Signs and Symptoms of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

When lymphoma starts in the thymus or lymph nodes in the chest, it may press on the nearby trachea (windpipe), which can cause coughing, ... Search Verenespañol | Downloadthistopic[PDF] EarlyDetection,Diagnosis,andStaging CanNon-HodgkinLymphomaBeFoundEarly? SignsandSymptomsofNon-HodgkinLymphoma TestsforNon-HodgkinLymphoma Non-HodgkinLymphomaStages SurvivalRatesandFactorsThatAffectPrognosis(Outlook)forNon-HodgkinLymphoma QuestionstoAskAboutNon-HodgkinLymphoma Home CancerA-Z Non-HodgkinLymphoma EarlyDetection,Diagnosis,andStaging SignsandSymptomsofNon-HodgkinLymphoma Non-Hodgkinlymphoma(NHL)cancausemanydifferentsignsandsymptoms,dependingonthetypeoflymphomaandwhereitisinthebody.Sometimesitmightnotcauseanysymptomsuntilitgrowsquitelarge. Havingoneormoresymptomsdoesn’tmeanyoudefinitelyhavelymphoma.Infact,manyofthesymptomslistedherearemorelikelytobecausedbyotherconditions,suchasaninfection.Still,ifyouhaveanyofthesesymptoms,havethemcheckedbyadoctorsothatthecausecanbefoundandtreated,ifneeded. Somecommonsignsandsymptomsinclude: Enlargedlymphnodes Chills Weightloss Fatigue(feelingverytired) Swollenabdomen(belly) Feelingfullafteronlyasmallamountoffood Chestpainorpressure Shortnessofbreathorcough Severeorfrequentinfections Easybruisingorbleeding SomepeoplewithNon-HodgkinlymphomahavewhatareknownasBsymptoms: Fever(whichcancomeandgooverseveraldaysorweeks)withoutaninfection Drenchingnightsweats Weightlosswithouttrying(atleast10%ofbodyweightover6months) Swollenlymphnodes Non-Hodgkinlymphomacancauselymphnodestobecomeenlarged.Enlargedlymphnodesclosetothesurfaceofthebody(suchasonthesidesoftheneck,inthegroinorunderarmareas,orabovethecollarbone),maybeseenorfeltaslumpsundertheskin.Theseareusuallynotpainful.  Althoughenlargedlymphnodesareacommonsymptomoflymphoma,theyaremuchmoreoftencausedbyinfections.Lymphnodesthatgrowinreactiontoinfectionarecalledreactivenodesorhyperplasticnodesandareoftentendertothetouch. Symptomsfromlymphomaintheabdomen Lymphomasthatstartorgrowintheabdomen(belly)cancauseswellingorpainintheabdomen.Thiscouldbefromlymphnodesororganssuchasthespleenorliverenlarging,butitcanalsobecausedbythebuild-upoflargeamountsoffluid.  Anenlargedspleenmightpressonthestomach,whichcancausealossofappetiteandfeelingfullafteronlyasmallmeal. Lymphomasinthestomachorintestinescancauseabdominalpain,nausea,orvomiting.  Symptomsfromlymphomainthechest  Whenlymphomastartsinthethymusorlymphnodesinthechest,itmaypressonthenearbytrachea(windpipe),whichcancausecoughing,troublebreathing,orafeelingofchestpainorpressure. Thesuperiorvenacava(SVC)isthelargeveinthatcarriesbloodfromtheheadandarmsbacktotheheart.Itpassesnearthethymusandlymphnodesinsidethechest.LymphomasinthisareamaypushontheSVC,whichcancausethebloodtobackupintheveins.Thiscanleadtoswelling(andsometimesabluish-redcolor)inthehead,arms,andupperchest.Itcanalsocausetroublebreathingandachangeinconsciousnessifitaffectsthebrain.ThisiscalledSVCsyndrome.Itcanbelife-threateningandmustbetreatedrightaway. Symptomsfromlymphomaaffectingthebrain  Lymphomasofthebrain,calledprimarybrainlymphomas,cancauseheadache,troublethinking,weaknessinpartsofthebody,personalitychanges,andsometimesseizures. Othertypesoflymphomacanspreadtotheareaaroundthebrainandspinalcord.Thiscancauseproblemssuchasdoublevision,facialnumbness,andtroublespeaking. Symptomsfromlymphomaintheskin  Lymphomasoftheskinmaybeseenorfelt.Theyoftenappearasitchy,redorpurplelumpsorbumpsundertheskin.Formoredetails,seeLymphomaoftheSkin. Writtenby References TheAmericanCancerSocietymedicalandeditorialcontentteam Ourteamismadeupofdoctorsand oncologycertifiednurseswithdeepknowledgeofcancercareaswellasjournalists,editors,andtranslatorswithextensiveexperienceinmedicalwriting. FreedmanAS,JacobsonCA,MauchP,AsterJC.Chapter103:Non-Hodgkin’slymphoma.In:DeVitaVT,LawrenceTS,RosenbergSA,eds.DeVita,Hellman,andRosenberg’sCancer:PrinciplesandPracticeofOncology.10thed.Philadelphia,Pa:LippincottWilliams&Wilkins;2015. RoschewskiMJ,WilsonWH.Chapter106:Non-HodgkinLymphoma.In:NiederhuberJE,ArmitageJO,DoroshowJH,KastanMB,TepperJE,eds.Abeloff’sClinicalOncology.5thed.Philadelphia,Pa:Elsevier;2014. References FreedmanAS,JacobsonCA,MauchP,AsterJC.Chapter103:Non-Hodgkin’slymphoma.In:DeVitaVT,LawrenceTS,RosenbergSA,eds.DeVita,Hellman,andRosenberg’sCancer:PrinciplesandPracticeofOncology.10thed.Philadelphia,Pa:LippincottWilliams&Wilkins;2015. RoschewskiMJ,WilsonWH.Chapter106:Non-HodgkinLymphoma.In:NiederhuberJE,ArmitageJO,DoroshowJH,KastanMB,TepperJE,eds.Abeloff’sClinicalOncology.5thed.Philadelphia,Pa:Elsevier;2014. LastRevised:August1,2018 AmericanCancerSocietymedicalinformationiscopyrighted material.Forreprintrequests,pleaseseeourContentUsagePolicy. EarlyDetection,Diagnosis,andStaging CanNon-HodgkinLymphomaBeFoundEarly? SignsandSymptomsofNon-HodgkinLymphoma TestsforNon-HodgkinLymphoma Non-HodgkinLymphomaStages SurvivalRatesandFactorsThatAffectPrognosis(Outlook)forNon-HodgkinLymphoma QuestionstoAskAboutNon-HodgkinLymphoma MoreInNon-HodgkinLymphoma AboutNon-HodgkinLymphoma Causes,RiskFactors,andPrevention EarlyDetection,Diagnosis,andStaging Treatment AfterTreatment BackToTop Close * Close Imageof Previous Next Close Close SelectAHopeLodge