World Lymphoma Awareness Day

Cancer remains a major cause of illness and death in Jamaica, making greater awareness, early diagnosis, and access to quality treatment increasingly important.

Ahead of World Lymphoma Awareness Day on September 15, Dr Yuliya Linhares, medical oncologist and chief of lymphoma services at Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute, is drawing attention to advances that are changing the way some patients receive treatment for lymphoma.

Dr Linhares brings extensive experience to the field, with expertise in comprehensive lymphoma care, stem cell transplantation, and clinical research focused on improving patient outcomes. Her work reflects an evolving approach to cancer treatment, one that considers not only the effectiveness of therapy, but also the patient’s quality of life and individual circumstances.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the lymphatic system, a network of organs, vessels, and tissues that plays an important role in the body’s immune defence, fluid balance, fat absorption, and waste removal. The disease is broadly divided into two main categories: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

While lymphoma treatment can involve complex therapies, Dr Linhares said advances in medical knowledge and patient monitoring are making it possible for some carefully selected patients to receive treatment outside the traditional hospital setting.

“Some treatments that previously required hospital stays can now be administered in an outpatient setting for carefully selected patients,” she explained. “This has become possible because we have a better understanding of potential side effects, how to monitor patients closely, and how to provide the specialised support they need.”

At Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute in Miami, some complex lymphoma therapies are offered on an outpatient basis, allowing appropriate patients to receive specialised care while remaining closer to their families and maintaining more of their normal routines.

However, the shift can mean more than simply spending fewer nights in hospital.

According to Dr Linhares, receiving treatment as an outpatient can make it easier for patients to remain connected to their support systems, while reducing the disruption that prolonged hospitalisation can bring to their lives.

“It allows patients to receive highly specialised treatment while remaining closer to their loved ones and maintaining more of their daily routines,” she said. “For many patients, that can make the treatment experience more manageable and improve aspects of their overall quality of life.”

However, outpatient treatment does not mean compromising safety.

Dr Linhares emphasised that patients must be carefully selected and that strong clinical protocols, advanced monitoring, and specialised healthcare teams must be in place to identify and respond to potential complications.

“These treatments are delivered with strong protocols and advanced monitoring,” she said. “Specialised teams are closely involved in the patient’s care, and careful selection is an important part of ensuring that outpatient treatment is appropriate.”

The approach is also supported by growing evidence that certain treatments can be safely delivered outside the hospital for appropriately selected patients while maintaining strong clinical outcomes.

For families, the benefits can extend beyond the patient. Having a loved one return home after treatment can provide greater opportunities for family support and reduce some of the emotional and practical challenges associated with lengthy hospital stays.

Dr Linhares said modern cancer care is increasingly focused on the whole patient.

“We have to consider the patient’s family, work, daily activities, and emotional well-being as part of the treatment experience,” she said. “The goal is not only to treat the lymphoma, but to provide care that is as individualised and patient-centred as possible.”

The field continues to evolve, with personalised medicine and cellular therapies among the areas generating significant interest.

Dr Linhares said the future of lymphoma care will involve not only developing new treatments, but also finding better and more individualised ways to deliver them.

“We are moving towards more personalised approaches to treatment, including advances in cellular therapies,” she said. “The future is about making care more individualised, while ensuring that it remains safe, effective, and centred on the patient’s needs.”

As World Lymphoma Awareness Day approaches, these developments serve as a reminder of how rapidly cancer care continues to evolve.

For patients who once faced lengthy hospital stays as an unavoidable part of complex treatment, advances in outpatient care may provide another option when clinically appropriate.

“Advances in lymphoma treatment are giving medical teams greater flexibility in how we care for patients,” Dr Linhares said. “For carefully selected patients, receiving specialised treatment without a prolonged hospital stay can make a meaningful difference, while maintaining the same commitment to safety, monitoring, and clinical care.”

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com