncologist jokes, that ” chemo must agree with you.” I personally wouldn’t go that far to say that, lol, but, I do weather things well enough to be grateful for.
I won’t say it is easy, but I will say it is doable. I think the trick is, to simply keep as well as possible an open mind while treating and dealing with Follicular, because as much as we know it is not cureable “right” now, like the last words in the movie, Castaway… ” who knows what the future may bring.”
It could bring a cure, newer and better drugs, maybe something so new and improved it still needs to be created. There is something which no one can ever take away from you, and that is hope.
Hope is the future, and with it comes a new day, a new tomorrow, a new reason to live and a new mindset. So if you have to hear those words, that you got Follicular Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, you need not run for the hills, you just need to keep the faith, keep your head on your shoulders straight, and realize that you can deal with it, maybe at first and for a long time on a daily basis, but you can do it.