What is lymphoblastic lymphoma?

Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) is a rare type of fast-growing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). It develops when the body makes abnormal lymphocytes. It can develop from both B-cell and T-cell lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that fight infection.

The abnormal lymphocytes (lymphoma cells) usually build up in lymph nodes but can affect other parts of the body.

LL is very similar to acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and is treated in the same way. It is most common in children and teenagers.

We have more information about ALL.

Related pages

Booklets and resources

For healthcare professionals

If you are a healthcare professional, use our guide to find the right information and support for your patients affected by lymphoma. This explains the support available from Macmillan and from other trusted organisations.

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Symptoms of lymphoblastic lymphoma

Painless swelling in the neck, armpit or groin

Painless swelling in the neck, armpit or groin is often the first sign of lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL). It is caused by lymphoma cells building up in the lymph nodes, which makes them bigger. LL can also cause a mass or tumour in the area between the lungs (mediastinum). This can cause symptoms such as:

  • shortness of breath
  • cough
  • chest pain.

B symptoms

Some people also have symptoms that doctors call B symptoms. These can include:

  • drenching night sweats which require a change of nightwear and bed covers
  • high temperatures (fevers) with no obvious cause
  • unexplained weight loss.

Knowing if you have any B symptoms will help your doctor to stage the lymphoma and plan your treatment.

Other symptoms

LL may also affect parts of the body outside the lymph nodes. This is called extranodal disease. Symptoms depend on the area affected.

General symptoms of LL may include loss of appetite and tiredness.

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Causes of lymphoblastic lymphoma

The causes of LL are mostly unknown.

Like other cancers, LL is not infectious. It cannot be passed on to other people. 

We have more information about causes and risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Diagnosis of lymphoblastic lymphoma

The most common test for diagnosing lymphoma is a biopsy. A doctor will take a sample of tissue from the affected area. The most common place to take a biopsy from is an enlarged lymph node. This is called a lymph node biopsy). You may have all or a part of the lymph node removed. The tissue will be sent to a laboratory for testing. You may also have biopsies taken from other areas of your body.

You can read more about further tests you may have in our information about non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Waiting for test results can be a difficult. You may find it helpful to talk to your family, friends or specialist nurse.

Booklets and resources

The stages and grades of lymphoblastic lymphoma

Your test results will help your doctors find out how many areas of your body are affected by lymphoma and where these areas are. This is called staging.

Lymphomas are also grouped as either low-grade or high-grade. Low-grade lymphomas are usually slow growing and high-grade lymphomas grow more quickly. Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) is a high-grade lymphoma.

Knowing the stage and grade of the lymphoma often helps your doctor plan the right treatment for you. But with LL, these factors do not affect your treatment plan.

We have more information about the stages and grades of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Treatment for lymphoblastic lymphoma

A team of specialists will meet to discuss the best possible treatment for you. They are called a multidisciplinary team (MDT).

Your doctor, cancer specialist or nurse will explain the different treatments and their side effects to you. They will also talk to you about things to consider when making treatment decisions.

Treatment depends on the stage of the lymphoma and whether you have symptoms that are causing problems. You may have some treatments as part of a clinical trial.

The most common treatments are:

  • Chemotherapy

    Usually several phases of treatment are given, using different combinations of chemotherapy drugs. Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) is treated with the same type of chemotherapy as acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

  • Steroids

    Steroids are drugs that are often given with chemotherapy to treat lymphomas. They help make chemotherapy more effective.

  • Targeted therapy

    Targeted therapies are drugs that use unique features of the cancer to find and treat cancer cells. They may sometimes be used to treat LL.

  • Radiotherapy

    Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells, while doing as little harm as possible to nearby healthy cells. It may be used to treat lymphoma in the chest or brain. It is sometimes given to reduce the risk of lymphoma spreading to the brain.

  • Stem cell transplants

    A stem cell transplant is sometimes used after chemotherapy. It may also used be to treat lymphoma that has come back after treatment. It is an intensive treatment, so it is not suitable for everyone. You may have a transplant using:

After treatment for lymphoblastic lymphoma

People often have many different feelings when they finish lymphoma treatment. You may feel relieved that treatment has finished, but worried about what will happen in the future. 

You will have appointments with your lymphoma doctor or nurse less often than before. But at the same time, you may have new challenges to cope with and things to think about. 

