Lymphoma - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the body's germ-fighting network. The lymphatic system includes the lymph ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforLymphomaSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsCareatMayoClinicOutcomes&ratings Print Overview Whatislymphoma?Anexpertexplains LearnmorefromhematologistStephenAnsell,M.D. ShowtranscriptforvideoWhatislymphoma?Anexpertexplains Hi.I'mDr.StephenAnsell.I'mahematologistatMayoClinic.Inthisvideo,we'regoingtocoverthebasicsoflymphoma.Whatisit?Whogetsit?Thesymptoms.Diagnosisandtreatment.Whetheryou'relookingforanswersforyourselforsomeoneyoulove,we'reheretogiveyouthebestinformationavailable.Lymphomaisanoverarchingtermforakindofcancerthatstartsinthelymphaticsystem.Cancerdiagnosisofanykindcanbeverydifficulttodealwith.Butrecentadvancesinhowwetreatlymphomaandongoingresearchmeansthere'salotofhope.Treatmentishighlysuccessfulforthemajorityofpatients.First,whatexactlyisthelymphaticsystem?Well,it'sactuallyacrucialpartoftheimmunesystem.Thelymphaticsystemproduceslymphocytes,orwhitebloodcells,whichfightoffpathogens,bacteriaandthelike.Therearetwotypesoflymphocytes,TcellsandBcells.Andlymphomaoccurswhenoneofthesetypesoflymphocytesgrowandmultiplyuncontrollably.Often,theseabnormalcellswillbuildupandcausetumorsinthelymphnodes,whichareactuallypresentthroughoutyourbody.Andsolymphomacellscancollectanywhere. Therearedifferenttypesoflymphoma,butreallytwomaincategories.Firstly,Hodgkinlymphoma.Thisisanuncommonformoflymphomaidentifiedbythepresenceofrarelargecells,whicharecalledReed-Sternbergcells.Anditusuallybeginsinlymphnodesoftheneck,thechest,underthearms,andprogressesinanorderlyfashionandpredictablefashiontootherlymphnodesites.Thisoftenmeansthatitcanbedetectedandtreatedearly.Andit'sactuallyconsideredoneofthemosttreatableformsofcancer.Non-Hodgkinlymphoma,whilemorecommonthanHodgkinlymphoma,isstillveryuncommonandarelativelyrarediseaseoverall.Thiscategoryincludesanycanceroflymphocytesthatdoesn'tinvolveReed-Sternbergcells. Likeallcancers,lymphomaistheresultofmutationsinDNAthatinstructthecellsonhowtogrow,andthecellsoftengrowoutofcontrolandlivelongerthantheyshould.Thesediseasecellsthencontinuetomultiplyatarapidrate,producingmorediseasecells.TheseparticularDNAmutationsaffectlymphocytes,whichaccumulateinthelymphnodesandotherpartsofthelymphaticsystemtoformtumors,crowdingouthealthytissueandlimitingitsabilitytofunction.Wedon'talwaysknowexactlywhatcausedthatinitialmutation,butweknowtheeffectsthatithasdownstream.Thereare,however,avarietyofthingsthatcanincreaseyourrisk.AlthoughbothHodgkinandnon-Hodgkinlymphomacanoccuratanyage,theydohaveapattern.Fornon-Hodgkinlymphoma,theriskincreasesasyougetolder,withabouthalfthepeoplediagnosedovertheageof65.InHodgkinlymphoma,casesarepredominantlyseenintwopeaks,ofteninyoungadults20to40,andagaininolderpeopleover55.Whetherbecauseofanimmunediseaseorimmunesuppressivedrugs,lymphomaismorecommoninpeoplewithanimpairedimmunesystem.Certaininfectionscanbeconnectedwithhigherratesoflymphoma.TheseinfectionsincludeEpstein-Barrvirusinfectionsandhelicobacterpyloriinfections. Commonsymptomsofhavinglymphomaincludeswellingoflymphnodesinyourneck,inyourarmpitsoryourgroin.Thisisoftenbutnotalwayspainlessandoftencouldbeassociatedwithfevers,orunexplainedweightloss,ordrenchingnightsweats,sometimeschills,persistentfatigue.Shortnessofbreathcanoftenbefound.AndpatientswithHodgkinlymphomamaydevelopanitchyskin.Justbecauseyou'reexperiencingthesetypesofthingsdoesn'tmeanyouhavelymphoma,butitisimportanttoseeyourdoctorifyou'reexperiencingrecurringsymptoms. Firstly,they'relikelytogiveyouaphysicalexamtocheckforswollenlymphnodesandseewhetheryourspleenorliverfeelswollen.Alymphnodemayinfactberemovedforabiopsy.Thiscanshownotonlyiflymphomacellsarepresentbutwillactuallyhelptoidentifythetypeoflymphoma.Thebonemarrowiswherethecellsaremade,andsoasampleofthebonemarrowmayalsobetaken.Thisisusuallyperformedbothontheliquidofthebonemarrow,theso-calledaspirate,andthenabiopsyistakenfromthesolidportionofthebonemarrow.Thisisdoneusinganeedle,andthesampleisusuallyextractedfromthehipboneandsentforanalysis.Additionally,yourdoctormayrecommendotherkindsoftestsincludingimagingstudies.ThiscouldincludeaPETscan,aCTscan,oranMRIscan.Allofthemarebeingdonetolookforsignsoflymphomainotherareasofyourbody. Aspecializedteamofdoctorscanworkwithyoutodevelopastrategyfortreatingyourlymphoma.Andthestrategyisbasedonthetypeoflymphoma,thestageofthelymphoma,theaggressivenessofthecancer,aswellasyouroverallhealth.Somelymphomasgrowveryslowly,anditmaynotbenecessarytostarttreatmentrightaway.Activesurveillanceisoftenyourbestoption.Youandyourdoctormaydecidenottotreatthelymphomauntilitinterfereswithyourlifestyle.Wecallthiswatchfulwaiting.However,untilthen,youwouldneedtohaveperiodicteststomonitoryourdisease.Now,youmaybegivenchemotherapy.Theseareusuallypowerfuldrugsthatwillkilllymphoma.Additionaltreatmentsarecomingoutthatallowfortargetedtherapy.Targeteddrugtreatmentfocusesjustonspecificabnormalitiesincancercellsandishighlyeffective.Afurtherstrategyisimmunotherapy.Andimmunotherapydrugsuseyourownimmunesystemtofightyourcancer. Findingoutyouhavelymphomaandgoingthroughtreatmentcanbeoverwhelming,buttherearethingsyoucandotohelpyoucope.Learnaboutyourlymphoma.Don'tbeafraidtoaskyourdoctorquestionsandhavethemrecommendresourcesformoreinformation.Knowingmoreaboutyourparticularcaseandtheoptionsyouhavewillhelpyoufeelconfidentandempoweryoutomakedecisionsregardingtreatment.Keepyourfriendsandfamilyclose,relyonthemforpracticalandemotionalsupport.Itmayalsobeimportanttofindasupportgrouptotalkwithpeoplewhoaregoingthroughthesamething.Althoughcancerandgoingthroughtreatmentisnevereasy,withlymphoma,thereisplentyofhopeandlong-termsuccess.Alotofprogresshasbeenmadeinfightinglymphoma,gettingpatientsintoremission,gettingthembacktoanormallife.Andastheresearchcontinues,ever-improvingandmoreeffectivewaystocombatlymphomaarebeingdeveloped.Ifyouwanttolearnmoreaboutyourlymphoma,pleasegoaheadandwatchtherelatedvideosorvisitmayoclinic.org.Wewishyouwell. Partsoftheimmunesystem Openpop-updialogbox Close Partsoftheimmunesystem Partsoftheimmunesystem Thelymphaticsystemispartofthebody'simmunesystem,whichprotectsagainstinfectionanddisease.Thelymphaticsystemincludesthespleen,thymus,lymphnodesandlymphchannels,aswellasthetonsilsandadenoids. Lymphnodeclusters Openpop-updialogbox Close Lymphnodeclusters Lymphnodeclusters Lymphnodesarebean-sizedcollectionsoflymphocytes.Hundredsofthesenodesclusterthroughoutthelymphaticsystem,forexample,neartheknee,groin,neckandarmpits.Thenodesareconnectedbyanetworkoflymphaticvessels. Lymphomaisacancerofthelymphaticsystem,whichispartofthebody'sgerm-fightingnetwork. Thelymphaticsystemincludesthelymphnodes(lymphglands),spleen,thymusglandandbonemarrow.Lymphomacanaffectallthoseareasaswellasotherorgansthroughoutthebody. Manytypesoflymphomaexist.Themainsubtypesare: Hodgkin'slymphoma(formerlycalledHodgkin'sdisease) Non-Hodgkin'slymphoma Whatlymphomatreatmentisbestforyoudependsonyourlymphomatypeanditsseverity.Lymphomatreatmentmayinvolvechemotherapy,immunotherapymedications,radiationtherapy,abonemarrowtransplantorsomecombinationofthese.