Does Lymphoma Cause Back Pain

Lymphoma Symptoms: What You Need To Know

Home» Lymphoma Symptoms: What You Need to Know

Lymphoma is a cancer type that affects the lymph system, which is part of the immune system. There are different kinds of lymphoma, including Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins. Since the symptoms associated with lymphoma are not very different from other medical conditions, it may be difficult to diagnose. This is the reason why it is important to be aware of the first signs.

Patients commonly start by noticing a painless swelling in a lymph node, a problem known as lymphadenopathy. The swelling can appear in different parts of the body, the most common being in the neck and armpits, but also in the legs, ankles, or abdomen. In some cases the swelling is not noticeable, but other complaints from patients include a persistent cold or respiratory infection.

Symptoms Of Lymphoma In The Chest

Lymphoma in the chest, such as primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, may put pressure on important areas such as the windpipe or the superior vena cava, a large and crucial vein. A tumor that presses on the windpipe may lead to symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing and chest pain. Pressure on the superior vena cava may result in symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling and color changes in the head, arms and upper chest.

Other Head And Neck Symptoms

More than 60 types of non-Hodgkins lymphoma have been identified. Symptoms can vary depending on the type of lymphoma you have and where it forms. If lymphoma develops in your central nervous system, it can cause symptoms such as:

Symptoms that become more common and severe with advanced lymphoma are known as B symptoms. They include:

• a fever greater than 100.4°F
• night sweats that drench your sheets
• weight loss of more than 10 percent of your body weight for no apparent reason within 6 months

In the vast majority of people, swollen lymph nodes arent caused by non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Lymph nodes commonly swell when you have an infection and return to normal when the infection passes.

Lumps under your skin can also have other causes, such as cysts and lipomas.

Heres a general comparison of typical symptoms of lymphoma versus those of an infection:

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Signs And Symptoms Of Advanced Lymphoma

More advanced lymphoma may present with the following symptoms:

• In certain instances, people feel pain in the lymph nodes after drinking alcohol.
• If the lymphoma involves lymphatic tissue within the abdomen, bowel or stomach, fluid may build up causing swelling near the intestines, potentially leading to sensations of abdominal pressure, pain, diarrhea and/or indigestion.
• The enlarged lymph node sometimes causes other symptoms by pressing against a vein , or against a nerve .
• Some people experience lower back pain that is unexplained. It is thought that this may be caused by expanding lymph nodes pressing on nerves.
• As lymphomas progress and cancerous lymphocytes spread beyond the lymphatic system, the body loses its ability to fight infection. The generalized symptoms that develop may be confused with signs of influenza, tuberculosis, other infections such as infectious mononucleosis or other cancers.

A Rare Case Of Primary Spinal Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma Presents As Type

Guoping Wang, Bin Liu, Xiangyang Liu, Xiongjie Shen, Hongzhe Liu

Department of Spinal Surgery Hunan Provincial Peoples Hospital , , China

Correspondence to:

Abstract: The present study reported a 23-year-old man who presented with fever and low back pain for > 1 month. With the exception of a significant rise in CRP and ESR, laboratory examinations following hospitalized revealed no positive finding. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of lumbar spine with contrast revealed mass lesions at right of the L35 vertebra and in epidural at L4, which caused spinal canal stenosis. The present study used a posterior approach to decompression and internal fixation, and excision of the lesion was performed from an anterior approach. Intraoperatively, the lesion was flesh-like without pus. Results of rapid pathological examination reported a round malignant tumor. According to the final pathological examination results, the diagnosis was non-Hodgkins lymphoma, unspecified peripheral T cell lymphoma immunophenotype. The patient succumbed to the disease 1-year after the spinal operation, despite chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and prednisolone and local radiotherapy.

Keywords: Primary spinal lymphoma peripheral T cell type-B symptoms

Submitted Jul 16, 2016. Accepted for publication Nov 29, 2016.

doi: 10.21037/tcr.2016.12.19

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Symptoms That Overlap With Other Conditions

Many symptoms of lymphoma are also present in other, less serious illnesses, such as an infection like the flu or a common cold. These shared symptoms might include swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, fever, tiredness, and other signs.

One important distinction is that symptoms of a less serious problem usually wont last long. On the other hand, symptoms of lymphoma typically persist.

Diagnosis And What To Discuss With Your Doctor

Youll need to have a biopsy before a diagnosis of kidney lymphoma can be confirmed. You might have a biopsy done on just your kidney or on your lymph nodes and bone marrow as well. Your doctor will let you know what tests are needed.

It helps to know what to expect if you receive a cancer diagnosis. These questions should help you start to understand your diagnosis and what comes next:

• What is the stage of my kidney lymphoma?
• What exactly does that stage mean in my case?
• What are my treatment options?
• Why is the doctor recommending those options?
• What are the potential risks and side effects of those treatment options?
• What would happen if I did not pursue treatment or waited to pursue treatment?
• How long will treatment take?
• Will treatment impact my daily life?
• What happens if these treatments do not work?
• Are there any financial resources available to help pay for treatment?
• Are there any mental health resources available?

treatment plan for your kidney lymphoma depends on multiple factors, including the stage at diagnosis and your overall health. Treatment options might include:

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When Should You See A Doctor For Your Symptoms

You should see your doctor if you have any unusual symptoms that dont go away. Your symptoms are most likely caused by something else, but its important to get checked out just in case.

