Lymphoma: the Basics


Lymphoma: the Basics



Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system also known as the Lymphatic System.



The Lymphatic System is made up of 6 key components:
1. LYMPH –a watery substance that contains infection-fighting White Blood Cells (WBCs) called Lymphocytes in a series of blood vessels through body– Lymphocytes protect the body from disease and infection. It is made up of a series of vein-like vessels that carry lymph throughout the body.
2. LYMPH NODES:  bean shaped glands  responsible for the production and storage of Lymphocytes 
3. BONE MARROW
4. SPLEEN
5. TONSILS
6. THYMUS GLAND
Lymphoma is a cancer that occurs when lymphocytes proliferate in an uncontrolled manner. This error causes an over production of abnormal lymphocytes which then clump together and form a mass in the lymph nodes or other organs of the lymphatic system.
There are two main classifications of lymphoma:
  • Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL or “Hodgkin’s Disease”)
  • Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL): more than 30 types
These diseases arise from the lymphatic system but their signs and symptoms, behavior, and treatment are quite different.




A. Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is one of the most curable types of cancer. 
Under the microscope, “Reed- Sternberg cells” are visible, this distinguishes Hodgkin from other types of lymphoma. 
HL usually follows a predictable pattern from one group of lymph nodes to another versis Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) which tend to be distributed throughout the body.
Also, HL is rarely found outside of the lymph nodes, while NHL will frequently exist anywhere. For these reasons, HL is often a disease that is easier to treat and manage than NHL. 
It is most commonly diagnosed in people aged 15-25 or over the age of 50, and more likely to affect men than women.
Hodgkin Lymphoma Signs and Symptoms:
The signs and symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include:
  • Painless swelling of the lymph nodes, especially in the neck, chest and armpits
  • Feeling more tired than usual or generally unwell
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Fever without signs of an infection
  • Cough or feeling short of breath
  • Night sweats that soak the bedclothes
  • Itchy skin
  • Pain in the lymph nodes after drinking alcohol
These symptoms can also be present in many other, non- cancerous conditions. If you are concerned about symptoms you are experiencing, you should seek advice from your healthcare provider.
Risk Factors For Hodgkin Lymphoma:
As with many types of cancer, the exact cause of Hodgkin lymphoma is not known. Many people who have risk factors will never develop the disease, and some lymphoma patients have no known risks.
Some possible risk factors may include:
  • A history of infectious mononucleosis (“mono”)
  • Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)
  • Family history of Hodgkin lymphoma
  • History of a stem cell transplant
Summary:
Hodgkin lymphoma is different from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the way it appears under the microscope, but also in how it progresses and spreads.
It is a highly treatable form of cancer. As a result, your healthcare team will want to ensure an accurate diagnosis, so that you can get the best treatment for your disease.

B.  Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL): more than 30 types

NHL can be further classified by the type of lymphocytes affected (B-Cells or T- Cells) or by the pattern of disease progression. 
Slow growing NHL can be called “indolent” or “low-grade,” while fast growing NHL may be called “aggressive” or “high grade.” Like Hodgkin lymphoma, men are more likely than women to develop the disease, but NHL is more common in older persons.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Signs and Symptoms:
Signs and Symptoms of NHL may include:
  • Painless swelling of the lymph nodes, especially in the neck, chest and armpits
  • Feeling more tired than usual or generally unwell
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Fever without signs of an infection
  • Night sweats that soak the bedclothes
  • Itchy skin
  • Decreased appetite
  • Rash
These symptoms can also be present in many other, non- cancerous conditions. If you are concerned about symptoms you are experiencing, you should seek advice from your healthcare provider.
Risk Factors For Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma:
As with many types of cancer, the exact cause of NHL is not known. Many people who have risk factors will never develop the disease, and some lymphoma patients have no known risks.
Some possible risk factors may include:
  • Infection with certain viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or human T- lymphocytotropic virus (HTLV)
  • Prior treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy
  • Infection with the helicobacter pylori (h. pylori) bacteria may increase risk of developing a type of lymphoma that affects the wall of the stomach
  • Extended exposure to specific chemicals found in pesticides and fertilizers
  • Weak immune system caused by:
    • Drugs that suppress immunity
    • Autoimmune diseases
    • HIV/ AIDS
Summary:
NHL is not a single disease but a group of more than 30 types of cancer that arise from the lymphatic system. Although these diseases have a common origin, they are all different in their signs and symptoms, how they progress and how they are treated.
The best advice for any person worried about symptoms such as a lasting, low-grade fever, unexplained weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, tiredness or shortness of breath is to see their doctor or healthcare provider.

