PESHAWAR, Sept 16: In the northern part of Pakistan, more people were suffering from lymphoma than those living in the southern part, a doctor told at a seminar held in connection with the World Lymphoma Day. Lymphoma is a general term used for cancer of the lymphatic system, part of the body’s defence against the infections (immune system).

There are two types of the disease: one is called non-hodgkin lymphoma and very common in developing countries like Pakistan, Dr Abid Jamil told the seminar held by the Khyber Teaching Hospital in collaboration with certain participants.

He said three to seven per cent increase in the number of non-hodgkin lymphoma patients was reportedly annually and added that the disease had grown by 80 per cent since 1970s. People experienced this infection at the most reproductive age of 40 to 60 years, he said.

About the second type of the disease called Hodgkin Lymphoma, Dr Abid said it had been first diagnosed in 1832 and its symptoms were noticed in the early childhood or later in old age. The disease was curable if diagnosed and treated in early stages.

Painless swelling of glands in any part of body, cold, temperature swings, unexplained weight loss, lack of appetite, fatigue, persistent cough, breathlessness and enlarged tonsils are some of the few symptoms, the doctor said.

However, he said: “The symptoms of lymphoma are often mistaken for less serious disease such as flu, glandular fever, tuberculosis.”

Dr Tahir Shamsi in his lecture said that in Pakistan, people of younger age become lymphoma patients as compared to those being diagnosed in older age in the western countries.—PPI