We have information below about some of the things people ask about after lymphoma treatment. But you may have other questions or need information about something else. If there is something you want to talk about at any point after treatment, you can:

Related pages

Lymphoma follow-up

You will have regular follow-up appointments after your treatment. You can talk to your doctor or nurse about any concerns you have at these appointments. Your doctor will want to know how you are feeling, and to check you are recovering from any side effects of treatment.

Side effects of lymphoma treatment

You may have some ongoing side effects as you recover from lymphoma treatment. You can use our impacts of cancer A-Z to search for information about managing different symptoms and side effects. Or find out more about side effects of treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma or treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

  • Tiredness and fatigue

    Tiredness (fatigue) often affects people with cancer. It can be caused by lymphoma or be a side effect of lymphoma treatment. RESTORE is an online resource that aims to help people living with cancer related fatigue.

  • Sexual well-being

    Lymphoma and its treatment can sometimes affect your sex life. There are ways to improve your sexual well-being and to manage any problems.

  • Fertility

    Treatment for lymphoma may affect your fertility. If you are worried about your fertility it is important to talk with your doctor before you start treatment. We have more information about:

Sometimes side effects may continue or develop months or years after treatment. These are called late effects. We have more information about long-term and late effects of treatment for lymphoma.

Well-being and recovery

It can take time to recover after lymphoma treatment. Some days you may feel better than others. 

It is important to know where to get support or information if you need it. People often need support even some time after lymphoma treatment. But sometimes it is difficult to know who to ask for help. To find support:

  • ask your GP or someone from your cancer team for advice about support in your area
  • search cancercaremap.org to find cancer support services near you
  • call us free on 0808 808 0000 or talk to us online - our cancer information and support specialists can offer guidance and help you find what you need. 

Our course Help to Overcome Problems Effectively (HOPE) helps people during and after cancer treatment. It is a free, interactive, group based, self management support course. It runs for 6 weeks, with each weekly session lasting 2.5 hours. To find out more about HOPE courses in your area, email ServiceOpsSupport@macmillan.org.uk

A healthy lifestyle can help speed up your recovery. Even small lifestyle changes may improve your well-being and long-term health.

Booklets and resources

Access our lymphoblastic lymphoma information in other formats

We are working to make our website as accessible as possible. We want everyone to be able to use it to find the information they need. We have tips about using settings on your computer or device to help you use our website in our accessibility statement.

We also provide information in a range of languages and formats. If you cannot find the information you are looking for in the format or language you need, email us at cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk

As lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) is very similar to acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and is treated in the same way, you may find our resources about ALL helpful.

Order our Understanding acute lymphoblastic leukaemia booklet

It is quick, easy and free to order our booklet Understanding acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) on be.Macmillan.org.uk

Sign up to create your free be.Macmillan account. Log into your account and choose the booklets you want to order. Complete your order and we will send your items in the post.

Find our acute lymphoblastic leukaemia booklet ebook and pdf

If you prefer a pdf, ePub or Mobi version, our Understanding acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) booklet is available in these formats.

Booklets and resources

Listen to our acute lymphoblastic leukaemia audiobook

You can listen to our Understanding acute lymphoblastic leukaemia audiobook. You can also search our full range of audiobooks.

Find non-Hodgkin lymphoma information in your language

We have a range of translated cancer information. This includes information about different cancer types, being diagnosed, cancer treatment, and side effects. We have some lymphoma information in the following languages. You can also search our most up to date list of web pages we have translated on request.

If you would like any of our lymphoma information translated into your language, please email cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk

Watch British sign language videos

You can watch our BSL videos about cancer on YouTube.

Find our easy read booklets

Our easy read booklets use simple words and pictures to tell you about cancer. They can be useful if you want information that is easier to understand. 

Looking for large print, Braille or another format?

If you would like our information in a different format such as large print or Braille, email us at cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk or call us free on 0808 808 00 00.

About our information

  • Reviewers

    This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer. It has been approved by Senior Medical Editor, Professor Rajnish Gupta, Macmillan Consultant Medical Oncologist.

    Our cancer information has been awarded the PIF TICK. Created by the Patient Information Forum, this quality mark shows we meet PIF’s 10 criteria for trustworthy health information.


Date reviewed

Reviewed: 31 January 2021
|
Next review: 31 January 2024

This content is currently being reviewed. New information will be coming soon.

Trusted Information Creator - Patient Information Forum
Trusted Information Creator - Patient Information Forum

Our cancer information meets the PIF TICK quality mark.

This means it is easy to use, up-to-date and based on the latest evidence. Learn more about how we produce our information.