Yes, you can absolutely feel fine and still have lymphoma, especially with slow-growing (indolent) types, which are often found accidentally during routine tests or scans for other reasons, with some people having no noticeable symptoms for months or years. Lymphoma can develop silently until it's advanced, so feeling well doesn't rule it out, though aggressive types usually cause symptoms like fatigue, night sweats, or swollen glands.
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.
General symptoms
high temperatures that come and go with no obvious cause, often overnight. losing a lot of weight over a short period of time, despite eating well. itching, which may be worse after drinking alcohol. persistent cough or shortness of breath.
Complete blood count (CBC) abnormalities can occur with multiple complications of lymphoma and should be obtained in the workup of probable lymphoma. However, many patients with lymphoma, even aggressive lymphoma, will have a normal CBC and this should not be considered evidence against a lymphoma diagnosis.
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.
Indolent lymphoma, also known as low-grade lymphoma, is a group of slow-growing non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs). Because they spread slowly, they tend to have fewer signs and symptoms when first diagnosed and may not require immediate treatment.
Some infections can cause symptoms similar to lymphoma:
Lymphoma can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the type and location of the disease. The most common sign is painless swelling of lymph nodes, often in the neck, armpit, or groin, which may feel firm or rubbery.
In lymphomas, elevated CRP levels reflect increase in inflammatory cytokines, particularly Interleukin-6 (IL-6), which are associated with malignant processes. IL6 induces the production of CRP by the liver. In HL patients, this cytokine is produced by the cells of the lymphoma.
Having a high white blood cell count (15,000 or higher). Having a low lymphocyte count (below 600 or less than 8% of the white blood cell count).
Signs of lymphoma can include: Enlarged lymph node in the neck, shoulder or chest (most common symptom) Enlarged liver or pain on the upper left side of the abdomen. Enlarged spleen or pain on the upper right side of the abdomen.
For many people, cancer-related fatigue gets better over time. However, for some people, the effects last much longer. How can I manage work or study? At least for a little while, many people affected by fatigue stop or lower the number of hours they work or study during or after treatment.
The most common symptom of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin. Lymph nodes, also known as lymph glands, are pea-sized lumps of tissue found throughout the body.
Lymph tissue is in many parts of your body, so Hodgkin lymphoma can start almost anywhere, but:
From the available research, there isn't strong evidence that stress can cause or worsen lymphoma or any type of cancer, or that it can make it come back (relapse).
Blood tests may detect issues like having a high white blood cell count that may be a sign of lymphoma, leukemia or other blood cancers. But they don't detect lymphoma. Healthcare providers diagnose lymphoma based on biopsy and imaging tests results.
Markers and Indicators in Blood Tests
These markers can include the following: High levels of Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) can indicate tissue damage. Rapidly growing cancer cells can cause an increase in the enzyme levels. Elevated levels of Beta-2 Microglobulin are often found in people with lymphoma.
Lymphoma's exact cause is often unknown, but it develops from genetic damage to lymphocytes (white blood cells), leading to uncontrolled growth, with risk factors including a weakened immune system (from diseases or medications), certain viral/bacterial infections (like Epstein-Barr, HIV, H. pylori), family history, exposure to specific chemicals (benzene, pesticides), radiation, and lifestyle factors like smoking, notes Cancer Council.
Blood tests can sometimes show whether lymphoma cells are present. Blood tests may be used to test for viruses, including HIV, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. Blood tests also measure levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which is often higher in people with lymphoma.
Night sweats, persistent fevers and unexplained weight loss are three of the most common lymphoma symptoms. Symptoms can appear with any type of lymphoma, but they're more commonly seen in advanced, fast-growing blood cancers. Some lymphoma symptoms are serious enough to warrant an immediate trip to the emergency room.
Lymphoma can be misdiagnosed as influenza, HIV, infections, and mononucleosis, among many other diseases. However, a thorough battery of tests should rule out other illnesses. Unfortunately, sometimes doctors and other medical professionals can disregard symptoms or misinterpret test results.
Weight loss is more common with fast-growing (high-grade) lymphomas. This is because they put a sudden energy demand on your body, as well as reducing your appetite by making you feel unwell. Lymphoma is just one of the possible causes of unexplained weight loss.
Some autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus), Sjogren (Sjögren) disease, celiac disease (gluten-sensitive enteropathy), and others have been linked with an increased risk of NHL.
Castleman disease is a rare condition that happens when too many cells grow in your lymph nodes, the small organs that filter out germs. After a while, hard growths form. Castleman disease isn't cancer. But it can act a lot like lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes.
Overall, the average age at diagnosis 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. For statistics related to survival, see Survival Rates for Hodgkin Lymphoma by Stage.