Help With The Cost Of Wigs
You might be eligible to receive a synthetic wig free of charge.
If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, synthetic wigs are available free of charge.
If you live in England, synthetic wigs are available for free on the NHS if you meet certain eligibility criteria. These include:
- your age
- being on a low income
- receiving certain financial support.
You can find out more about wigs and help with the costs on the NHS website. If you dont meet the criteria for a free wig, you might still be able to get a subsidised wig from your hospital. Ask your clinical nurse specialist or another member of your medical team for details.
If you buy a wig privately, you dont need to pay value added tax . This applies to anyone who has lost their hair because of cancer. Ask the company for a VAT exemption form when you buy the wig you cant claim it back at a later date.
You can find out more about wigs, including getting one through your health service or the NHS, on Cancer Research UKs website.
For children and young people up to the age of 24, Little Princess Trust provides real hair wigs to those who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment or other conditions.
Rituxan For Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis
Rituxan is approved to treat a condition known as granulomatosis with polyangiitis in adults as well as children ages 2 years and older. The GPA must be moderate to severe. For this purpose, Rituxan is used with drugs called glucocorticoids, such as prednisone.
GPA explained
GPA causes vasculitis and especially affects the lungs and kidneys. The swelling can cause granulomas, which are pockets of cells that can grow and damage organs. GPA may also be called Wegeners granulomatosis.
GPA belongs to a rare group of diseases called ANCA vasculitis. ANCA vasculitis causes swelling in your blood vessels. Symptoms of GPA include swelling in the nose, trouble breathing, coughing, kidney damage, and increased blood pressure.
Effectiveness for GPA
After 6 months of treatment in a clinical trial, symptoms disappeared in:
- 64% of people who took Rituxan and methylprednisolone for either GPA or microscopic polyangiitis
- 53% of people who took cyclophosphamide and methylprednisolone for either GPA or MPA
Dosage For Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis
Heres some information on the Rituxan dosage for granulomatosis with polyangiitis.
Starting dosage
For GPA, youll first have whats known as a starting dosage . This dosage helps get the drug in your body at high enough levels for it to begin working quickly. Your starting dose of Rituxan is based on your height and weight. The first dose will be an infusion of 375 mg/m2. For example, if youre 5 feet 8 inches tall and weigh 150 lb , your dose would be about 678 mg. Youll receive this dose once a week for 4 weeks.
In addition to premedications , youll be given a glucocorticoid, such as methylprednisolone, about 30 minutes before your dose of Rituxan. A glucocorticoid is a type of steroid, and it helps decrease your risk for having an infusion reaction from the medication.
Youll receive 100 mg of methylprednisolone as an IV injection on days 1 to 3. Then youll switch to prednisone, which you take by mouth.
Also, you may be given medication to help prevent an infection called Pneumocystis jirovecci pneumonia.
Note: Your doctor may decide that using a medication other than Rituxan for induction treatment may be best for you. In this case, youll start taking Rituxan after finishing your induction treatment .
Follow-up dosage
After youve completed the starting doses of Rituxan above, you can begin taking the follow-up doses.
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Cosmetics And Camouflage Options
Cosmetic or camouflage options help to hide hair loss using make-up, sprays, lotions or powders.
Cancer Research UK has skin care and make up tips during cancer treatment, including video tutorials, on their website.
The charity Look Good, Feel Better also offers free workshops across the country to help men, women and young adults with visible effects of cancer treatment.
Rituxan Active Ingredient And Form
Rituxan contains the active ingredient rituximab and belongs to a group of medications called monoclonal antibodies.
Rituxan comes as a liquid solution thats available in two strengths: 100 milligrams per 10 milliliters of solution and 500 mg/50 mL. The medication is given as an intravenous infusion. A healthcare provider will give you Rituxan infusions in a doctors office, clinic, or hospital.
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Financial And Insurance Assistance
If you need financial support to pay for Rituxan, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.
Genentech, Inc., the manufacturer of Rituxan, offers programs based on the conditions the drug treats. For more information and to find out if youre eligible for support, see below.
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Call 888-249-4918 or visit the program website.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Call 888-249-4918 or visit the program website.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Call 877-436-3683 or visit the program website.
