Fever and Sweats
Fever and sweats are signs of the body fighting infection. One of the problems caused by NHL is that the lymph nodes get confused and dispatch white blood cells to fight the tumor. Essentially, the body attempts to fight itself. The by-product of the white blood cells' attack is fever and perspiration.
Weight Loss and Fatigue
Cancerous cells are parasitic in their operation. They leach nutrition from the bloodstream to power their spread. NHL is no different. The result is rapid weight loss, which results in both mental and physical fatigue. The fatigue is noticeable early on as exhaustion that hits hard and fast.
Pain and Swelling
As the tumor grows, it causes pressure on the organs and tissue around it. If the tumor attacks the lymph nodes in the underarm, swelling and pain will be noticeable in the chest cavity and back. If the NHL attacks the spleen, it will cause swelling and pain in the abdomen.
Skin Disorders
In many people with NHL, the cancerous cells attacks the skin itself. The more powerful cancer cells will overpower the skin cells, killing them. The result are dark or reddened skin patches, which are extremely itchy and will flake or bleed.
Difficulty Breathing
NHL tumors can originate in one of three places: under the arm, in the neck or in the spleen. The resulting tumor growth in the neck or abdomen can cause respiratory issues, including tightness in the chest, difficult breathing, coughing or symptoms that mimic asthma.
Tags: blood cells, lymph nodes, white blood, white blood cells, swelling pain