People with NHL may experience a variety of symptoms. Many of these symptoms can also be caused by conditions other than lymphoma. There are very few symptoms that are specific to lymphoma, and this explains why it can sometimes be difficult to make the diagnosis. If you are concerned about a symptom on this list, please talk with your doctor.

The symptoms of NHL depend on where the cancer started and the organ that is involved.

General symptoms:

• Enlarged lymph nodes in the abdomen, groin, neck, or underarms
• Enlarged spleen or liver

• Fever that cannot be explained by an infection or other illness
• Weight loss with no known cause
• Sweating and chills

Examples of symptoms related to a specific tumor location:

• A tumor in the abdomen can cause a stretched belly or back or abdominal pain.
• A tumor in the center of the chest may press on the trachea and cause chest pain or difficulty breathing or other respiratory problems.

The doctor may use certain symptoms to help describe the disease, called staging. Each stage may be subdivided into "A" and "B" categories.

A means that a person has not experienced B symptoms, listed below.

B means that a person has experienced the following symptoms:

• Unexplained weight loss of more than 10% of original body weight during the six months before diagnosis
• Unexplained fever, with temperatures above 100.4º F (38º C)
• Drenching night sweats. Most patients say that either their nightclothes or the sheets on the bed are actually wet. Sometimes, heavy sweating occurs during the day.

Your doctor will ask you questions about the symptoms you are experiencing to help find out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis. This may include how long you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s) and how often.

If cancer is diagnosed, relieving symptoms and side effects remains an important part of cancer care and treatment. This may also be called symptom management, palliative care, or supportive care. Be sure to talk with your health care team about symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.