If you are diagnosed with low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma, you may not have treatment straightaway. Instead you may have regular check-ups to monitor the cancer. This approach is called watchful waiting (or watch and wait).
Watchful waiting doesn’t mean that nothing is done. You will see the doctor regularly to check for signs of the lymphoma progressing. Having treatment earlier than necessary can cause side effects. It can also make the lymphoma resistant to treatment, so if you need it later, it may not work as well.
Many people who have no treatment for low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma continue their usual daily activities for many years. Some people find watchful waiting hard to accept and prefer to have treatment immediately. If waiting for treatment makes you feel anxious, speak with your treatment team.
→ READ MORE: Chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
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Dr Puja Bhattacharyya, Haematology Staff Specialist, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown Hospital; A/Prof Christina Brown, Haematologist, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and The University of Sydney; Dr Susan Carroll, Senior Staff Specialist, Radiation Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital and The University of Sydney; Jo Cryer, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Haematology, St George Hospital; Marie Marr, Consumer; Katelin Mayer, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Cancer Outreach Team, Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Sydney; Vanessa Saunders, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Elise Toyer, Haematology Clinical Nurse Consultant, Blacktown Hospital.
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