The first sign of Hodgkin lymphoma is often a swollen lymph node that appears without a known cause. The disease can spread to nearby lymph nodes. Later it may spread to the spleen, liver, bone marrow, or other organs.
The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is one or more enlarged (swollen) lymph nodes. The enlarged lymph node may be in the neck, upper chest, armpit, abdomen or groin. The swollen lymph node is usually painless.
The most common early symptom of lymphoma is one or more swollen lymph nodes, often in the groin, armpit, and side of the neck. Other symptoms may include: fevers, chills, and night sweats.
Lymph nodes commonly swell if we have an infection but they usually go back to normal over a short time. 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.
Blood tests alone cannot detect Hodgkin lymphoma. Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan. A CT scan takes pictures of the inside of the body using x-rays taken from different angles.
Blood Tests for Lymphoma
Blood tests are essential to accurately diagnosing this complex disease. These tests can show whether you have lymphoma cells or abnormal levels of normal cells: Blood smear: We take a drop of blood and look at it under a microscope.
Common symptoms of having lymphoma include swelling of lymph nodes in your neck, in your armpits or your groin. This is often but not always painless and often could be associated with fevers, or unexplained weight loss, or drenching night sweats, sometimes chills, persistent fatigue.
Itching caused by lymphoma can affect: areas of skin near lymph nodes that are affected by lymphoma. patches of skin lymphoma. your lower legs.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma symptoms can include swollen lymph nodes (glands), extreme tiredness, chest pain, and cough or breathlessness.
Urgent referral to a specialist
night sweats. unexplained weight loss. itchy skin. shortness of breath or cough.
Viruses: The Epstein-Barr virus, the same virus that causes infectious mononucleosis (mono), has been implicated as a cause of Hodgkin lymphoma. The presence of the genome of this virus is seen in 20%-80% of Hodgkin lymphoma tumors.
Biopsy: A biopsy is a common diagnostic test for Hodgkin lymphoma. Our pathologists will take the cells from a biopsy sample and examine them under a microscope to look for the presence of abnormal lymphocytes called the Reed-Sternberg cell.
Some people with lymphoma don't experience any bothersome issues, which means they're asymptomatic. Or they might not recognize their symptoms as being severe.
The lumps may be confined to one area of the body, such as the neck, or develop in multiple areas, such as the neck, armpits and groin. Lymphoma lumps have a rubbery feel and are usually painless. While some lymphoma lumps develop within a matter of days, others can take months or even years to become noticeable.
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.
Many individuals experience this itchiness in their hands, lower legs or feet, while others feel it throughout their entire body. Patients often report that the itching tends to worsen while they are lying in bed at night.
Symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma include swollen lymph nodes, especially in the part of the body where the lymphoma starts to grow. Other symptoms include fever, night sweats, feeling tired, and weight loss. These symptoms can also come from other conditions.
You feel as if you have no energy and could spend whole day in bed. Waking up tired after a full night's sleep. Feeling sluggish or slow. Trouble thinking and making decisions.
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.
A CT scan might show which lymph nodes are enlarged and may be affected by non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). A CT scan is a test that uses x-rays and a computer to create detailed pictures of the inside of your body. It takes pictures from different angles.
Immunophenotyping. This laboratory test can detect specific cancer cells based on the types of antigens or proteins on the surface of the cells. Immunophenotyping is used to help diagnose specific types of leukemia and lymphoma.