Lymphoma is a general category of cancer that affects lymph tissue. Lymph glands and fluid are present in all parts of your body, including your brain. Lymphomas can develop throughout the body, including the brain, and cause a variety of symptoms. One cause of symptoms related to lymphoma growth is excessive release of calcium into the bloodstream, which is known as hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia causes musculoskeletal symptoms and dysfunction of the brain. Consult with your doctor if you notice chronically swollen lymph nodes or experience confusion and personality changes.
Lymphomas
Lymphomas are cancers of lymph nodes, which are specialized glands distributed throughout your body. Lymph nodes synthesize and contain various lymphocytes, which are white blood cells involved with immune function. According to the book “Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine,” the two main types of lymphomas are Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which are distinguished by the specific type of lymphocyte affected. Furthermore, Hodgkin's disease typically develops in younger adults, while the majority of non-Hodgkin's cancers develop in people 60 years old and older.
Symptoms of Lymphomas
Typical symptoms of lymphomas involve swollen, but non-tender lymph nodes, fatigue and compromised immune function. According to the “Textbook for Functional Medicine,” lymphomas of the brain can cause headaches, confusion, difficulty concentrating, personality changes, problems walking, seizures, coma and ultimately death. These symptoms are caused by physical and chemical irritation of the growing lymphoma, but also due to hypercalcemia.
Hypercalcemia
Up to 20 percent of cancer patients develop hypercalcemia, according to the National Cancer Institute. The cancers most often associated with hypercalcemia include lung and breast cancers as well as multiple myeloma and Paget’s disease. These cancers spread into surrounding bone, causing destruction and release of calcium. Lymphomas also cause hypercalcemia in some cases, but mainly due to the release of hormone-like substances into the bloodstream that cause release of calcium from bone, as opposed to direct bone destruction.
Function of Calcium in the Brain
Calcium is required for transmission of electrical signals in the brain and throughout your nervous system. As such, calcium is important for communication. According to the book “Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach,” calcium ions carry a “message” from the outside to the inside of the brain cell by binding to certain proteins, which then become activated and able to turn on the cell’s genes. Too much calcium within the bloodstream eventually leads to faulty communication and dysfunction in the brain and throughout the nervous system.
References
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine; A. Fauci et al.
- Textbook for Functional Medicine; David S. Jones
- National Cancer Institute: Hypercalcemia
- Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach; Dee Silverthorn and William Ober