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis: Call 877-436-3683 or visit the program website.
- Microscopic polyangiitis: Call 877-436-3683 or visit the program website
- Pemphigus vulgaris: Call 866-422-2377 or visit the program website.
How Quickly Will My Hair Grow Back
Hair loss after treatment is rarely permanent, but it might take a while to grow back.
Part of your hair is made of a protein called keratin. On average, hair grows at a rate of around 1cm or half an inch a month. However, after lymphoma treatment, you might have a temporary lack of keratin, which can weaken your hair and slow its growth. Once keratin levels return to normal, stronger hair can start to grow. How quickly your hair grows back depends on several factors, including the treatment type you’ve had, your individual response to it and your general health.
- After chemotherapy, hair follicles recover within a few weeks but it takes a bit longer before you can actually see new hair. Most people notice their hair growing back within 3 to 6 months of finishing chemotherapy, although it can take more or less time. Hair often grows back finer, straighter or curlier, or a different colour from how it used to be. Usually, in time, it returns to how it was before treatment. The change is permanent for a small number of people.
- After radiotherapy, it usually takes around 2 to 6 months for hair to grow back but it can take longer. Your hair might be curlier or a different texture than it was before treatment. In some cases, the hair loss can be permanent.
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Rituxan For Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Rituxan is approved to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia in adults. The drug is used for CLL thats CD20-positive and has or hasnt been previously treated. For this purpose, Rituxan is used with the drugs fludarabine and cyclophosphamide.
CLL explained
CLL is a type of blood cancer that affects white blood cells called lymphocytes. CLL occurs when the cells grow out of control or dont grow properly. CLL starts in the bone marrow and then travels into the blood.
Rituxan is used in people with a certain type of CLL known as CD20-positive CLL. CD20 is a protein thats found on your blood cells. Rituxan works by acting on that CD20 protein.
To treat CD20-positive CLL, Rituxan is used along with both fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. Rituxan can be used:
- in people who have never been treated for their CLL before, or
- in people who have already tried other medications to treat their CLL
Effectiveness for CLL
In clinical trials, people took fludarabine and cyclophosphamide with or without Rituxan. At least 50% of people who had never been treated for their CLL:
- went 39.8 months without their cancer getting worse when they took Rituxan, fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide
- went 31.5 months without their cancer getting worse when they took fludarabine and cyclophosphamide alone
Rituxan was also studied in people who had already tried other medications for their CLL. At least 50% of people who had been treated in the past for their CLL:
For Men Using Treanda
If youre a man and have a female sexual partner who can become pregnant, you should use an effective method of birth control while you take Treanda. You should keep using the birth control for at least 3 months after your last dose of the drug.
If youre sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, talk with your doctor. They can review your birth control needs and help answer any questions you have.
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Rituxan For Microscopic Polyangiitis
Rituxan is approved to treat a condition known as microscopic polyangiitis in adults as well as children ages 2 years and older. For this purpose, Rituxan is used with drugs called glucocorticoids, such as prednisone.
MPA explained
Like GPA, MPA is a condition that causes vasculitis . MPA can affect many different organs, including the kidneys, lungs, and joints. Symptoms of the condition depend on where your body is affected, but they may include trouble breathing, cough, belly pain, and joint pain.
MPA also belongs to a rare group of diseases called ANCA vasculitis. ANCA vasculitis causes swelling in your blood vessels.
Effectiveness for MPA
After 6 months of treatment in a clinical trial, symptoms disappeared in:
- 64% of people who took Rituxan and methylprednisolone for either MPA or GPA
- 53% of people who took cyclophosphamide and methylprednisolone for either MPA or GPA
Bendeka And Birth Control
Bendeka may cause harm if its used during pregnancy. Because of this, its recommended that if youre sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, you use birth control during Bendeka treatment.
Recommendations for both men and women using the drug are described below. Be sure to discuss birth control options with your doctor before starting Bendeka.
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Will I Be Able To Use Other Medications On The Same Day I Have A Rituxan Infusion
Yes, you can still take other medications on the same day as your Rituxan infusion. In fact, youll usually be given drugs to help prevent you from having an infusion reaction on the day of your Rituxan dose.