Here are some basic videos that may help you understand more about Lymphoma in general.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5EgmtwvK68


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The leading lymphoma doctors in Washington DC area are noted below:

Greenebaum Cancer Center
University of Maryland
22 South Greene Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Phone number: 410-328-1230
Director: Maria R. Baer, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Ashraf Badros, M.D.
Arnob Banerjee, M.D.
Ronald Gartenhaus, M.D.
Ivana Gojo, M.D.
Trishna Goswami, M.D.
Amy Kimball, M.D., Ph.D.
Aaron Rapoport, M.D.
Douglas Ross, M.D., Ph.D.
Edward A. Sausville, M.D., Ph.D.
Saul Yanovich, M.D.
Young Kwok, M.D.
“We occasionally refer patients to specialists closer to home, but this is done on a case by case basis, usually after the patient has been seen in consult here.”

Johns Hopkins Oncology Center
Baltimore, MD
Richard Ambinder, M.D. (410) 955-8839

National Institute on Aging
Baltimore, MD
Dan Longo, M.D. (410) 558-8110
Patricia Duffey, R.N. (410) 558-8541

University of Maryland Cancer Center
Baltimore, MD
Meyer Heyman, M.D. (800) 492-5538

Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
3800 Reservoir Rd.
Washington, DC 20057
Phone number: 202-444-7932
Director: Bruce D. Cheson, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Dr. Philip Cohen
Dr. Catherine Broome
Dr. Craig Kessler
“Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is willing/able to provide lymphoma expert names for other geographic areas.”

Massey Cancer Center
Virginia Commonwealth University
401 College Street
Richmond, Virginia 23298
Phone number: 1-877-MASSEY
Director: Dr. Gordon D. Ginder
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Dr. Gordon D. Ginder
Dr. Steven Grant
Dr. Prithvi Bose
Dr. Amir Toor
Dr. Harold Chung
Dr. William Clark
Will try to refer a patient to a lymphoma specialist close to where they live.


Full list below and reference:




http://lymphoma.about.com/od/nonhodgkinlymphoma/p/Whatisnon-hodgkinlymphoma.htm
http://www.slideshare.net/barashe1/case-study-for-mnt-122009

Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®): Health Professional Version.

Authors

PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board.

Source

PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute (US); 2002-.
2015 Oct 1.

Excerpt

This PDQ cancer information summary for health professionals provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based information about the treatment of adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is intended as a resource to inform and assist clinicians who care for cancer patients. It does not provide formal guidelines or recommendations for making health care decisions. This summary is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary by the PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board, which is editorially independent of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The summary reflects an independent review of the literature and does not represent a policy statement of NCI or the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Sections








 2015 Nov 16. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2015.273. [Epub ahead of print]

Thiotepa-based high-dose therapy for autologous stem cell transplantation in lymphoma: a retrospective study from the EBMT.

Sellner L1, Boumendil A2, Finel H2, Choquet S3, de Rosa G4, Falzetti F5, Scime R6, Kobbe G7, Ferrara F8, Delmer A9, Sayer H10,Amorim S11, Bouabdallah R12, Finke J13, Salles G14, Yakoub-Agha I15, Faber E16, Nicolas-Virelizier E17, Facchini L18, Vallisa D19,Zuffa E20, Sureda A2,21, Dreger P1,2.

