Symptoms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

The most common early symptom of NHL is painless swelling in the lymph nodes in one area of the body, such as in the neck, armpit or groin.

Some people have other symptoms relating to where the lymphoma is in their body.

Symptoms may include:

a cough, difficulty swallowing or breathlessness (if the lymphoma is in the chest area)
indigestion, tummy pain or weight loss (if the lymphoma is in the stomach or bowel).

If the lymphoma has spread to the bone marrow (where blood cells are made), it can reduce the number of blood cells in the body. This can cause:

tiredness (too few red blood cells)
difficulty fighting infections (too few white blood cells)
bruising or bleeding (too few blood-clotting cells, called platelets).

NHL can also cause more general symptoms, including:

heavy, drenching sweats at night
high temperatures that come and go without any
obvious cause
unexplained weight loss
tiredness
itching of the skin that doesn’t go away.

If you, or your child, have symptoms you think could be due to lymphoma, it’s important to have them checked by your GP. But it’s important to remember that enlarged lymph nodes are much more commonly caused by infections than lymphoma.

Content last reviewed: 1 April 2012

Next planned review: 2014

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Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales company number 2400969. Isle of Man company number 4694F. Registered office: 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ.