Lymphoma- AIDS-related
Overview
HIV patients face an increased risk of various infections and cancers. AIDS-related lymphoma is lymphoma that occurs in AIDS patients. Lymphomas are white blood cell cancers (white blood cells form part of the body's immune system).
Symptoms
* Weight loss * Fever * Night sweats * Painless lymph node swellings in neck * Painless lymph node swellings in chest * Painless lymph node swellings in underarm * Painless lymph node swellings in groin * Feeling of fullness below ribs * Itchy skin
Diagnosis
If a patient has AIDS and symptoms of lymphoma, a doctor will carefully check for swelling or lumps in the neck, underarms and groin. If the lymph nodes do not feel normal, the doctor may need to cut out a small piece of tissue and look at it under the microscope to see if there are any cancer cells. This procedure is called a biopsy. In general, lymphomas are classified by (1) how rapidly they grow; (2) how cureable they are and (3) similarities in overall survival and disease free survival.