Author information

  • 1Department of Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
  • 2Lymphoma Working Party, European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Paris, France.
  • 3Department of Hematology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France.
  • 4University of Napoli, Napoli, Italy.
  • 5University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  • 6Department of Hematology, Azienda Ospedali Riuniti Villa Sofia-Cervello, Palermo, Italy.
  • 7University Hospital Düsseldorf, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
  • 8Cardarelli Hospital, Napoli, Italy.
  • 9Service d’Hématologie Clinique, Hôpital Robert Debré, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Reims, Reims, France.
  • 10Department of Hematology and Oncology, Helios Hospital Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany.
  • 11APHP, Hopital Saint-louis, Hemato-Oncology Paris Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
  • 12Hematology Department, Paoli Calmettes Institute, Marseille Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
  • 13Department of Hematology, Freiburg University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 14Hematologie, Hospices Civils de Lyon and Université Claude Bernard Lyon-1, Pierre Bénite, France.
  • 15LIRIC-U995, Hematology Department and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Unit, University-Hospital of Lille, Lille, France.
  • 16Department of Hemato-Oncology, Faculty Hospital Olomouc and Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
  • 17Hematology Department, Centre Leon Berard, Lyon, France.
  • 18Hematology Unit, Arcispedale S Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
  • 19Hematology Unit, Ospedale Civile, Piacenza, Italy.
  • 20Hematology Unit, S Maria delle Croci Hospital, Ravenna, Italy.
  • 21Institut Català d’Oncologia, Hospital Duran i Reynals, Barcelona, Spain.

Abstract

Clinical information about thiotepa-based autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) outside the primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) field is sparse. In this registry-based retrospective study, we evaluated potential risks and benefits of thiotepa-based preparative regimens compared with BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan) in auto-SCT for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL, excluding PCNSL), follicular lymphoma (FL) or Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). A total of 14 544 patients (589 thiotepa and 13 955 BEAM) met the eligibility criteria, and 535 thiotepa- and 1031 BEAM-treated patients were matched in a 1:2 ratio for final comparison. No significant differences between thiotepa and BEAM groups for any survival end point were identified in the whole sample or disease entity subsets. For a more detailed analysis, 47 TEAM (thiotepa, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan)-treated patients were compared with 75 matched BEAM patients with additional collection of toxicity data. Again, there were no significant differences between the two groups for any survival end point. In addition, the frequency of common infectious and non-infectious complications including secondary malignancies was comparable between TEAM and BEAM. These results indicate that thiotepa-based high-dose therapy might be a valuable alternative to BEAM in DLBCL, HL and FL. Further evaluation by prospective clinical trials is warranted.Bone Marrow Transplantation advance online publication, 16 November 2015; doi:10.1038/bmt.2015.273.




Lymphoma Foundation of America

Lymphoma Specialists – Referral List

1100 N. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Tel: (734) 222-1100 | Fax: (734) 222-0044

NORTHEAST

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
44 Binney Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone number: (617) 632-5138 – New patient coordinators
Director: Arnold Freedman, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma doctors:
Philippe Armand, M.D.
Jennifer R. Brown, M.D., Ph.D.
George P. Canellos, M.D.
Arnold Freedman, D.D.
Eric D. Jacobsen, M.D.
Ann S. LaCasce, M.D.
Lawrence Shulman, M.D.
“If patients would like to find a lymphoma specialist close to where they live, we are happy to refer them to local physicians.”
Yale Cancer Center
New Haven, CT
Vincent DeVita, M.D.
(203) 785-4370
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY
Carol Portlock, M.D. (800) 525-2225 or (212) 639-8109
New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center
New York, NY
Morton Coleman, M.D. (212) 517-5900
Richard Silver, M.D. (212) 746-2098
James P. Wilmot Cancer Center
Rochester, NY
Richard Fisher, M.D. (585) 275-5823

