Diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Signs and Symptoms of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Signs and symptoms of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) include:

• Lymphadenopathy - a painless swelling of lymph nodes in any area of the body - is the most common symptom of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

  • In most cases, especially in children, swollen lymph nodes are due to an infection and usually disappear once the infection has been eradicated.

  • Patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have enlarged lymph nodes (> 1.0 cm) that persists for at least 6 weeks.

  • Patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the abdomen usually have a swollen, distended abdomen.

• Enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly) or enlargement of the spleen (splenomegaly)

• Chest Pain - if the lymphoma affects the lymphoid tissue of the thymus gland (located near the breastbone), the swelling of the thymus gland may cause chest pain.

• General Symptoms - One or more of the following general symptoms may or may not be present in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma:

  • shortness of breath
  • generalized feeling of weakness or fatigue
  • profuse sweating (particularly while sleeping at night)
  • loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
  • severe itching
  • recurrent infections
  • easily bruised skin