Know your nodes!
Know lymphoma
The LBF has launched a fun new website to help New Zealanders learn more about this little-known disease.
With the number of lymphoma diagnoses on the rise each year, we all need to be more aware of the signs and symptoms of this blood cancer, and the website's quirky quiz aims to demystify the part of the body where it strikes - the lymphatic system and the lymph nodes.
Simply visit www.knowyournodes.org.nz to take part and find out what you know - or more importantly don’t know - about one of the body’s most vital systems. When a question is answered wrongly, participants are encouraged to try again, as the aim is to help you learn as much as possible about one of the least understood cancers.
There are only 18 questions, so please take the time to visit the site and test your knowledge. When you've completed the quiz, we'd love you to email the link to your family and friends and help us raise the profile of the 'cancer that no-one knows'.
Below we've included a few handy tips about the lymphatic system to help you boost your score!
Defence forces – The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, playing a major role in the body’s defence against infection and cancer.
Up sizing – Lymph nodes look like jelly beans and are less than 1 cm long. When fighting infection, they become enlarged.
Hide and seek – Nodes are located throughout the body where bacteria most commonly enter. Nodes can be felt more commonly in the armpits, the groin and the neck. Others can’t be felt, such as in the abdomen, pelvis and chest.
Three’s company – During a regular physical examination, a physician will often feel and compare three major groups of lymph nodes (neck, axilla and groin) to make sure they are healthy.
Open wide – Tonsils are lymphatic organs and work with the immune system to help prevent infections.
What is lymphoma? – Lymphoma is a kind of blood cancer that affects the white blood cells that can be found in lymph nodes. The two most common types are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Know the signs – The signs and symptoms of lymphoma can often be mistaken for other less serious illnesses. Fatigue, fever, swollen lymph nodes, a persistent cough and unexplained weight loss can all be symptoms. If any of these symptoms persist, or if you are concerned, it is good to mention them to your doctor.
More common than you think – Lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer in New Zealand. Each year more than 750 new cases of lymphoma are diagnosed - the cause is unknown.