Dr. Batlevi on Challenges Faced in Follicular Lymphoma Management

Connie L. Batlevi, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist specializing in lymphoma at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses challenges faced in the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma.

The lifetime of a patient with follicular lymphoma spans several decades, during which they may require intermittent treatment, says Batlevi. One of the challenges with this disease is determining which treatment can extend disease-free interval for the longest period of time while allowing patients to remain functional; this should be an individualized decision made with the patient, says Batlevi.

Other times, as a patient matures, they acquire different comorbidities and other health issues that are more prominent. In these instances, a physician might have to consider how to manage the disease at the same time as other medical conditions, some of which can be more significant than the follicular lymphoma itself, concludes Batlevi.