Blood tests are not used to diagnose lymphoma, but they can sometimes help determine how advanced the lymphoma is.
Complete blood count (CBC).
This test measures the number of blood cells in a sample, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. A low level of red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets may indicate that the lymphoma is present in the bone marrow and/or blood.
Lymph Node Biopsy
A specialist removes part or all of a lymph node for testing. Many lymph nodes are close to the skin's surface, so the procedure is usually simple. Pathologists who specialize in blood cancers analyze the tissue under a microscope. The results will determine whether you have lymphoma and what type.
Blood tests alone cannot diagnose lymphoma, but they can help with diagnosis. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) begins in the lymphatic system. Some people with a diagnosis of NHL will also have lymphoma cells in their bone marrow.
Myth: A blood test can diagnose cancer on its own. Fact: Many cancers cause hormonal and metabolic changes that are detected by a blood test, known as tumour markers. But usually, a blood test on its own isn't enough for a diagnosis. The results could be caused by other conditions that aren't cancer.
While infections and inflammation are more often to blame for an increase in white blood cell counts, some cancers can increase your WBC count as well. This condition, called leukocytosis, can occur in some of the same cancers that cause WBCs to drop, like leukemia and lymphoma.
The best way to find lymphoma early is to pay attention to possible signs and symptoms. One of the most common symptoms is enlargement of one or more lymph nodes, causing a lump or bump under the skin which is usually not painful. This is most often on the side of the neck, in the armpit, or in the groin.
Certain areas of skin may also thicken, harden and form plaques that itch and ulcerate. Typically, these plaques develop on the face or buttocks or within skin folds. As a skin lymphoma rash progresses, papules (small bumps) may start to appear.
Low-Grade Lymphoma
These grow so slowly that patients can live for many years mostly without symptoms, although some may experience pain from an enlarged lymph gland. After five to 10 years, low-grade disorders begin to progress rapidly to become aggressive or high-grade and produce more severe symptoms.
Bone marrow exam
Tests and procedures used to diagnose lymphoma include: Physical exam. Your doctor checks for swollen lymph nodes, including in your neck, underarm and groin, as well as a swollen spleen or liver. Removing a lymph node for testing.
To diagnose non-Hodgkin lymphoma, NYU Langone doctors perform a biopsy, in which they take a tissue sample from a swollen lymph node found during the physical exam or with imaging tests, such as CT, PET, or MRI, which doctors often use when diagnosing cancer, and evaluate it under a microscope.
Certain types of cancer, including lymphoma, may lead to an abnormally high white blood cell count. A high WBC count, also known as lymphocytic leukocytosis, can also indicate an existing infection or dysfunction in the immune system.
The most important serological markers reflect the tumor load (beta-2 microglobulin, beta 2-M), proliferative activity (lactic dehydrogenase, LDH), and invasive potential of lymphomas (CA 125). LDH and beta 2-M are included as important prognostic parameters in widely used staging systems.
Burkitt lymphoma grows very rapidly, which means that symptoms usually develop quickly, over just a few days or weeks. The most common symptom is one or more lumps, which often develop in several parts of your body. These are swollen lymph nodes.
Cutaneous T cell lymphoma
Many types of CTCL start as flat red patches on the skin, which can sometimes be itchy. With darker skin, the patches may appear lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. In the early stages, the skin patches can look like other common conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.
Cancer-related fatigue is exhaustion that's at a much higher level than would usually be expected – you might feel tired very quickly after doing quite little. It can be physical, emotional or mental exhaustion.
Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCLNOS) often causes symptoms such as fever, night sweats and unintentional weight loss. Anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL) may come with symptoms such as fever, backache, painless swelling of lymph nodes, poor appetite, itchy skin, rashes and fatigue.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma symptoms can include swollen lymph nodes (glands), extreme tiredness, chest pain, and cough or breathlessness.
One common symptom of lymphoma is swollen lymph nodes, which can create visible lumps under the skin, usually in the neck, armpit or groin area. However, there are many types of benign skin lumps, such as cysts and lipomas, which are not necessarily a cause for concern.
Overall, the average age of people when they are diagnosed is 39. Hodgkin lymphoma is rare in children younger than 5 years old. But it's the most common cancer diagnosed in adolescents ages 15 to 19 years.
Fatigue Feeling extremely tired can be a symptom of cancer in your body. (1,2) A Lump A lump or thickening of skin can be an early or late sign of cancer. People with cancers in the breast, lymph nodes, soft tissues, and testicles typically have lumps.
Persistent lumps or swelling in any part of your body should be taken seriously. This includes any lumps in the neck, armpit, stomach, groin, chest, breast, or testicle.
The fatigue felt by people with cancer is different from the fatigue of daily life and different from the tired feeling people might remember having before they had cancer. People with cancer might describe it as feeling very weak, listless, drained, or “washed out” that may decrease for a while but then comes back.