Be sure to keep taking your other medications as directed by your doctor, even if its on a day that youre having an infusion. Always talk with your doctor before you stop or start taking medication.
How Often Bendeka Is Given
Bendeka is given on days 1 and 2 of your treatment cycle. Depending on which condition youre using Bendeka to treat, your treatment cycle lengths will vary.
The typical length of Bendeka treatment for the conditions its approved to treat is as follows:
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia .* For this condition, Bendeka is given on a 28-day treatment cycle. And the drug can be continued for up to six cycles.
- Indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that worsened during or within 6 months of treatment with another drug called rituximab .** For this condition, Bendeka is given on a 21-day treatment cycle. And the drug can be continued for up to eight cycles.
To help make sure that you dont miss an appointment for your Bendeka dose, try setting a reminder on your phone.
* CLL is a type of blood cancer that affects certain blood cells called lymphocytes.
**Indolent B-cell NHL is a type of blood cancer thats slow growing . It affects certain immune cells called B cells.
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How Often Treanda Is Given
How often Treanda is given depends on the type of cancer its being used to treat:
- CLL: Youll receive an infusion on days 1 and 2 of a 28-day cycle. You can receive up to six cycles of Treanda for CLL.
- B-cell NHL thats indolent: Youll receive an infusion on days 1 and 2 of a 21-day cycle. You can receive up to eight cycles of Treanda for NHL.
Heres some information on what occurs with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma , and how Treanda works to treat them.
Will My Hair Fall Out All At Once
Not everyone who has treatment for lymphoma experiences hair loss. If you do, your hair usually begins to fall out within a couple of weeks of starting treatment. It usually starts at the top and sides of your head, above your ears. It might fall out gradually, in clumps, or quite quickly. You might notice hair on your pillow or clothes, in your hairbrush, or in the plug hole of your bath or shower. Speak to your medical team for information about what to expect based on the treatment you are having.
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Preparing For Changes To Your Hair
Many people say that the possibility of losing their hair is one of their biggest worries about having treatment. Understandably, the thought of it can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety.
Hair loss can be an important part of self-identify, so unwanted changes to it can significantly affect self-esteem and confidence. Its a visible side effect of treatment, and can make it obvious to other people that youre having treatment, including those you might not have chosen to tell. This loss of control and privacy can be very challenging to cope with.
Prepare yourself mentally keep in mind that youll come across people you know who dont recognise you anymore. I lost the hair on my head, as well as my eyelashes and eyebrows, which made me look very different. I found that tough to cope with, but I did get used to it after about a month, and my hair grew back very quickly. People did look but I just assumed that they were good-natured people and probably guessed that I was having chemotherapy and hoped that I was recovering OK.
Speak to your medical team for advice specific to your situation if your hair is likely to be affected, you might want to ask where from and how quickly you could expect it to grow back. Getting an idea of what to expect can help you to prepare for changes to your hair and give you time to consider what approach you might like to take.
Bendamustine And Rituximab As Initial Therapy For Aggressive B
Following their finding that bendamustine has activity in therapy of patients with recurrent aggressive NHLs, Weidmann and colleagues conducted a trial in which they evaluated the efficacy and safety of BR as initial therapy for patients over the age of 80 years who were not considered eligible for R-CHOP therapy.51 The dose of bendamustine was escalated in this trial compared to the BR regimen described by Rummel and colleagues.32 Those with stage III disease received four cycles of BR every 21 days, using bendamustine 120 mg/m2 daily on days 2 and 3, with the standard dose of rituximab on day 1, followed by involved field radiotherapy. Those with stage IIIIV disease received the same regimen for a total of six cycles, followed by two extra doses of rituximab. Twelve of the 14 patients enrolled on this trial had DLCL eight had stage III disease. Six of the 11 evaluable patients achieved CR, and two a PR. The median PFS was 14.4 months, and the estimated two-year OS was 53%. Grades 34 neutropenia occurred in only 18% of the administered cycles and only 4% developed grade 3 thrombocytopenia.
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