NCCN publishes series of patient education materials for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

It is estimated that more than 72,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas (NHL) in 2016. The sixth leading cancer diagnosis in U.S. men and women, NHL has more than 30 sub-types, each featuring unique treatment choices and challenges.

To further educate people with NHL and empower them to make informed treatment decisions for their disease, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), through support of the NCCN Foundation, has published NCCN Guidelines for Patients and NCCN Quick Guide series for NHL, specifically for Diffuse Large B-Cell, Follicular, Mantle Cell, and Peripheral T-Cell Lymphomas. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Follicular Lymphoma are made possible, in part, through generous sponsorship from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

These patient reference booklets are part of a larger series of patient education materials for NHL that also includes Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, which was published earlier this year. NCCN Guidelines for Patients® for Mycosis Fungoides is also expected to publish soon.

"The goal of the NCCN Foundation is to deliver true insight to people living with the challenges and complexities of a cancer diagnosis so they can take an active role in their care and the care of their loved ones," said Marcie R. Reeder, MPH, Executive Director, NCCN Foundation. "We are proud to collaborate with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to make these resources available for people with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas."

NCCN Guidelines for Patients, translations of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines), are designed to provide people with cancer and their caregivers with state-of-the-art treatment information in easy-to-understand language. The NCCN Guidelines are developed by multidisciplinary, volunteer panels of experts from the NCCN Member Institutions and feature algorithms that address appropriate management options from initial work-up through the course of the disease.

NCCN Guidelines for Patients and the NCCN Quick Guide series, abbreviated references outlining key points of the NCCN Guidelines for Patients, are written according to plain language principles to improve health literacy with clean design and formats featuring patient-friendly elements, such as medical illustrations of anatomy, tests, and treatments. These resources also feature an expansive glossary of terms and acronyms. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients and the NCCN Quick Guide series do not replace the expertise and clinical judgment of the physician.

NCCN currently offers NCCN Guidelines for Patients for the following: Breast, Colon, Esophageal, Kidney, Non-Small Cell Lung, Ovarian, Pancreatic, and Prostate Cancers; Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL); Caring for Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA); Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML); Hodgkin Lymphoma, Lung Cancer Screening; Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma; Melanoma; Multiple Myeloma; NHL; and Soft Tissue Sarcoma.