Lymphoma can start to grow in a lymph node, the spleen, digestive system, or bone marrow. The most common starting point is a lymph node. Because there are lymph nodes throughout the body, this can be in the neck, chest, abdomen, groin, and underarms. A swollen lymph node that doesn’t go away should be evaluated.
Other symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) include:
When NHL starts in the chest, symptoms may include:
When NHL starts in the spleen, symptoms may include:
Talk to your primary care physician about any of these symptoms you notice that don’t go away on their own after a couple of weeks. They will run tests to rule out other conditions that can cause these symptoms. If symptoms don’t improve, you will meet with a hematologist. Hematologists are blood specialists who are also cancer specialists. Because lymphoma is considered a blood cancer, most often, the hematologist will also oversee cancer treatments.
To confirm a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the hematologist will perform an exam, discuss your family history, and request tests to determine if non-Hodgkin lymphoma is present.
The tests may include:
If the initial tests show signs of cancer, a biopsy is necessary. This procedure will determine if cancer is present.
Only a local anesthetic is usually required if the lymph node is right under the skin. If it’s in the chest or abdomen, you may need to be given general anesthesia for the biopsy.
If non-Hodgkin lymphoma is confirmed from the biopsy, additional information will be available, including the subtype. There are over 60 subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and understanding the specific type is critical for selecting the treatments that will work best.
The stage of non-Hodgkin lymphoma will also be determined after a review of the biopsy results by the hematologist/oncologist. The extent of the cancer impacts the timing of treatments and the order in which they are given.