Your practitioner will probably perform a physical exam to check for swollen lymph nodes and any other possible signs of the disease. If your physician thinks your symptoms might be lymphoma, he or she will likely order additional tests and may get a biopsy of a lymph node. Depending on the results of these tests, you might be sent to a specialist, such as a hematologist or oncologist.

Regular checkups are especially important for people who are at a greater risk of developing lymphoma, such as those with an autoimmune disease, someone whos had previous cancer treatment, or an individual with human immunodeficiency virus .

Other Types Of Lymphoma

All lymphomas start in a particular type of cell called a lymphocyte. Some affect B lymphocytes , while others affect T lymphocytes and, rarely, natural killer cells. While most lymphomas start in B cells, a minorityless than 15 percent of all non-Hodgkin lymphomasare T-cell lymphomas, and fewer than 1 percent affect natural killer cells.

T-cell lymphomas and natural killer T-cell lymphomas may have different symptoms depending on the subtype and location of the cancer. Below are some of the different types of T-cell lymphomas and their associated symptoms.

• Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified often causes symptoms such as fever, night sweats and unintentional weight loss.
• Anaplastic large cell lymphomas may come with symptoms such as fever, backache, painless swelling of lymph nodes, poor appetite, itchy skin, rashes and fatigue.
• Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma often causes symptoms such as fever, night sweats, rashes and itchy skin.
• Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma may cause skin changes, which may include flat, rash-looking patches thick, raised and itchy eczema-like plaques and raised bumps.
• Aggressive natural killer cell leukemia may come with symptoms such as fever, yellowing of the skin , swollen lymph nodes, swelling of the liver or spleen, and potentially skin changes.
• Extranodal natural killer T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, often causes a blocked nose, bloody nasal discharge, swelling of the cheek, sore throat, hoarseness, fever and weight loss.

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Symptoms Of Lymphoma In The Skin

Lymphoma in the skin may be apparent to the eye and show up as masses or bumps under the skin that are itchy, red or purple. Because of its similarities, cutaneous lymphoma, often called a lymphoma rash, may be dismissed as psoriasis, eczema or dermatitis. It typically appears in the early stages of the disease, most often on the torso or buttocks region, though it may appear in other areas of the body.

Whats The Outlook For People With Back Pain And Cancer

Less than 10 percent of spinal tumors actually start in the spine, according to the Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Even if a spinal tumor is present and causing lower back pain, the tumor isnt always cancerous.

If the lower back pain is related to metastatic cancer, its important to talk to your doctor about your treatment outlook. When cancers start to spread, this may indicate a poorer prognosis.

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Response To Other Treatments

If these treatments don’t work and your doctor suspects there is another cause of your back pain, you may need more tests. These can include:

• Computed tomography scans

Your doctor will decide which test to order based on your symptoms, medical history, and physical examination.

The goal of treatment is to restore function and increase strength so you can return to your daily activities with little to no pain. If the pain does not respond to treatment, surgery may be required. This is usually necessary if there is disc herniation or other structural damage.

Symptoms From Lymphoma In The Abdomen

Lymphomas that start or grow in the abdomen can cause swelling or pain in the abdomen. This could be from lymph nodes or organs such as the spleen or liver enlarging, but it can also be caused by the build-up of large amounts of fluid.

An enlarged spleen might press on the stomach, which can cause a loss of appetite and feeling full after only a small meal.

Lymphomas in the stomach or intestines can cause abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting.

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Less Common Symptoms Of Non

In addition to those mentioned above, non-Hodgkin lymphoma can cause less common symptoms that are specific to the cancers location in the body. The less common symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma include:

• Abdominal swelling or pain and a loss of appetite when the cancer is in the abdomen
• Coughing, trouble breathing or chest pain when the cancer is in the chest
• Itchy red or purple bumps when the cancer is in the skin

Chest Pain Or Lower Back Pain

The thymus is a small, two-lobed organ located behind your sternum and between the lungs. Its part of your immune system. Occasionally, lymphoma affects the thymus gland, which can cause chest pain.

Rarely, lymphoma affects lymph nodes located in the lower back. Swelling there may put pressure on the nerves of the spinal cord. However, there are many more likely causes of lower back pain than lymphoma.

You should contact your doctor about any persistent pain anywhere on your body.

The subtypes of lymphoma fall into two main categories: Hodgkins lymphoma and non-Hodgkins lymphoma . The differences in the two categories are how the cancers develop, spread, and are treated.

NHL is much more common and makes up 4 percent of all cancers in the United States.

Lymphoma directly affects the lymphatic system, which includes a number of body parts. It can affect various parts of the body that contain lymph tissue, such as the:

• lymph nodes and lymph vessels

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Is My Lower Back Pain Cancer

Doru Paul, MD, is triple board-certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine. He is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and attending physician in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see their primary care doctor. It is very rarely a sign of cancer. Back pain is usually caused by other problems, such as:

• Spinal problems like disc degeneration, arthritis, or stenosis

Back pain is unlikely to be a sign of cancer. Still, there are some types of cancer that can cause back pain as an early symptom. That’s why it’s important to be able to recognize symptoms that might point to cancer.

