Symptoms of non Hodgkin's lymphoma

The most common symptom of non Hodgkin's lymphoma is one or more painless swellings in the

• Neck
• Armpit
• Groin

Each swelling is an enlarged lymph node. If you have a swollen lymph node that does not go away after 6 weeks, you should see your GP.

You may have other general symptoms such as

• Heavy sweating at night
• Temperatures that come and go with no obvious cause
• Losing a lot of weight (more than one tenth of your total weight)

Some people have unexplained itching with NHL. Doctors call this group of symptoms 'B symptoms'. Some people with non Hodgkin's lymphoma have them, but most don't. It is important for you to tell your doctor about any symptoms like this. It helps them to decide which type of non Hodgkin's lymphoma you have, and what treatment you need.

Some people with non Hodgkin's lymphoma have lymphoma cells in their bone marrow when they are diagnosed. This can cause low blood counts, such as

• Low red blood counts (anaemia) causing tiredness and sometimes breathlessness
• Low white blood counts, increasing your risk of getting infections
• Low platelet counts, causing bleeding problems such as very heavy periods, nosebleeds or a rash of tiny blood spots under the skin

There is more about coping with low blood counts in the section about effects of chemotherapy on your bone marrow.

There can be many other symptoms depending on the part of the body affected by the non Hodgkin's lymphoma. For example

• Your tonsils may be enlarged
• Your liver may be enlarged
• Your spleen may be enlarged
• You may have a lump in your abdomen (tummy)
• You may feel breathless, if the lymph nodes in your chest are affected
• Other symptoms can be caused by enlarged lymph nodes pressing on an organ or nerve

Lymphomas which start in other organs such as the stomach or skin may cause symptoms such as weight loss or skin rashes.

Lymphoma that starts in the brain is called primary cerebral lymphoma. This is very rare. This type of lymphoma can cause symptoms such as

• Headache
• Difficulty thinking
• Difficulty moving parts of the body
• Changes in personality
• Epileptic fits (seizures) can sometimes be caused

High grade lymphomas that started elsewhere in the body can sometimes spread to the brain. If this happens, you may have similar symptoms to these.

If you have any of these symptoms you must have them checked by your GP. But remember, they can all be caused by other medical conditions. Everyone's glands come up when they have a throat infection, for example. Most people with these symptoms will not have a lymphoma.

The earlier a cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat it and the more likely the treatment is to be successful. So it is important that you go to your GP as soon as possible if you notice worrying symptoms.