The most common first symptom of lymphoma is a painless swelling of lymph nodes, often felt as a lump in the neck, armpit, or groin, but it can also start with fatigue, unexplained fever, drenching night sweats, or weight loss, depending on the lymphoma type. Since these can be signs of less serious infections, see a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen.
Warning signs of lymphoma often include painless swelling of lymph nodes (neck, armpit, groin), persistent fatigue, unexplained fever, and drenching night sweats, alongside weight loss, persistent itching, cough, or shortness of breath. Other signs can involve easy bruising, frequent infections, or abdominal pain/swelling, but these symptoms can also signal other conditions, so seeing a doctor for a proper diagnosis is crucial.
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.
Symptoms from lymphoma in the abdomen
An enlarged spleen might press on the stomach, which can cause a loss of appetite and feeling full after only a small meal. Lymphomas in the stomach or intestines can cause abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting.
With lymphoma, the lymph nodes often grow slowly and may be there for months or years before they're noticed. But sometimes they grow very quickly. Usually, the swollen nodes don't hurt. But some people say their lumps ache or are painful.
NHL most often affects adults, but children can get it too. See Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children. NHL usually starts in lymph nodes or other lymph tissue, but it can sometimes affect the 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.
Bowel problems such as diarrhoea, constipation and wind (flatulence) can happen with lymphoma and its treatment for a number of reasons, including: the effects of the lymphoma itself.
How is Lymphoma Diagnosed? Your doctor may order a blood test if they notice enlarged lymph nodes during a physical exam, along with other signs or possible symptoms of lymphoma. However, a blood test alone cannot diagnose lymphoma in most cases. A biopsy is the only way to definitively diagnose lymphoma.
a painless lump or swelling, usually in your neck, armpit or groin – this is the most common symptom. pain in the glands in your neck, armpit or groin when you drink alcohol. a high temperature. night sweats.
A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. A lymph node biopsy involves removing all or part of a lymph node. A sample may be taken from other parts of the body depending on symptoms and imaging test results. In the lab, tests may show whether you have 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).
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.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is caused by a change (mutation) in the DNA of a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, although the exact reason why this happens isn't known. DNA gives cells a basic set of instructions, such as when to grow and reproduce.
Lymphoma symptoms can include swollen glands, chest pain, cough or breathlessness, and extreme tiredness.
When a rash caused by skin lymphoma (also referred to as cutaneous lymphoma) is in its early stages, it often presents as small patches of dry, red skin on the torso, buttocks or another area of the body. At this stage, the rash often resembles dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis.
An ultrasound scan (sometimes called a sonogram) uses soundwaves to take pictures inside your body. You might have an ultrasound scan if you have lymphoma, or your doctor suspects you could have lymphoma. This could be to: examine lymph nodes that are near the surface of your skin.
Cancer-related fatigue is exhaustion that's at a much higher level than would usually be expected. It can be physical, emotional or mental. You might feel very tired after doing quite little. Fatigue can affect different areas of your life.
Some infections can cause symptoms similar to lymphoma:
DIAGNOSIS AND IMAGING
In an elective setting, the diagnosis of colonic lymphoma can be made with colonoscopy. Colonoscopic findings include a polypoid or ulcerated mass, intramural lesion, aphthous ulcer, stricture, extraluminal mass, or diffuse, multiple polypoid lesions.
Moreover, a study from the Wilmot Cancer Institute found that people with follicular lymphoma who had low vitamin D levels before starting treatment were more likely to relapse sooner or die of the disease. Vitamin D supplementation may even be helpful during lymphoma treatments.
The abnormal white blood cells start to collect in the lymph nodes. Or they collect in other places such as the bone marrow or spleen. They can then grow into tumours and begin to cause problems in the lymphatic system, or in the organ where they are growing.
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.
Some people experience lower back pain that is unexplained. It is thought that this may be caused by expanding lymph nodes pressing on nerves.
Complete blood count or CBC can reveal several abnormalities in people with lymphoma including: