The outlook for stage 4 lymphoma depends on the type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma you have and how far your cancer has spread. The more your disease has spread, the less likely it is that treatments will cure you. But even in the most advanced stages, doctors can still help people with this disease live a long time.
Doctors use a system called staging to find out how much lymphoma has spread when they make a diagnosis. They look at what part of the body the lymphoma started in and how many lymph nodes it has affected. Then they look at other parts of the body to see if the lymphoma has spread to those areas. If it has, they will describe the stage of the lymphoma as A (limited), B (advanced) or X (bulky).
In addition to staging, doctors also give Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma a grade, based on how quickly it is likely to grow and spread. This helps them recommend treatment that is most likely to work for you.
Your doctors might also talk about a different staging system for rare types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, such as follicular lymphoma and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia (WM). In this system, doctors look at other parts of the body to find out how far the cancer has spread. They may also give you a score between 0 and 5, which tells how the condition is likely to affect your health.
When your doctors finish their tests, they will be able to tell you what stage of lymphoma you have and how far it has spread. They might also use letters to describe the stage, such as A, B, X, E or S. The A, B and X stages mean the lymphoma has spread to only one other body organ. The X stage means the lymphoma is in several groups of lymph nodes, and the S stage indicates it is in the thymus or liver.
The number of lymph nodes affected in each stage gives doctors an idea of how much lymphoma has spread. They will also look at other factors, such as your age, general health and how well the lymphoma responds to treatment, when they recommend a treatment plan.
How long you live with stage 4 lymphoma will depend on how far the lymphoma has spread, what type of NHL you have and whether you have any symptoms. But survival rates continue to improve, especially with new types of treatments.
Some types of lymphoma are curable at this stage, but others can’t be cured. You can improve your chances of living longer by having regular checkups and following your treatment plan. If you have any problems, talk to your doctor or visit the LLS online for support. You might also find local or online support groups helpful. If you are diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma, it is important to get support from family and friends. You can learn about local support services by contacting the LLS or your community cancer center.
