How can we detect lymphoma in time? What are the symptoms of lymphoma?

The main symptom of lymphoma is the feeling of swollen lymph nodes on the body. In the early stage, they are painless and itchy, so they are often ignored. About 60% of lymphomas are first found in swollen lymph nodes in the neck. At the beginning, only one is swollen, and then the number increases and the swelling becomes larger. Lymphoma can occur in lymphatic tissues throughout the body, such as the armpits, mandibles, chins, supraclavicular, anterior neck, mediastinum or abdominal arteries. Sometimes it occurs in organs and causes compression symptoms. If it occurs in the stomach, small intestine or large intestine, there may be symptoms of peptic ulcer or gastrointestinal dysfunction such as abdominal distension, blood in the stool, vomiting, abdominal pain, etc. If lymphoma invades the bone marrow, it may cause pancytopenia such as pale face, fever, abnormal bleeding, and sometimes abnormal lymphocytes can be seen in the peripheral blood.

Because the sites and ranges of lymphoma cell invasion are different, the clinical manifestations are very inconsistent. The primary site can be in the lymph nodes or in the lymphatic tissue outside the lymph nodes. But in general, there are three manifestations:

(1) Systemic symptoms

a. Fever: The fever is often irregular, usually between 38-39°C. Some patients may have continuous high fever, intermittent low fever, and a few may have periodic fever. b. Weight loss: Most patients have weight loss. Loss of more than 10% of original body weight within 6 months. c. Night sweats: Sweating at night or after falling asleep.

(2) Local manifestations

1) Lymph node enlargement: including superficial and deep lymph nodes, which are characterized by progressive, painless, hard and movable enlargement of lymph nodes. In the early stage, they are not adhered to each other, but in the late stage, they can fuse. Anti-inflammatory and anti-tuberculosis treatment is ineffective. Superficial lymph nodes are more common in the neck, followed by the axilla and abdominal groove, and deep lymph nodes are more common in the mediastinum and beside the abdominal aorta.

2) Local compression symptoms caused by swollen lymph nodes: mainly refers to deep lymph nodes, such as swollen mediastinal lymph nodes, which can cause dysphagia by compressing the esophagus. Compression of the superior vena cava causes superior vena cava syndrome. Compression of the trachea causes coughing, chest tightness, dyspnea and cyanosis.

(3) Extranodal lesions

Lymphoma can invade all tissues and organs of the body. For example, infiltration of the liver and spleen causes hepatomegaly; infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract causes abdominal pain, bloating, intestinal obstruction and bleeding. Infiltration of the lungs and pleura causes cough and pleural effusion; infiltration of bones causes bone pain and pathological fractures. Infiltration of the skin causes itching and subcutaneous nodules. Infiltration of the tonsils and mouth, nose and pharynx causes dysphagia, nasal congestion and nasal tingling. Infiltration of the nervous system causes spinal cord compression, cranial neuropathy, etc. Once a patient has the above symptoms and signs, he should go to the hospital for examination to determine whether he has lymphoma.