With lymphoma, the lymph nodes often grow slowly and may be there for months or years before they're noticed. But sometimes they grow very quickly. Usually, the swollen nodes don't hurt. But some people say their lumps ache or are painful.
Symptoms of lymphoma often depend on the type you have, what organs are involved, and how advanced your disease is. Some people with lymphoma will experience obvious signs of the disease, while others won't notice any changes.
Some lymphomas grow faster and require specific treatment. Classifying them is complex because many kinds of lymphocyte cells can be involved. These grow so slowly that patients can live for many years mostly without symptoms, although some may experience pain from an enlarged lymph gland.
(See 'Symptoms' above.) The progression of follicular lymphoma varies from one person to another, depending on the speed of the tumor's growth and the involvement of other organs. Sometimes, people with follicular lymphoma have no symptoms for many years and do not need treatment.
[9] evaluated 52 and 80 biopsy-proven cases, respectively, of untreated Hodgkin lymphoma from 1910–1962. The median overall survival from Craft's series was 16.6 months, with a 3 year survival of 15.4%, and greater than 5 year survival of less than 6%.
Stage IV: The lymphoma has spread to 1 or more organs beyond the lymph nodes. Hodgkin lymphoma usually spreads to the liver, bone marrow, or lungs.
If left untreated, Hodgkin's lymphoma develop complications depend on site and size of mass, including breathing problem, hypoxemia, chest pain, significant weight loss, and a tracheoesophageal fistula and eventually significant decrease in the overall survival.
Stage 4 lymphoma means that cancer has spread to an organ external to the lymphatic system. The survival rates vary widely depending on an individual's risk factors and type of cancer. The survival rate of stage 4 lymphoma is lower than that of the other stages, but doctors can cure the condition in some cases.
The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a swelling in the neck, armpit or groin. The swelling is usually painless, although some people find that it aches. The swelling is caused by an excess of affected lymphocytes (white blood cells) collecting in a lymph node (also called lymph glands).
Rare Symptoms
Depending on which lymph nodes are affected by Hodgkin lymphoma, some people may experience some more uncommon symptoms, such as: Coughing, chest pain, and trouble breathing. Sensitivity and pain in the lymph nodes after drinking alcohol. Decreased appetite.
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.
Biopsy. A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope. Other tests can suggest that cancer is present, but Hodgkin lymphoma can only be diagnosed after a biopsy of an affected tissue, preferably by removal (or excision) of a lymph node.
Blood tests aren't used to diagnose HL, but they can help your doctor get a sense of how advanced it is and how well you might tolerate certain treatments. The complete blood count (CBC) is a test that measures the levels of different cells in the blood.
"About half of all patients can put off treatment for at least 3 years," Abetti says. "Some patients can be in watch-and-wait mode for 10 years or more." It's possible you'll never need treatment. There's no way to know for sure if you'll eventually need treatment.
For stage IV NHL, the 5-year relative survival rate is almost 64%.
Lymph nodes can swell for a variety of reasons and are considered to be enlarged if they are bigger than 1.5 centimeters in diameter, or slightly larger than a pea. Typically, lymph nodes that are enlarged due to lymphoma are much bigger and can grow to be the size of a grape (or larger).
Epstein Barr virus
It's estimated that around 40 out of 100 cases (40%) of Hodgkin lymphoma in the UK are related to EBV infection.
Lump or swelling in neck, throat, or jaw. Swelling of the lymph nodes is often the first thing lymphoma patients notice. Lymphoma can cause lymph nodes in the neck, throat, jaw, armpit, or groin to visibly swell.
Who's affected? Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age, but it mostly affects young adults in their early 20s and older adults over the age of 70. Slightly more men than women are affected.
The 5-year relative survival rate of people with localized Hodgkin lymphoma is 93%. If the cancer spreads regionally, the 5-year relative survival rate is 95%. If the cancer has spread to different parts of the body, the 5-year relative survival rate is 83%.
Survival data regarding Hodgkin vs. non-Hodgkin lymphoma depends on each patient's specific situation, but in general, the five-year relative survival rate for Hodgkin lymphoma is higher than that of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. One reason may be that non-Hodgkin lymphoma is often diagnosed when the cancer is more advanced.
Hodgkin lymphoma most commonly affects lymph nodes in the neck or in the area between the lungs and behind the breastbone, which is called the mediastinum. It can also begin in groups of lymph nodes under an arm, in the groin, or in the abdomen or pelvis.