Q: My 18 years old niece has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). She went through chemotherapy for 7 months. She had 8 dosages of chemotherapy and lost her hair. She has responded to all her treatments very well. She has maintained her weight throughout her treatment. Inspite of going through nausea, she would eat and drink without any complain. As she knew that this will help her out to fight the sickness. This is the eighth month. She is on pills now to increase her counts but gradually they will stop her pills and regularly she has to go for maintenance. She lost a year after she got admission in medicine. She should start her academic career this year in one of the prestigious centre in Mumbai. What is the duration of this disease? Is she cured for life time? What are the adverse effects of chemotherapy? Can she lead a normal life? How fast will her hair grow back? Is it practical to shave her off once again to get a better growth? Can you advise what kind of nutrients she should have and what all the precautions she should adhere to? Is recurrence possible?

A:Your patient has had full treatment of NHL. It appears that she has achieved complete remission. If so, then all treatment has to stop. Depending on the stage of NHL, there is very good chance of cure. The chance of cure exceeds 60%. All the side effects of chemotherapy are reversible. Hair growth is slow nd takes few months. She should lead an absolutely normal life and should be encouraged to participate in all the activities. She should eat normal diet and she can take B-complex and Iron for a few months. There is no specific precaution that needs to be observed. However, she has to undergo 6-12 monthly tests under the guidance of your doctor for the next five years.