Symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma

The first symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is usually a swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin. The swellings are usually painless, but some people may find that they ache.

Other symptoms may include any of the following:

• drenching and/or frequent sweats – especially at night
• unexplained high temperatures
• weight loss
• tiredness
• a cough or breathlessness
• a persistent itch all over the body.

The commonest of these symptoms are high temperatures, sweating, and weight loss. These are known as 'B symptoms'.

Other symptoms will depend on where in the body the enlarged lymph glands are.

A small proportion of people with Hodgkin lymphoma have abnormal cells in their bone marrow when they are diagnosed. This can lower the number of healthy blood cells in the blood. Low numbers of healthy blood cells can cause the following symptoms:

• breathlessness and tiredness
• an increased risk of infections
• excessive bleeding: such as nose bleeds, very heavy periods in women, or tiny spots of blood under the skin.

Very rarely, people with Hodgkin lymphoma may have pain in the affected lymph gland when drinking alcohol.

If you, or your child, have any of the above symptoms, it is important to have them checked by your GP. But remember, they are common to many conditions other than Hodgkin lymphoma. Most people with these symptoms will not have Hodgkin lymphoma.