When a rash caused by skin lymphoma (also referred to as cutaneous lymphoma) is in its early stages, it often presents as small patches of dry, red skin on the torso, buttocks or another area of the body. At this stage, the rash often resembles dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis.
Lymphoma rashes refer to the irritated skin associated with several different subtypes of lymphoma. Often mistaken for eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis, these rashes are itchy and usually appear red, dry, and sometimes scaly.
Itching caused by lymphoma can affect: areas of skin near lymph nodes that are affected by lymphoma. patches of skin lymphoma. your lower legs.
Most low-grade skin lymphomas never develop beyond early stages. They are often diagnosed early, grow slowly and respond well to treatment. Any skin problems they cause come and go and only need treatment some of the time.
T-cell skin lymphomas
They can look like more common skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis. The patches tend to be dry, sometimes scaly and may be itchy. They are most common on the buttocks or between the waist and shoulders (the torso), but can occur anywhere on the body.
The most common early sign of NHL is painless swelling of one or more lymph node(s). Most patients with NHL have one or more enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin.
Blood tests can help your doctors detect the presence of some of the telltale signs of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These may include anemia, or low levels of red blood cells, which are needed to carry oxygen to the body's organs and tissues.
There are several ways cutaneous T cell lymphoma can appear. In its early stages, it can look like flaky, dry skin, so it's often mistaken for eczema. It can also appear scaly like psoriasis and even as blisters on the skin. As the disease progresses, it can continue to develop into thicker patches known as plaques.
Painful rashes should quickly be evaluated by a physician. The rash is infected. If you have an itchy rash and you scratch it, it may become infected. Signs of an infected rash are yellow or green fluid, swelling, crusting, pain, and warmth in the area of the rash, or a red streak coming from the rash.
Hodgkin itch is known medically as “paraneoplastic pruritus,” and it occurs in other blood cancers as well, but Hodgkin lymphoma seems to produce this symptom in a greater percentage of patients and itchiness has been recognized as a symptom for some time.
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.
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.
The rash may start in a small area and then extend over large areas of the body. The patches may be red, itchy and dry, and cracks may form in the skin. Other symptoms include fatigue, elevated white blood cell count and enlarged lymph nodes.
The most common sign of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is enlarged lymph nodes. However, swollen lymph nodes are not specific to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Swollen lymph nodes can occur in other kinds of lymphoma, other cancer or inflammatory diseases, and in people who have infections.
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.
The most common symptom of NHL is swollen, or enlarged, lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin. The swollen lymph nodes are usually painless, but they can eventually put pressure on tissue or organs around them and cause discomfort or pain.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma symptoms can include swollen lymph nodes (glands), extreme tiredness, chest pain, and cough or breathlessness.
Itching associated with lymphoma can feel like it is occurring below your skin and can't be satiated by scratching. It can be extremely distracting and usually isn't helped by creams or medications. Itching from lymphoma tends to occur more frequently on the lower half of the body and often gets worse at night.
Mycosis fungoides is a type of lymphoma—the most common form of blood cancer. When someone has mycosis fungoides, malignant cells in the blood travel to the skin. The most common mycosis fungoides symptoms causes lesions that appear as a scaly, itchy rash.
Leukemia cutis appears red or purplish red, and it occasionally looks dark red or brown. It affects the outer skin layer, the inner skin layer, and the layer of tissue beneath the skin. The rash can involve flushed skin, plaques, and scaly lesions. It most commonly appears on the torso, arms, and legs.
A typical sign of lupus is a red, butterfly-shaped rash over your cheeks and nose, often following exposure to sunlight. No two cases of lupus are exactly alike. Signs and symptoms may come on suddenly or develop slowly, may be mild or severe, and may be temporary or permanent.