MID-ATLANTIC

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey
195 Little Albany Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone number: 732-235-8064
Director: Roger K. Strair, M.D., Ph.D.
Board-certified lymphoma doctors:
Roger K. Strair, M.D., Ph.D.
Joseph Aisner, M.D., Medical Oncologist
Arnold Rubin, M.D., Hematologist/Medical Oncologist
Dale Schaar, M.D., Ph.D., Hematologist/Medical Oncologist
Patients who contact The Cancer Institute of New Jersey are given referrals to one of their Network Affiliate Hospitals throughout New Jersey, if one of these affiliates is closer to their home. A list of their Network Affiliates can be found on their website under the tab “affiliate network.”
Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
1600 Penn Tower
3400 Spruce St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Phone number: 215-615-5858 Option #2
Director: Stephen Schuster, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Stephen Schuster, M.D.
Edward Stadtmauer, M.D.
Sunita Nasta, M.D.
Jakub Svoboda, M.D.
Donald Tsai, M.D.
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Department of Medical Oncology
333 Cottman Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19111
Phone number: 215-728-6900
Director: Mitchell Smith, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Adam Cohen, M.D.
Michael Millenson, M.D.
Greenebaum Cancer Center
University of Maryland
22 South Greene Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Phone number: 410-328-1230
Director: Maria R. Baer, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Ashraf Badros, M.D.
Arnob Banerjee, M.D.
Ronald Gartenhaus, M.D.
Ivana Gojo, M.D.
Trishna Goswami, M.D.
Amy Kimball, M.D., Ph.D.
Aaron Rapoport, M.D.
Douglas Ross, M.D., Ph.D.
Edward A. Sausville, M.D., Ph.D.
Saul Yanovich, M.D.
Young Kwok, M.D.
“We occasionally refer patients to specialists closer to home, but this is done on a case by case basis, usually after the patient has been seen in consult here.”
Johns Hopkins Oncology Center
Baltimore, MD
Richard Ambinder, M.D. (410) 955-8839
National Institute on Aging
Baltimore, MD
Dan Longo, M.D. (410) 558-8110
Patricia Duffey, R.N. (410) 558-8541
University of Maryland Cancer Center
Baltimore, MD
Meyer Heyman, M.D. (800) 492-5538
Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
3800 Reservoir Rd.
Washington, DC 20057
Phone number: 202-444-7932
Director: Bruce D. Cheson, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Dr. Philip Cohen
Dr. Catherine Broome
Dr. Craig Kessler
“Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is willing/able to provide lymphoma expert names for other geographic areas.”
Massey Cancer Center
Virginia Commonwealth University
401 College Street
Richmond, Virginia 23298
Phone number: 1-877-MASSEY
Director: Dr. Gordon D. Ginder
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Dr. Gordon D. Ginder
Dr. Steven Grant
Dr. Prithvi Bose
Dr. Amir Toor
Dr. Harold Chung
Dr. William Clark
Will try to refer a patient to a lymphoma specialist close to where they live.

