blood disorders
Non Hodgkin Lymphomas
Symptoms of Non Hodgkin Lymphomas
The first symptom is often rapid and usually painless enlargement of lymph nodes in the neck, under the arms, or in the groin. Enlarged lymph nodes within the chest may press against airways, causing cough and difficulty breathing, or press against blood vessels in the chest, causing swelling of the face, neck, and arms (superior vena cava syndrome). Deep lymph nodes within the abdomen may press against various organs, causing loss of appetite, constipation, abdominal pain, or progressive swelling of the legs. Some lymphomas can appear in the bloodstream and bone marrow. Lymphoma cells in the bone marrow may interfere with the ability of the bone marrow to produce enough normal blood cells. Fever and excessive sweating may indicate infection, which may result from too few normal white blood cells. Weakness, fatigue, and paleness, which may result from too few red blood cells ( Overview of Anemia ). Some people may have trouble breathing, a rapid heart rate, or chest pain. Easy bruising and bleeding, sometimes in the form of nosebleeds or bleeding gums, which may result from too few platelets ( Overview of Thrombocytopenia ). In some cases, people may bleed into their brain or abdomen. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas can also invade the digestive tract, skin, and occasionally the nervous system, causing various symptoms. Some people have persistent fever without an evident cause, the so-called fever of unknown origin. This type of fever commonly reflects an advanced stage of disease. In children, the first symptoms—anemia, rashes, and neurologic symptoms, such as weakness and abnormal sensation—are likely to be caused by infiltration of lymphoma cells into the bone marrow, blood, skin, intestine, brain, and spinal cord. Lymph nodes that become enlarged are usually deep ones, leading to the following: Accumulation of fluid around the lungs, which causes difficulty in breathing Pressure on the intestine, which causes loss of appetite or vomiting Blocked lymph vessels, which causes fluid retention called lymphedema, most noticeably in the arms and legs 