Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) signs and symptoms

A person who has signs or symptoms that suggest the possibility of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is usually referred to a blood cancer specialist called a hematologist-oncologist. A doctor will order additional tests and a tissue biopsy to make a diagnosis. The signs and symptoms of NHL are also associated with a number of other, less serious diseases. 

The most common early sign of NHL is painless swelling of one or more lymph nodes. Most patients with NHL have one or more enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, or groin. Less often, a swollen node appears near the ears, the elbow, or in the throat near the tonsils 

Common signs and symptoms of NHL

Common symptoms of NHL include: 

• Painless swelling in one or more lymph nodes
• Fever
• Drenching night sweats
• Weight loss
• Tiredness
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain
• Itchy skin
• Rash 

Some people have no symptoms, and the disease may only be discovered during a routine medical examination or while the patient is under care for an unrelated condition. 

B symptoms 

The term “B symptoms” is used to refer to fever, drenching night sweats, and loss of more than 10 percent of body weight over six months. B symptoms are important to the prognosis and staging of the disease. Other NHL symptoms, such as itching and fatigue, do not have the same prognostic importance as B symptoms and are not considered to be B symptoms. 

The information on this page covers how Hodgkin lymphoma is diagnosed in adults. Visit childhood non-Hodgkin lymphoma to learn about signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment information for children with Hodgkin lymphoma.