According to the Lymphoma Research Foundation, lymphomas are a group of cancers of lymphocytes. These are cells of the immune system. Lymphomas generally occur in the lymph nodes, but because there are lymphatic tissues found throughout the body and lymphocytes are mobile, lymphoma may be found in any organ. Lymphoma is categorized into Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Typical Symptoms
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma typically presents with diffuse disease, and Hodgkin's disease usually presents with localized disease. Typical symptoms of both are highly variable in their course. Some symptoms will be present in one person and not in another, and the aggressiveness of the cancers and therefore the symptoms will vary as well. Commonly, the lymph nodes will painlessly swell. The swelling may impair the function of nearby organs or cause them to swell. Swelling of the liver, or hepatomegaly, and swelling of the spleen, called splenomegaly, are common. In addition, lymphomas cause "B symptoms": fevers, night sweats, and weight loss. Severe itching, swollen lymph nodes, and pain in the lymph nodes associated with alcohol use is typical of Hodgkin's disease.
Less Common Symptoms
Less common symptoms include excessive tiredness, skin rash, malaise, fluid between the lungs and chest wall called effusions, an abdomen swollen with fluid called ascites, or other variable symptoms related to the involvement of tissues such as the central nervous system (CNS), gastrointestinal tract, or mediastinum.
Cental Nervous System Symptoms
Central nervous system lymphomas are less common, but may effect the brain, the lining of the brain, spinal cord or eyes. Central nervous system symptoms of lymphomas present with headache, altered mental status, focal neurological symptoms similar to strokes such as numbness or paralysis of limbs, seizures, or spinal cord compression.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Lymphatic tissues are found throughout the gastrointestinal tract, abdominal lymphomas are called GALT lymphomas, for gut-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas. Typical symptoms of these lymphomas include nausea, vomiting, weight loss, anorexia, back and abdominal pain. Other possibilities include intestinal obstruction and severe liver disease.
Mediastinal Symptoms
The mediastinum is the area between the two lungs where the heart and large airways to the lungs sit. Symptoms of mediastinal lymphomas include cough, chest pain, shortness of breath and coughing up blood. Emergencies caused by mediastinal lymphomas include compression of the heart, or tamponade, compression of the main veins to the heart, and acute airway obstruction.
References
- Lymphoma Research Foundation
- Clinical presentation and diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: UpToDate
- "Medicine Recall"; James D. Bergin; 2003
