Lymphosarcoma

Overview

Cancer involving lymph nodes and the immune system.

Symptoms

• Swollen lymph nodes - painless 

• Swollen armpit lymph nodes 

• Swollen groin lymph nodes 

• Swollen neck lymph nodes

• Flu-like symptoms

• Fever

• Night sweats

• Persistent fatigue

• Tiredness

• Weight loss

• Loss of appetite

• Itchy skin

• Red skin patches

• Enlarged spleen

• Enlarged liver

• Jaundice

• Anemia

Causes

• Infection –Tuberculosis –Secondary syphilis –Mononucleosis –HIV/AIDS –Kawasaki's syndrome –Typhoid fever
• Hypersensitivity reactions –Serum sickness –Drugs (e.g., hydantoin, phenytoin, hydralazine, allopurinol, primidone)
• Lymphoma
• Leukemia
• Connective tissue disorders (e.g., SLE, rheumatoid arthritis)
• Sarcoidosis

Treatment

• Viral infections require supportive therapy in most cases
• Bacterial, parasitic, and fungal infections are usually treated with appropriate antibiotics, antiparasitics or antifungals, respectively
• Offending medication should be removed when possible
• Malignancies must be identified, staged, and treated as appropriate with chemotherapy, radiation, and/or resection as per the established oncology protocol