SOUTH

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
2220 Pierce Ave.
Nashville, TN 37232
Phone number: 877-936-8422 or 615-936-8422
Director: Madan Jagasia, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Dr. John Greer
Dr. Nishitha Reddy
Todd Tenenholz, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Radiation Oncology. Phone number: 615-322-2555
Vanderbilt can refer a patient to a lymphoma specialist close to where they live.
Wake Forest Comprehensive Cancer Center
Wake Forest University
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1082
Phone number: 336-713-5433
Director: Denise Levitan, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Denise Levitan, M.D.
Seema Naik, M.D.
Wake Forest will refer patients to specialists closer to their homes.
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
450 West Drive
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27519
Phone number: 919-966-7782
Directors: Dr. Thomas Shea
Dr. Stephen Park
Kristy Richards
Contact person for this program at UNC:
Belinda Gunn
Adult Hem/Onc Clinic
Phone: 919-966-7782
Fax: 919-843-5267
Initial correspondence with Belinda is done via fax.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Thomas C. Shea, M.D.
Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program
Phone: 919-966-7746
Kristy Richards, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Hematology and Oncology
1090 Genetic Medicine Building
Campus Box 7361
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7361
Phone: 919-966-0374
E-mail: Kristy_richards@med.unc.edu
Steven Park, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Division of Hematology and Oncology
170 Manning Drive, 3rd Floor
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7305
Phone: 919-843-5968
Fax: 919-966-6535
E-mail: sipark@med.unc.edu
Lineberger can help patients find a physician closer to home.
Hollings Cancer Center 
86 Jonathan Lucas Street
Charleston, South Carolina 29425
Phone number: Bonnie Boyce (843) 792-9300
Director: Luciano Costa, M.D., Ph.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Luciano Costa, M.D., Ph.D.
Robert Stuart, M.D.
Yubin Kang, M.D.
Hollings can refer a patient to a lymphoma specialist close to where they live.
Moffitt Cancer Center
12902 Magnolia Drive
Tampa, Florida, 33612
Phone number:
813-745-1857 Ms. Tomaco Shellman – Lymphoma clinic appointments
813-745-8212 Ms. Gayle Behrle – Lymphoma administration
Director: Lubomir Sokol, M.D., Ph.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Lubomir Sokol, M.D., Ph.D.
Eduardo Sotomayor, M.D.
Celeste Bello, M.D.
Jennifer Cultrera M.D.
Benjamin Djulbegovic, M.D., Ph.D.
Salvador Bruno, M.D.
Paul Chervenick, M.D.
Javier Pinilla, M.D., Ph.D.
Southwestern Medical Center
Simmons Cancer Center
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75390
Phone number: (214) 645-4673
Director: Robert Collins, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Robert Collins, M.D.
Madhuri Vusirikala, M.D.
Larry Anderson, M.D., Ph.D.
Harris Naina, M.D.
Thomas Froehlich, M.D.
Amy Harker-Murray, M.D.
John Bagwell, M.D.
Jenny Li, M.D.
“We are happy to provide names of other lymphoma specialists, as requested. We encourage people to visit the UTSW website at www.utsouthwestern.org to learn more about theses individual physicians and the Simmons Cancer Center.”
Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center
Baylor College of Medicine
One Baylor Plaza
Houston, Texas 77030
Phone number: 713-798-2500
Directors:
Adult Lymphoma: Martha Mims M.D.
Pediatric lymphoma: Catherine Bollard M.D.
Lymphoma Special Program of Research Excellence: Helen Heslop M.D.
Adult Lymphoma
Baylor Clinic – Phone 713.798.2500
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Mark Udden M.D.
Transplant for Adult Lymphoma CAGT (Center for Cell and Gene Therapy)
The Methodist Hospital – Phone 713 441 6250
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
George Carrum M.D.
Carlos Ramos M.D.
Ram Kamble M.D.
Pediatric Lymphoma
Texas Children’s Cancer Center – Phone 832-822-4240 or 1-800-226-2379
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Kala Kamdar M.D.
Ken McClain M.D.
Transplant for Adult Lymphoma (Center for Cell and Gene Therapy)
Texas Children’s Hospital – Phone 832-822-4240 or 1-800-CANCER9 (1-800-226-2379)
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Robert Krance M.D.
Alana Kennedy-Nasser M.D.
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Lymphoma and Myeloma Center
Houston, TX
(713) 792-3510

MIDWEST

Karmanos Cancer Center
4100 John R.
Detroit, MI 48201
Phone number: 1-800-527-6266
Director: Charles A. Schiffer, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Charles A. Schiffer, M.D.
Radhakrishnan Ramchandren, M.D.
Melissa Runge-Morris, M.D.
Jeffrey Zonder, M.D.
Will refer to specialists close to patient’s home when possible.
University of Michigan Medical Center Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, MI
Mark Kaminski, M.D. (800) 211-8181; (734) 647-8915
Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chicago, IL
Leo Gordon, M.D. (312) 695-0990
Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center
Department of Hematology/Oncology
535 Barnhill Drive, RT 400
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Phone number: 317-944-0920
Director: Michael J. Robertson, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Michael J. Robertson, M.D.
Jose Azar, M.D.
Shivani Srivastava, M.D.
All can be contacted at 317-944-0920
The Center provides patient assistance to find a Lymphoma specialist in their area.
University of Minnesota Medical School
Minneapolis, MN
Bruce Peterson, M.D. (888) 256-9787; (612) 624-5631
Dan Weisdorf, M.D. (888) 256-9787; (612) 624-0123
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Hematology/Oncology Dept. (507) 284-2111
Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center 
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
Phone numbers: Clinical care – 319-356-4200; Research – 319-353-8620
Director: Dr. Brian Link
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Dr. Brian Link
Dr. Lori Rosenstein
Dr. George Weiner
UW Paul P. Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center
600 Highland Ave.
Madison, Wisconsin 53792
Phone numbers: Cancer Connect 608-262-5223; 1-800-622-8922
Director: Brad Kahl, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Kahl, Brad, M.D. Associate Professor of Medicine (CHS)
Chang, Julie, M.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine (CHS)
This cancer center does not refer lymphoma patients to lymphoma specialists closer to where the patient lives.
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Eppley Cancer Center
600 South 42nd Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68198
Phone number: 402-559-6500
Director: Julie M. Vose, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
James O. Armitage, M.D.
Philip J. Bierman, M.D.
R. Gregory Bociek, M.D.
Julie M. Vose, M.D.
Eppley Cancer Center will refer to a lymphoma specialist close to where patients live.

