Hodgkin's Disease - Other Treatments

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It is very important that patients take precautions to avoid infections. Guidelines for infection prevention include:

• Discuss with your doctor what vaccinations you need and when you should get them.
• Avoid crowds, especially during cold and flu season.
• Be diligent about handwashing, and make sure that visitors wash their hands. Alcohol-based handrubs are best.
• Avoid eating raw fruits and vegetables -- food should be well cooked. Do not eat foods purchased at salad bars or buffets. In the first few months after the transplant, be sure to eat protein-rich foods to help restore muscle mass and repair cell damage caused by chemotherapy and radiation.
• Boil tap water before drinking it.
• Dental hygiene is very important, including daily brushing and flossing. Schedule regular visits with your dentist.
• Do not sleep with pets. Avoid contact with pets’ excrement.
• Avoid fresh flowers and plants as they may carry mold. Do not garden.
• Swimming may increase exposure to infection. If you swim, do not submerge your face in water. Do not use hot tubs.
• Report to your doctor any symptoms of fever, chills, cough, difficulty breathing, rash or changes in skin, and severe diarrhea or vomiting. Fever is one of the first signs of infection.
• Report to your ophthalmologist any signs of eye discharge or changes in vision. Patients who undergo radiation or who are on long-term steroid therapy have an increased risk for cataracts.

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Other Side Effects and Complications

Early side effects of transplantation are similar to chemotherapy and include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mouth sores, and loss of appetite. Bleeding because of reduced platelets is a high risk during the first four weeks and may require transfusions. Later side effects include fertility problems (if the ovaries are affected), thyroid gland problems (which can affect metabolism), lung damage (which can cause breathing problems), other organ damage, and bone damage.

In younger patients, there is a small long-term risk for leukemia after transplantation. Chemotherapy itself increases the risk of secondary cancers. Recent studies suggest that transplantation after chemotherapy does not add any additional risks.

Review Date: 01/27/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).