My lymph nodes suddenly swelled, what happened?

If the lymph nodes are red and swollen, most people will feel pain. When the lymph nodes are swollen, we must avoid lymphoma, because lymphoma is as terrible as leukemia. They are both blood diseases. Lymphoma is also very difficult to cure, and the treatment process will cost a lot of money. So what is the matter with the sudden swelling of the lymph nodes?

Lymphoma, like leukemia, is a type of blood cancer, but it has a relatively high cure rate among all malignant tumors. For example, the cure rate for stage I Hodgkin's lymphoma can reach over 90%, and even in the late stages, the cure rate is over 50%. The cure rate for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is slightly lower, but the overall cure rate is still high. If it can be detected early, the cure rate will be higher.

What are the early symptoms of lymphoma?

1. Swollen lymph nodes

Lymph node enlargement is the most prominent manifestation of lymphoma. It is characterized by painless and progressive swelling, and may appear in the neck, armpits, groin, abdomen, and mediastinum. Among them, cervical and supraclavicular lymph node enlargement is the most common. The lump is smooth and tough, and feels a bit like a ping-pong ball.

It is worth reminding that although swollen lymph nodes are the most common symptom of lymphoma, not all swollen lymph nodes are caused by it. For example, lymph node inflammation and pharyngitis can also cause swollen lymph nodes. However, the lumps caused by these minor illnesses will heal on their own soon, while the lumps of lymphoma will recur.

2. Fever

In the early stages of lymphoma, there is often fever, which may be persistent high fever or intermittent low fever. Some may also be accompanied by fever, sweating, cough and other symptoms. These symptoms are similar to those of a cold and must be distinguished. The fever caused by lymphoma generally lasts for several days or weeks, and the body temperature is above 38°C each time.

3. Local compression symptoms

When the lymph nodes compress the superior vena cava, the body will experience symptoms such as swelling of the face and neck, chest tightness, chest pain, and difficulty breathing; if it compresses the gastrointestinal tract, ureter or bile duct, it will cause intestinal obstruction, jaundice and other symptoms; if lymphoma invades the brain, it may cause symptoms such as headache, blurred vision, speech disorders, and in severe cases, paralysis; if it invades the nasopharynx, it will also cause nose bleeding, nasal congestion and other symptoms.

4. Systemic symptoms

Clinically, about 10%-20% of patients will experience symptoms such as fever, night sweats, weight loss and skin itching.

How to treat early lymphoma?

1. Immunotherapy

For malignant lymphoma, immunotherapy can be used as an adjuvant treatment.

2. Autologous bone marrow transplantation

For patients under 50 years old who can tolerate high-dose radiotherapy and chemotherapy combined with allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation, a longer remission period and disease-free survival can be achieved.

3. Surgical treatment

In patients with nodal malignant lymphoma, surgery is mainly used for biopsy for pathology or for staging laparotomy. For extranodal malignant lymphoma originating in the brain, spinal cord, orbits, salivary glands, thyroid, lungs, liver, spleen, etc., surgical resection is often performed first, followed by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.