Symptoms of Lymphoma B

Lymphoma B symptoms refer to a special set of symptoms experienced by the patient. Sometimes, lymphomas cause no symptoms at all aside from swollen, rubbery and painless lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Because the patient doesn't experience actual symptoms in this case, he or she is considered 'Asymptomatic', or without symptoms. When he or she does experience certain symptoms, they are called 'B' symptoms to differentiate them from someone who is 'Asymptomatic'.

What are the Lymphoma B Symptoms?

There are five lymphoma B symptoms. In no particular order, they are:

Unexplained fever/chills

Unexplained fever and/or chills refers to 'that feeling' we're all familiar with when we're developing a case of the flu. Generally, in order to qualify as lymphoma B symptoms, this should go on for at least six months without explanation. It is a symptom that, like the next one, can easily be overlooked.

Fatigue

This is a very easy symptom to overlook. Many of us feel fatigued much of the time as it is; we might not notice a general malaise settling over us. The key is to take note if your fatigue is an unbeatable menace or not. Can you get in a long night of sleep and wake up feeling as fatigued as you did before you went to bed? In other words, does rest not 'relieve' the fatigue?

Drenching night sweats

Drenching night sweats do NOT mean getting slightly overheated and having a sweat break over your brow. Drenching night sweats mean your bed sheets are so soaked when you wake up that you have to change them. And this may happen more than once in a single night. It typically means sweating across the entire body. Drenching night sweats don't necessarily begin as 'drenching', sometimes the progression is slow but eventually either you have drenching night sweats or you don't.

Unexplained weight loss

Weight loss can be experienced in different ways, but in the case of weight loss due to lymphoma, the weight loss can't seem to be overcome, even by expanding your diet. Generally, to qualify as a B symptom, the weight loss should equal approximately 10 percent drop in weight over at least a six months.

Pruritus

Pruritus refers to nothing more drastic than itching. In the case of pruritis due to lymphoma, there may or may not be anything visible on the skin causing the itching.

Lymphoma B Symptoms: Prognosis

As a general rule, the presence of B symptoms in most subtypes of lymphoma signifies a poorer prognosis relative to asymptomatic cases. B symptoms can often be indicative of so-called bulky disease, which means the development of a tumor or mass.

Each of these lymphoma B symptoms, whether occurring individual or simultaneously, should be reported to one's health care professional as soon as possible so that the doctor can run the required diagnostic tests.

Sources: National Cancer Institute
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