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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
