Giancarlo Magalli recently revealed to Verissimo that he almost died following a spleen lymphomaa rather rare disease which, if not treated properly, can be fatal.
Let’s see then What are the symptoms of spleen lymphomaand how it can be treated.
Spleen cancer: what it is and what were the symptoms of Magalli
This type of cancer affects the spleen, one of the main organs of the lymphatic system (which it also takes care of the immune system) about the size of a fist, located in the upper left side of the trunk (usually hurts after strenuous running).
The spleen is not a vital organ in the sense that it is possible to live without, following one splenectomia (removal of the spleen). Spleen cancer can originate from cells of the spleen itself, or be the result of metastases.
Tumors are usually lymphomas that arise from the lymphatic tissue of the body, e have the following symptoms:
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Symptoms of a joint cold (because the body loses some of its ability to fight infections).
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Spleen enlargement (which can also break)
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Pain in the bones or joints
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Increased night sweats
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Swollen lymph nodes or weight loss.
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Fever and chills. This last symptom is precisely the one described by Giancarlo Magalli in a recent interview with Verissimo, in which he declared:
But the situation was serious enough. Fever to 40, delirium. Luckily I was at home and one of my daughters was with me, who called the ambulance. I was taken to the hospital, to the emergency room, by ambulance. I was treated for this infection. I had visions.
Visions and hallucinations do not appear among the official symptoms of spleen lymphoma, but can occur as a result of very high fever, as is the case with Giancarlo Magalli.
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Treatments and causes of spleen cancer
The causes of spleen cancer are not yet fully known, but they are valid general rules of cancer prevention: limited consumption of meat (especially red meat and sausages), limited consumption of alcohol and minimal contact with radioactive or carcinogenic substances.
As regards the treatment, as has been said, it is possible to completely remove the organor opt for chemotherapy. These two options are sometimes complementary, as chemo is used to control or shrink the tumor and then proceed with its removal.
A further possibility is given by targeted therapies, where the drugs target only specific molecules of cancer cells, such as proteins involved in the formation of new blood vessels.
However, immunotherapy stimulates the immune system against cancer. Then there is the conservative approach, called watchful waiting: in this case, one does not intervene directly at a surgical or radiotherapy level, but the growth of the lymphoma is kept under control, to act only when deemed most appropriate.
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