Verywell / Laura Porter

This article looks at back pain as a symptom of cancer. It also looks at when you should see a doctor, and how back pain is diagnosed.

Will I Get All Of The Symptoms Of Lymphoma

There are over 60 types of lymphoma, broadly divided into Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These lymphomas can start almost anywhere in the body and can have many different symptoms. The exact symptoms they cause depend on the type of lymphoma and where it is in the body.

Even with the same type of lymphoma, different people are affected differently. For example:

• You might have lots of symptoms or only a few symptoms. Sometimes lymphoma is discovered during tests for something else and you might not have had any symptoms at all.
• You might have symptoms in one area or symptoms that affect your whole body .
• You might feel generally well or you might become very unwell quickly.

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When To See A Healthcare Provider

Lymphoma symptoms aren’t always present in early stages, and overt symptoms develop only when the disease is advanced. The most telling cluepersistent lymphadenopathy with no known causeshould warrant prompt medical attention.

However, in cases where the disease is confined to the chest or abdomen, you may have no visible signs of lymphadenopathy at all. Moreover, the so-called “B” symptoms are often mistaken for other conditions.

Symptoms Based On Location And Type

Symptoms may be different depending on the location and type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. For example, lymphoma that develops in the abdominal area may cause belly pain or swelling. Cancer in the stomach or intestines may come with belly pain, nausea or vomiting. If the spleen is affected, such as in mantle cell lymphoma, patients may experience feelings of fullness or poor appetite due to the enlarged spleen putting pressure on the stomach.

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Prognosis With A Lymphoma Diagnosis

The outlook after treatment for lymphoma will depend on the lymphoma type and the stage at which it is diagnosed. For people with early-stage NHL of the common diffuse large B-cell lymphoma , the 5-year survival rate is 74%. For early-stage HL, the 5-year survival rate is 92%.

An Adolescent With Cough Congestion And Back Pain: A Delayed Diagnosis Of Hodgkin Lymphoma

Vicki R. McGowan II, DO, Melissa S. Singer, MD, and Randi Sperling, DO

A 17-year-old girl presented to a community hospital with a several-month history of cough and congestion and a 3-week history of severe upper back pain that had resulted in her missing school. She reported a past medical history of asthma but no prior hospitalizations or surgeries. She recently had been seen several times in the adult emergency department and had been treated symptomatically with opiates and nebulizer treatments.

During the most recent ED visit, a chest radiograph revealed a left hemithorax opacification, and she was admitted to the community hospitals pediatric intensive care unit . During this 6-day hospitalization, she was treated with intravenous piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin for presumed pneumonia. Despite this treatment, she experienced progressive clinical decline, requiring 12 L/min of oxygen and a blood transfusion after a hemoglobin test result of 7.1 g/dL.

On repeat chest radiograph, the pneumonia appeared to be present in the right lung, as well. Computed tomography of the chest revealed a worsening left lung infiltrate with right mediastinal shift and bilateral lung effusions. The patient then was transferred to the PICU at our childrens hospital for further management, including possible bronchoscopy or a video-assisted thoracic surgical procedure.

Discussion

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Lymphoma Pain: Medications And Alternative Therapies

The pain a patient experiences from lymphoma is often two-fold. First, there is the primary pain, caused by the cancer itself as it affects different organs and areas of the body. There is also secondary pain that arises as a side effect of cancer treatments. In both instances, there are ways to fight lymphoma pain, and in talking with your doctor, you will develop a pain management plan that is tailored to your own needs and preferences.

Common Symptoms Of Lymphoma

We outline the common symptoms of lymphoma below. However, its important to note that these can have other causes. Having one or more doesnt necessarily mean that you have lymphoma.

Swollen lymph nodes

The most common sign of lymphoma is a lump or lumps, usually in the neck, armpit or groin. These lumps are swollen lymph nodes, sometimes known as glands. Usually, theyre painless.

Fatigue

Fatigue is different to normal tiredness. It means feeling exhausted for no obvious reason or feeling washed out after doing very little.

Unexplained weight loss

Losing a lot of weight quite quickly without trying to can be a symptom of lymphoma.

Infections

Getting infections more easily and having difficulty getting rid of them can be a symptom of lymphoma.

Sweats

Sweats can happen at any time of the day with lymphoma, but they are most common at night. They are often described as drenching and can make your nightclothes or bed sheets soaking wet.

Itching

Itching without a rash can be a symptom of lymphoma. It can be very uncomfortable, particularly when you get hot.

Fever

Some people get fevers . Fevers often come together with night sweats and weight loss, but they can happen separately. They can also be a sign of infection.

Watch Dr Andrew Davies, Consultant in Medical Oncology, talk about the most common symptoms of lymphoma

Symptoms of lymphoma can be:

• local, which means that they affect just one area of your body
• systemic, which means that they affect the whole of your body.

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