A group of lymphoma survivors have bravely opened up about the symptoms they experienced before receiving their diagnosis.
Lymphoma is a cancer that is part of the lymphatic system, as it starts in the lymph glands or other organs of the lymphatic system, with the two main types being Hodgkin lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The lymphatic system is part of the body's germ-fighting and disease-fighting immune system.
Cancer Research states that, if you're looking for information about lymphoma, it's important to know which type you want to know about, as the treatment you need depends on the type you have.
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"Lymphomas can be divided into two basic categories: aggressive and indolent," lymphoma specialist, Saira Ahmed, M.D, told the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
She continued: "Aggressive lymphomas grow and spread quickly, and can cause significant damage to tissue and organs. Because they are fast-growing, they are most commonly associated with what’s known as 'B' symptoms. Indolent lymphomas, on the other hand, are slow-growing.
"They may not cause any symptoms at all, or cause symptoms that come and go over long periods of time."
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Speaking in their own words, six of the cancer centre's patients shared how they knew they had the disease.
Swollen lymph nodes
"I went to the doctor about a lump in my throat," Rob Moss, who was 49 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, explained.
"It grew and shrank several times. My doctor said it was probably a 'thyroglossal duct cyst,' or a growth on my thyroid. It turned out to be a swollen lymph node."
Weight loss
The likes of Shelby Wade, who was 23 when she was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma, recalled: "I lost 20 pounds in a few weeks, was extremely short of breath and was so tired I could barely cross a room without needing to sit down.
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"I was also very hoarse and coughing a lot."
Night sweats
"I experienced severe headaches, a consistent dry cough, weight loss and night sweats for about a month," explained Omar Dirani, who was 30 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. "I thought I was sweating a lot because of all the exercise I was doing."
Cough
Jeff Johnson, who was 38 when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, expressed: "I thought I had a cold or the flu. But the cough that came with it never went away.
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"I kept visiting our family physician and trying different medications, but nothing helped."
Pain
"I was having back pains on the left side of my kidney area," remembered Ann Sorhouse, who was 49 when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
"But I was doing a lot of physical labour, so I attributed it to muscle strain."
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Itching
And lastly, Mallory Parrish, who was 32 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, shared: "I started having intense itching just a few months after I felt a lump on my collarbone.
"At first, I thought it might be a yeast infection, but an over-the-counter anti-fungal treatment didn’t help."
When to contact a doctor
Dr Ahmed recommends contacting a physician if your symptoms last more than two weeks without improvement.
"The more symptoms you have, the more concerned you should be," she explained. "If you have multiple B symptoms that last more than two weeks, see your doctor right away. If you only have one symptom, but it’s inconsistent, just make your doctor aware of it."
You can find out more about Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma on the official NHS website.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Rhiannon Ingle