Lymphoma itch (pruritus) feels like an intense, persistent itch that doesn't improve with normal scratching, can be localized or all-over, and may feel like burning, stinging, or crawling sensations, often worsening at night and disrupting sleep. It can occur with or without a rash, sometimes presenting as hard bumps (prurigo nodularis) or dry patches, and is caused by immune system chemicals irritating nerve endings, unlike typical itch.
As a skin lymphoma rash progresses, papules (small bumps) may start to appear. Some individuals with skin lymphoma also experience erythroderma, a reddening of the skin that's often accompanied by dryness, itchiness and scaliness.
Itchy Armpits
You may have itchy skin near a swollen lymph node in your armpit. Itching usually isn't associated with a rash when it isn't caused by lymphoma of the skin. You may notice that itching gets worse when it's hot or at night when you're trying to sleep.
Itchy skin (pruritus) commonly results from dry skin, eczema, or allergies, but is itchy skin a sign of cancer rarely, often with systemic symptoms like weight loss. Cancer itch feels like deep burning/crawling, worse at night or post-shower (itching after shower cancer), unresponsive to OTC remedies.
Doctors think it may be due to substances released by the tumour or by the body reacting to the tumour. The itching tends to be all over the body but worse on the legs and chest. It usually goes when you have treatment for the cancer.
Any skin problems they cause come and go and only need treatment some of the time. Some low-grade lymphomas do not become obvious until they are more advanced and the disease has spread to the lymph nodes, blood or internal organs.
They can help to reduce itching, but don't work for everyone. Your doctor can prescribe antihistamines. There are many different types and they may give you some relief. They tend not to work so well for itching caused by lymphoma or due to jaundice caused by a blocked bile duct.
Mycosis fungoides is the most common T-cell skin lymphoma. It can start out as patches of dry, sometimes scaly, and itchy skin. These rashes may show up most often on the buttocks or between the waist and shoulders. But they can occur anywhere on the body.
Mycosis fungoides, which falls into the CTCL category, is a slow-developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma that begins with red, scaly patches—typically found on the lower trunk, thighs, buttocks or breasts. The patches may be itchy and may last for months or years.
See a GP if itchy skin:
does not get better with self care or keeps coming back.
Stage 1: Dry, red, scaly patches or bumps on skin, but no tumors. Lymph nodes are normal. Stage 2: Dry, red, scaly patches or bumps on skin, but no tumors. Lymph nodes are enlarged but do not contain cancer cells.
Talking to Your Doctor
Skin cancer signs and symptoms
Mycosis fungoides – A type of cutaneous T cell lymphoma, mycosis fungoides occurs when certain white blood cells (lymphocytes) undergo cancerous changes that cause them to attack the skin. The early signs include itchy, rash-like skin patches, which may form sores and tumors as the cancer progresses.
That's why it's important to pay attention not only to the way your skin looks, but how it feels, specifically if it itches. All in all, says Dr. Yosipovitch, “Itch is more common in basal cell carcinoma, and pain is less likely, while pain is predominant in squamous cell carcinoma.” But SCC can also itch.
Common Types of Precancerous Skin Growths
Actinic keratosis (AK): Also sometimes called solar keratosis because they're caused by sun damage, these small, scaly, or crusty patches can be pink, red, or various colors. They usually feel rough, like sandpaper on the skin. They're more common on fair skin.
With lymphoma, you can itch anywhere on your body, but it's common on the lower legs, hands, feet, torso (between waist and shoulders), or near affected lymph nodes, often worsening at night and without a typical rash, feeling deep and unrelieved by scratching. This itchiness is caused by immune chemicals (cytokines) irritating nerve endings, and can be a symptom of both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
There isn't a blood test that will show whether or not you have lymphoma. But blood tests can check your general health and can sometimes pick up problems caused by lymphoma. Blood tests can check: how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Age: Generally, skin lymphomas appear in older adults. But they also affect middle-age and younger people, including children. Race: There is a higher incidence among African-Americans of the most common type of T-cell skin lymphoma: mycosis fungoides.
Likewise, urticaria can be associated with malignant neoplasms such as lymphoma, leukemia and ovarian carcinoma[28].
This is known as hell's itch, or the devil's itch, which can feel like a deep, painful, throbbing itch that lasts for a few days after sunburn. Hell's itch is fairly rare, and it tends to affect people with fairer skin, and those who have been exposed to the sun at higher altitudes—such as being in the mountains.
Irritation and allergic reactions.
Wool, chemicals, soaps and other things can irritate the skin and cause rashes and itching. Sometimes a substance, such as poison ivy or cosmetics, causes an allergic reaction. Also, reactions to certain medicines, such as narcotics to treat pain (opioids) can cause itchy skin.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition that causes itchiness and discomfort. Plaque psoriasis is the most common type. It causes thick, scaly areas of skin. While there isn't a cure, psoriasis treatment can help manage symptoms.
Itch is common in people who have a disease that affects their blood, such as Hodgkin's lymphoma or cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. It can also be a sign of advanced kidney disease and often develops in people who are close to needing dialysis or currently receiving dialysis.
MS itching feels like a deep, intense, "under-the-skin" itch that doesn't go away with scratching, often described as burning, tingling, pins-and-needles, or crawling, because it's a nerve signal issue (dysesthesia) from central nervous system damage, not a skin problem. It can appear suddenly, vary in intensity, and feel like bugs crawling or electric shocks, often affecting limbs, face, or trunk, and standard creams don't help.