Lymphoma is a cancer that develops in the lymphatic system of the body. The lymphatic system is a part of the circulatory system hence lymphoma is a cancer of the blood, the most common type of cancer. In simple terms, lymphoma is when the white blood cells called lymphocytes divide and collect in an abnormal way in any part of the body. There are two main lymphoma types – Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL).
Hodgkin Lymphoma is a large cancerous cell found in the lymphoid tissues. There are five lymphoma types of HL and as many as 9000 people are diagnosed with HL each year in the country. NHL is identified by the features of the cancer cells associated with different lymphoma types ranging as many as 90. Nearly 80,000 people are diagnosed with NH Lymphoma types in the country every year.
1. Symptoms of different lymphoma types
Lymphoma in its early stages may not present any symptoms. A physical examination by the doctor might reveal an enlarged lymph node which could feel like a soft and small nodule or bulge present under the skin. The specific symptoms of lymphoma will depend on the type of lymphoma and its location in the body.
2. Potential lymphoma symptoms
Some symptoms are not specific to any lymphoma types but require a visit to the physician if they persist. It is a high possibility that people who experience these symptoms will not have lymphoma. But the symptoms need to be examined to rule out the possibility of developing any lymphoma types.
These symptoms include:
Some of the symptoms of lymphoma are localized to the area in and around lymphoma while some are systemic as they affect the whole body. As the symptoms of lymphoma are common, it is easily overlooked, the disease often goes undetected in the early stages.