Bob Bogle (2nd from Left) with The Ventures

Bob Bogle, guitarist for the 1960′s group The Ventures, died this week of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 75. The Ventures, a Seattle-based instrumental group, was best known for their songs, “Walk, Don’t Run” and the theme song from “Hawaii Five-O.” Bogle was diagnosed with the disease over 12 years ago, but became sicker over the past 2 years.

Non-Hodgkins Lymphomas (NHL) are a group of cancers of the blood system, specifically of the infection fighting cells called white blood cells, or lymphocytes. NHL is the fifth most common type of cancer (not including skin cancer)in the United States today. Over 66,000 adults and children will bediagnosed with NHL this year. Over 95% of those cases will be adultsaround 60 years of age. This group is separate from patients with Hodgkins Lymphoma, who carry a special kind of cancer cell- called a Reed-Sternberg cell, in their blood. For a discussion of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, see Survivor’s Ethan Zohn, 35, has a very treatable form of cancer.

There are two types of lymphocytes in the blood- B-cells and T-cells, each with a different job within the immune system. B-cells normally help protect the body against bacteriaor viruses by making proteins called antibodies. The antibodies attachto the bacteria or viruses and attract other immune system cells thatsurround and digest the antibody-coated germs.

There are several types of T-cells, each with a specializedjob. Some normal T-cells help protect the body against “foreign invaders”- viruses, fungi,and some bacteria. T-cells can also releasesubstances called cytokines that attract certain other types of whiteblood cells, which then digest the infected cells. T-cells are alsothought to destroy some types of cancer cells, as well as the cells oftransplanted organs. Some types of T-cells play a role in eitherboosting or slowing the activity of other immune system cells. Because there are many different lymphocytes, there are many different forms of NHL.

Symptoms of NHL can be nonspecific,as well as identical to those of patients with Hodgkins Lymphoma- chills, swelling of the lymph nodes (which are often but not alwayspainless), fever, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, lack ofenergy, and itching.

While many effective treatment options exist, low grades of NHLusually recur, and some people go in and out of remission for years, some for 20 years or more. In certain patients with low grade disease, treatment may not benecessary until there are signs of progression. However, 30%-60% of patients with aggressive NHL can becured. Many people treated for NHL will receive some form ofchemotherapy, radiation therapy, biologic therapy, or a combination ofthese. Bone marrow or stem cell transplantation may sometimes be used.

Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is becoming a disease on the leading edge of new research techniques that may be applied to other cancers. These include: antibody treatments, vaccines, tumor profiling (like a fingerprint), and new therapies that are biologically targeted to unique abnormalities specific to certain lymphomas.

Resounding Health e-book on NHL