WEST

University of Arizona Cancer Center 
Tucson, AZ
Thomas Miller, M.D. (520) 626-2900 or (502) 626-2667
USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
1441 Eastlake Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Phone number: Division of Hematology (323) 865-3950 then option 6.
Director: Peter A. Jones, Ph.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Ann F. Mohrbacher, M.D.; Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
Vinod Pullarkat, M.D., Associate Professor and Clinical Director of the Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Program
Sikander Ailawadhi, M.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine
Patients wanting to schedule an appointment must first go through the “Referral Office” (first time appointments only) – (323) 865-3105. After the first appointment, patients will be given the name and phone numbers to their physician’s scheduler and nurse.
Should a patient need the name of a doctor not in the LA area, the staff will ask Faculty for a name.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Lawrence Piro, M.D. (800) 233-2771; (310) 582-7900
Michael Lill, M.D. (800) 233-2771; (310) 423-2997
UCLA Medical Center
Hematology/Oncology
Los Angeles, CA
Mary Territo, M.D. (310) 296-6909
John Glaspy, M.D. (310) 794-4955
University of California San Francisco
Helen Diller Family Cancer Center
1450 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA 94158
Phone number for new lymphoma patients: 415-353-2051
Director: Lawrence Kaplan, M.D.
Board-certified lymphoma specialists:
Lawrence Kaplan
Wei Ai
Charalambos Andreadis
Lloyd Damon
Rebecca Olin
University of California San Francisco does not provide a list of lymphoma specialists close to where the patient lives.
Stanford University Medical Center
Palo Alto, CA
Saul Rosenberg, M.D. (650) 725-6455
Sandra Horning, M.D. (650) 725-6456
Ronald Levy, M.D. (650) 725-4971
Scripps Clinic Cancer Center
La Jolla, CA
Allan Saven, M.D. (858) 455-9100
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Seattle, WA
Frederick Appelbaum, M.D. (800) 804-8824; (206) 667-4412

Radiation Specialists

C. Norman Coleman, M.D. (301) 496-5457
Division of Clinical Studies
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD
Eli Glatstein, M.D. (800) 789-PENN
University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center
Philadelphia, PA
Richard Hoppe, M.D. (650) 725-4788
Stanford University Medical Center
Stanford, CA
Peter Mauch, M.D. (617) 667-9550
Dana-Farber Institute
Boston, MA
Nancy Price Mendenhall, M.D. (800) 749-7424; (352) 265-0287
University of Florida College of Medicine
Gainesville, FL
Leonard Prosnitz, M.D. (919) 416-3853; (919) 668-7342
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC
Lymphoma Foundation of America’s list of lymphoma specialists and cancer centers is updated annually. The information contained in this list comes from: National Cancer Institute (NCI), American Board of Medical Specialties, and information provided to our Foundation by each of the listed cancer centers. Some individual physicians are listed because their names are provided to our Foundation by the lymphoma patient community.

If you are a lymphoma patient who utilizes the services of any center or physician on this list, or have gone to a lymphoma specialist not on this list, we welcome your feedback about your experience. The list is compiled as a public service of the Lymphoma Foundation of America. No doctor or institution pays to be listed.

Lymphoma Foundation of America
Main Office
1100 N. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Tel: (734) 222-1100 | Fax: (734) 222-0044

Patient Hotline: 1-800-385-1060
E-mail: LFA@lymphomahelp.org

www.lymphomahelp.org
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