Lymphoma isn't always painless or a easier Cure

Allergies, blood and immune system
1

Hi everyone, I'm not trying to start a riot but I'm tired of seeing in a lot of discussions and replies that Lymphoma is painless, it's not just here but most sites say it also. When my lymph node's exploded (I say exploded due to the fact in my case within 2 days every lymph node had) I was so sore all over and most were very painful when touched, i call my GP and eben her nurse said it was probably just an infection and set my appointment 4 days out (i knew it was something serios, i just didn"tknow how serious) I started looking at numerous sites and most all said if lumps were painful it wasn't Cancer as Cancer lumps aren't painful. I say BS as mine were very painful by my 3rd night the fever started so I went to ER and even there I heard it was probably an infection due to pain being involved. I was hospitalized for 12 days, had needle biopsies, then 2 lymph node's removed from neck, and finally a 1.9 inch lymph node removed from under my left arm.They did call in a infection specialist Dr. who said he didn't believe it was just an infection (lymph node's stayed sore and enlarged ) 4 months later and 3 pathologist later I found out I have a rare Cancer called PERIPHERAL ANGIOIMMUNOBLASTIC T-CELL LYMPHOMA 1% - 3% of population of the world get this, even wilder was it mostly attacks people of Asian decent, Men, and/or people living in Caribbean (I match none of these). It was already Stage 4, it is very aggressive and the treatment for it also are. I found out late on a Friday and hospitalized on following Monday to start Chemotherapy.

5 Chemo drugs plus 150mg of prednisone running through your veins for 24 hours a day for 4-5 days you then repeat that every 3 weeks for 6-8 months and if your in remission they do a Stem Cell Transplant. That might get me 2 years but it also has a high rate of coming back. So you see Lymphoma isn't always painless or an easier Cure if any!!!!

2

Oh dear, I am so terribly sorry for what you are going through and I can understand your anger. But let me put a possible explanation to you. A swollen lymph node is not a "tumour", it is a lymph node that is swollen. A tumour is a mass of cells that can be malignant or benign, and malignant ones are not usually painful. Swollen lymph nodes can be. This will probably not make you feel any better but it will stop other people panicking if they find a painful unexplained swelling thinking it must be cancer. It probably isn't.

3

Vicki, you've had an awful experience and I surely do wish you well!

Still, to put what you said in perspective -

"I'm tired of seeing in a lot of discussions and replies that Lymphoma is painless, it's not just here but most sites say it also"

that's because here and the other sites are right, lymphoma *almost always* is painless lymph node swelling. Yours is a rare - VERY rare - exception! I'm so sorry it took so long to get to the bottom of yours, but that doesn't change the fact that tender/painful swollen nodes as a lymphoma symptom is incredibly unusual. Yours were, because the malignant cell type at the root of the lymphoma, an immunoblast, is also the type of cell that typically responds to infections (when not malignant) and causes the cascade of symptoms including swelling that are *almost always* signs of infection.

There's a saying amongst medical types "if you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras" but in your case, it WAS a zebra, and they did get to the bottom of it eventually.

You're right on the other point, tho (sadly), many of the various types of lymphoma are not always an easy cure, and many people struggle with relapse and eventually succumb.

I hope you become one of the successes!

4

Hey Vicky, am so sorry for what you're going through. I pray your treatment is successful....