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEditionNewsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEditionShowmoreproductsfromMayoClinic Types Chroniclymphocyticleukemia CutaneousB-celllymphoma CutaneousT-celllymphoma Hodgkin'slymphoma(Hodgkin'sdisease) Non-Hodgkin'slymphoma Waldenstrommacroglobulinemia Symptoms Swollenlymphnodes Openpop-updialogbox Close Swollenlymphnodes Swollenlymphnodes Oneofthemostcommonplacestofindswollenlymphnodesisintheneck.Theinsetshowsthreeswollenlymphnodesbelowthelowerjaw. Signsandsymptomsoflymphomamayinclude: Painlessswellingoflymphnodesinyourneck,armpitsorgroin Persistentfatigue Fever Nightsweats Shortnessofbreath Unexplainedweightloss Itchyskin WhentoseeadoctorMakeanappointmentwithyourdoctorifyouhaveanypersistentsignsorsymptomsthatworryyou. RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic   Thereisaproblemwith informationsubmittedforthisrequest.Review/updatethe informationhighlightedbelowandresubmittheform. GetMayoCliniccancerexpertisedeliveredtoyourinbox. Subscribeforfreeandreceiveanin-depthguidetocoping withcancer,plushelpfulinformationonhowtogetasecondopinion.Youcanunsubscribeatany time. Iwouldliketolearnmoreabout Up-to-datecancernews&research MayoCliniccancercare&management options ErrorSelect atopic Emailaddress ErrorEmailfieldisrequired ErrorIncludeavalidemailaddress Subscribe LearnmoreaboutMayoClinic’suseofdata. 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Sorrysomethingwentwrongwithyoursubscription Please,tryagaininacoupleofminutes Retry CausesDoctorsaren'tsurewhatcauseslymphoma.Butitbeginswhenadisease-fightingwhitebloodcellcalledalymphocytedevelopsageneticmutation.Themutationtellsthecelltomultiplyrapidly,causingmanydiseasedlymphocytesthatcontinuemultiplying. Themutationalsoallowsthecellstogoonlivingwhenothernormalcellswoulddie.Thiscausestoomanydiseasedandineffectivelymphocytesinyourlymphnodesandcausesthelymphnodes,spleenandlivertoswell. RiskfactorsFactorsthatcanincreasetheriskoflymphomainclude: Yourage.Sometypesoflymphomaaremorecommoninyoungadults,whileothersaremostoftendiagnosedinpeopleover55. Beingmale.Malesareslightlymorelikelytodeveloplymphomathanarefemales. Havinganimpairedimmunesystem.Lymphomaismorecommoninpeoplewithimmunesystemdiseasesorinpeoplewhotakedrugsthatsuppresstheirimmunesystem. Developingcertaininfections.Someinfectionsareassociatedwithanincreasedriskoflymphoma,includingtheEpstein-BarrvirusandHelicobacterpyloriinfection. ByMayoClinicStaff LymphomacareatMayoClinic RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment May05,2022 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Lymphoma—Hodgkin.Cancer.net.https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lymphoma-hodgkin/view-all.AccessedSept.1,2019. Lymphoma—Non-Hodgkin.Cancer.net.https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lymphoma-non-hodgkin/view-all.AccessedSept.1,2019. AdultHodgkinlymphomatreatment(PDQ)—Healthprofessionalversion.NationalCancerInstitute.https://www.cancer.gov/types/lymphoma/hp/adult-hodgkin-treatment-pdq.AccessedSept.1,2019. Adultnon-Hodgkinlymphomatreatment(PDQ)—Healthprofessionalversion.NationalCancerInstitute.https://www.cancer.gov/types/lymphoma/hp/adult-nhl-treatment-pdq.AccessedSept.1,2019. WarnerKJ.AllscriptsEPSi.MayoClinic.July2,2019. LymphomaSPOREs.NationalCancerInstitute.https://trp.cancer.gov/spores/lymphoma.htm.AccessedSept.1,2019. HoffmanR,etal.Hematology:BasicPrinciplesandPractice.7thed.Elsevier;2018.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedJune13,2019. LaurentC,etal.Impactofexpertpathologicreviewoflymphomadiagnosis:StudyofpatientsfromtheFrenchLymphopathNetwork.JournalofClinicalOncology.2017;doi:10.1200/JCO.2016.71.2083. MayoClinicfirstintheU.S.tooffergenetictestforlymphoma.Forefront.2017;6.https://www.mayo.edu/research/forefront/mayo-clinic-first-us-offer-genetic-test-lymphoma.AccessedSept.1,2019. Distressmanagement.NationalComprehensiveCancerNetwork.https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/default.aspx.AccessedSept.1,2019. 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