News Details

New Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Treatment Guidelines Available for Patients

Free Guide Aids Treatment Decision-Making

JENKINTOWN, PA, January 6, 2004 – The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Cancer Society today announce a new booklet designed to help educate patients and their families about non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Treatment Guidelines for Patients is just one title in a series, available free in booklet form or online (www.nccn.org).

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a cancer that begins in the lymphoid tissue, the main component of the immune system. The American Cancer Society estimates that 53,900 new cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (both adults and children) will be diagnosed in the United States this year.

“The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, on which the patient guidelines are based, are updated at least annually, or more frequently as changes are made in the field and new treatments are discovered,” said William T. McGivney, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of NCCN. “These new non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma treatment guidelines reflect the most current information available, and we encourage patients to discuss the contents of the booklets with their physicians.”

NCCN Treatment Guidelines for Patients are the result of a collaborative effort between NCCN and the American Cancer Society and are derived directly from the Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology developed for physicians by the NCCN. The patient guidelines also provide background information on different types of cancers, their causes, various treatment options, and a glossary of terms. The guidelines provide the most up-to-date information about treatment options and are written in easy to understand language.

“These patient guidelines offer non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients the reliable, specific, and easy-to-understand information they need to make timely and informed decisions,” said Ralph B. Vance, MD, FACP, national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society. “The American Cancer Society is pleased to work with NCCN in developing these materials.”

Other available Treatment Guidelines for Patients include: breast cancer, colon and rectal cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, nausea and vomiting, cancer pain management, fatigue and anemia, and fever and neutropenia. These guidelines are also available in Spanish. The materials are available free of charge on NCCN’s Web site at www.nccn.org and by calling NCCN toll-free at 1-888-909-NCCN. Materials also are available on the American Cancer Society’s Web site at www.cancer.org or by calling 1-800-ACS-2345.