The best way to find HL early is to be on the lookout for possible symptoms. The most common symptom is enlargement or swelling of one or more lymph nodes, causing a lump or bump under the skin which usually doesn't hurt. It's most often on the side of the neck, in the armpit, or in the groin.
The most common symptom of HL is a lump in the neck, under the arm, or in the groin, which is an enlarged lymph node. It doesn't usually hurt, but it may become painful after drinking alcohol. The lump might get bigger over time, or new lumps might appear near it or even in other parts of the body.
Stage 1. This means that you have one of the following: lymphoma in a single lymph node or one group of lymph nodes, or an organ of the lymphatic system (such as the thymus) lymphoma in an extranodal site (1E)
Hodgkin lymphoma starts when an abnormal change to the DNA of a white blood cell (called a lymphocyte) causes it to become a lymphoma cell that, if untreated, results in the uncontrolled growth of cancerous lymphocytes.
Hodgkin lymphoma most commonly affects lymph nodes in the neck or in the area between the lungs and behind the breastbone, which is called the mediastinum. It can also begin in groups of lymph nodes under an arm, in the groin, or in the abdomen or pelvis.
The most common sign of lymphoma is a lump or lumps, usually in the neck, armpit or groin. These lumps are swollen lymph nodes, sometimes known as 'glands'. Usually, they're painless. Fatigue is different to normal tiredness.
With lymphoma, the lymph nodes often grow slowly and may be there for months or years before they're noticed.
Blood tests are not used to diagnose lymphoma, but they can sometimes help determine how advanced the lymphoma is.
Painless swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin area that does not go away within a few weeks. Unexplained fever that does not go away. Unexplained weight loss. Night sweats, usually drenching.
Loss of Appetite
Not feeling hungry or getting full very quickly is another possible sign of lymphoma. Some patients also feel nauseous, vomit, or develop abdominal pain. Lymphoma affecting your liver might also cause you to feel bloated, resulting from a fluid build-up in your abdomen.
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 doctor will ask detailed questions about your medical history and do a physical examination, which can identify whether the person has experienced some typical symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma, such as night sweats, fevers, weight loss, change in appetite, and enlarged lymph nodes or spleen.
Many individuals experience this itchiness in their hands, lower legs or feet, while others feel it throughout their entire body. Patients often report that the itching tends to worsen while they are lying in bed at night.
T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma can sometimes be confused with Hodgkin lymphoma, says Strati, because inflammation is present. Some non-cancerous conditions can also be confused with lymphoma. Sarcoidosis, which is an inflammatory disease, is sometimes misdiagnosed as lymphoma.
Other common non-Hodgkin lymphoma symptoms
Night sweats (often soaking the sheets) and/or chills. Persistent fatigue, lethargy, weakness. Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting. Abdominal pain or swelling, or a feeling of fullness.
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.
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.
Burkitt lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). It is fast growing (high grade) so you have treatment soon after diagnosis.
Patients with Hodgkin lymphoma frequently present with painless supra-diaphragmatic lymphadenopathy (one to two lymph node areas), B symptoms including unexplained profound weight loss, high fevers, and drenching night sweats.
Lymphoma is cancer that starts in the lymph nodes. For example, if breast cancer spreads to the lymph nodes in the armpits it does not become lymphoma. The cancer cells that have spread to the lymph nodes are still breast cancer cells. So they are treated as breast cancer.
Blood tests aren't used to diagnose HL, but they can help your doctor get a sense of how advanced it is and how well you might tolerate certain treatments. The complete blood count (CBC) is a test that measures the levels of different cells in the blood. People with HL can sometimes have abnormal blood counts.
The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a swelling in the neck, armpit or groin. The swelling is usually painless, although some people find that it aches. The swelling is caused by an excess of affected lymphocytes (white blood cells) collecting in a lymph node (also called lymph glands).