Persistent, severe fatigue is a common symptom among people with Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Fatigue can be caused by lymphoma itself, or it can be a side effect of lymphoma treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Lymphoma often makes it difficult to sleep. Many people who have lymphoma deal with disrupted sleep schedules, painful symptoms, uncomfortable treatment side effects, or anxious thoughts. Having trouble sleeping can often take a toll and lead to a worse quality of life.
Fatigue may be tied to several factors:
Pain from the lymphoma or surgery. Infection. Anaemia (low red blood cells) Changes in hormone levels and proteins that regulate inflammatory processes can lead to increased levels of fatigue.
Anaemia. Many people with lymphoma are affected by anaemia at some point during their illness. Anaemia means that you have a shortage of red blood cells. This can make you feel tired and breathless because your body has to work harder than usual to get enough oxygen.
Fatigue may develop as a symptom of blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, because these cancers start in the bone marrow, which produces red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body.
Take short naps — no longer than an hour — throughout the day rather than resting for one long period. Conserve your energy. Save your energy for your most important activities. Keep track of the times when you feel your best, and plan to do your important activities during those times.
People with cancer might describe it as feeling very weak, listless, drained, or “washed out” that may decrease for a while but then comes back. Some may feel too tired to eat, walk to the bathroom, or even use the TV remote. It can be hard to think or move.
After five to 10 years, low-grade disorders begin to progress rapidly to become aggressive or high-grade and produce more severe symptoms. This type progresses fairly rapidly without treatment.
Anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL) may come with symptoms such as fever, backache, painless swelling of lymph nodes, poor appetite, itchy skin, rashes and fatigue. Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) often causes symptoms such as fever, night sweats, rashes and itchy skin.
Getting adequate rest at night and taking short naps during the day — a half hour or less — can help manage fatigue. Long naps can sometimes backfire, making you feel more tired and interfering with nighttime sleep. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine can also help reduce fatigue.
Lymphomas involving the brain or spinal cord may cause neurological symptoms such as confusion, numbness or weakness in the arms or legs. Lymphomas in the chest can cause cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
Stage 4. Stage 4 is the most advanced stage of lymphoma. Lymphoma that has started in the lymph nodes and spread to at least one body organ outside the lymphatic system (for example, the lungs, liver, bone marrow or solid bones) is advanced lymphoma.
In general, the results of imaging tests such as PET and CT scans are the most important when determining the stage of the lymphoma.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in your lymphatic system, which is part of the body's germ-fighting immune system. In non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, white blood cells called lymphocytes grow abnormally and can form growths (tumors) throughout the body.
Lymphoma most often spreads to the liver, bone marrow, or lungs. Stage III-IV lymphomas are common, still very treatable, and often curable, depending on the NHL subtype. Stage III and stage IV are now considered a single category because they have the same treatment and prognosis.
Biopsies and other tests can confirm the stage of the cancer to see whether it has spread to other parts of the body. Imaging tests: A doctor may request imaging scans, such as: a CT scan. an MRI scan.
You can't catch lymphoma and you can't give it to anybody else. 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.
Burkitt lymphoma is considered the most aggressive form of lymphoma and is one of the fastest growing of all cancers. But it is very rare, accounting for about 2 percent of all lymphoma diagnoses.
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.
Extreme fatigue that doesn't get better with rest can be an early sign of cancer. Cancer uses your body's nutrients to grow and advance, so those nutrients are no longer replenishing your body. This “nutrient theft” can make you feel extremely tired.
You may be too exhausted even to manage your daily affairs. In most cases, there's a reason for the fatigue. It might be allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease (COPD), a bacterial or viral infection, or some other health condition.
During cancer treatment, the need for sleep may increase some, as the body repairs itself. Most people need from 7-9 hours of sleep. The need for sleep does not decrease as we age, as popular myths proclaim. It is important for you to talk with your doctor about your sleep concerns.