Lymphoma risk factors a diet high in meat and fat. Other risk factors are possible but have not been confirmed, such as exposure to certain solvents, herbicides and pesticides, and some chemotherapy medicines. If you have any of these risk factors or are concerned about your risk for lymphoma, please see your doctor.
Weakened immune system. Age: Hodgkin lymphoma occurs most often in early adulthood (between ages 15-40, and especially in the 20s) or late adulthood (after age 55). Family history: About 5% of cases have a family link. Exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service in the Vietnam War.
Overall, the chance that a man will develop NHL in his lifetime is about 1 in 43; for a woman, the risk is about 1 in 53. But each person's risk can be affected by a number of risk factors. NHL can occur at any age. In fact, it is one of the more common cancers among children, teens, and young adults.
Getting older is a strong risk factor for lymphoma overall, with most cases occurring in people in their 60s or older. But some types of lymphoma are more common in younger people.
With lymphoma, the lymph nodes often grow slowly and may be there for months or years before they're noticed.
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.
Lymphedema can occur when the lymph system is damaged, which can prevent the lymph fluid from returning to the blood. For people with cancer, the build-up of lymph fluid can be caused by: Cancer surgery, especially when lymph nodes are removed. Radiation therapy that can damage nearby lymph nodes or lymph vessels.
Blood tests are not used to diagnose lymphoma, but they can sometimes help determine how advanced the lymphoma is.
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops when white blood cells called lymphocytes grow out of control. This happens if the DNA inside a lymphocyte changes in a way that tells it to stop responding to the signals that usually keep it under control. DNA changes (mutations) happen all the time.
The 5-year survival rate for NHL in the United States is 74%. The survival rates for NHL vary based on several factors. These include the stage and subtype of cancer, a person's age and general health, and how well the treatment plan works. For stage I NHL, the 5-year relative survival rate is more than 86%.
There are no guidelines for preventing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. To reduce your risk, avoid exposure to chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides and benzene. If you have celiac disease (gluten intolerance), maintain your gluten-free diet.
Viruses cause some types of NHL. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the virus that causes mononucleosis, also known as "mono," and it is associated with some types of NHL. These include Burkitt lymphoma, lymphomas occurring after an organ transplant, and, rarely, other lymphomas in people who are otherwise healthy.
There is no evidence that suggests stress causes lymphoma or other types of cancer. Researchers cannot provide evidence that psychological stress worsens lymphoma in humans, either. That said, some members have shared that stress can affect how they experience lymphoma and its side effects.
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.
More than 80 percent of all patients diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma can be cured by current treatment approaches. The cure rate is higher, approaching 90 percent, in younger patients and those with early-stage favorable disease.
Self-Checks/At-Home Testing
If you find painless swelling in the areas where your lymph nodes are located (the neck, armpits, and groin area) it's important to bring it to the attention of your healthcare provider, whether you exhibit any of the other symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma or not.
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.
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 is never easy, even a slow-growing form of cancer like follicular lymphoma. People who have follicular lymphoma may not have symptoms for several years. But when they do, they may find themselves cycling treatment, remission, relapse and then more treatment, with no end or cure in sight.
(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.
Tests to measure the levels of certain proteins in your blood, such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) or β2-microglobulin. Levels of these proteins can be high in people who have lymphoma. However, they can also be high for lots of other reasons, such as inflammation, infection or kidney problems.