Is lymphoma contagious?

Written by Peng Li Bo
Oncology
Updated on February 21, 2025
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Lymphoma is not contagious, as it is not an infectious disease but a tumoral disease. Therefore, it is not contagious, and when seeking medical treatment for lymphoma, patients do not go to the department of infectious diseases. Typically, treatment is conducted in the oncology department or in the hematology department specializing in lymphoma. Thus, lymphoma is not contagious because it is not caused by an infectious pathogen. It is a solid tumor that is tangible and visible.

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What are the symptoms of lymphoma?

The symptoms of lymphoma predominantly start with painless enlargement of superficial lymph nodes, most commonly in areas such as the neck, supraclavicular lymph nodes, armpits, or groin. Additionally, patients with nasal NKT lymphoma might experience nasal congestion, nosebleeds, and rhinorrhea. Lymphomas occurring in the stomach, for example, present symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and even rectal bleeding which are related to the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, symptoms can vary depending on the location of the lymphoma. Some patients may also experience enlargement of the liver and spleen. In advanced stages of lymphoma, bone marrow involvement is possible, along with common B symptoms including sweating, fever, or weight loss, which are also clinical manifestations seen in lymphoma patients.

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What is lymphoma Ki-67?

Lymphoma Ki67, also known as the proliferation index, is one of the indicators in immunohistochemistry performed after the pathological diagnosis of lymphoma. If this proliferation index is higher, it indicates that the activity of the tumor is stronger, and its proliferation is more active, thus the tumor should be given sufficient attention. Of course, active treatment should be pursued. Therefore, Ki67 reflects the activity of a tumor; if the index is very high, greater than 90%, it sometimes implies that the tumor can grow very rapidly, or not only grows significantly but might also spread to many places.

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How is malignant lymphoma treated?

The common treatments for malignant lymphoma currently include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, and the use of immunosuppressants. There are also newer treatments such as cell reinfusion. The choice of treatment for malignant lymphoma definitely depends on the specific pathological type. Another factor is the stage of the lymphoma—it could be in stages one, two, three, or four, which definitely matters. The third factor is whether the lymphoma causes any symptoms or signs in the patient because some minor lymphomas may allow for observation and waiting, but many require active treatment.

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Lymphoma has what manifestations?

The symptoms of lymphoma, simply put, are that some people feel a lump on their neck or in their armpit; it starts as a sudden appearance of a swelling that gets larger over time, sometimes not just one, but multiple lumps clustered together. This is indeed the most common symptom, where one can feel something on their neck, including under the jaw or the chin, noticing suddenly a nodule has formed, whether it's the size of a chicken egg or otherwise. That's one aspect. The second involves systemic symptoms, which primarily include fever, night sweats, and weight loss. These three symptoms are quite common.

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Hodgkin's lymphoma symptoms and signs

Actually, whether it is Hodgkin's lymphoma or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the symptoms and signs are quite similar. In terms of symptoms, because lymphoma mainly occurs as a lesion in the lymph nodes, it is characterized by superficial, localized enlargement of the lymph nodes. Common locations include the neck, then the armpits, and the groin—areas where lymph nodes are more prevalent. It manifests as a local swelling; simply put, you might feel a lump or a tumor on your neck, which is the most common symptom. Additionally, there are other systemic symptoms including fever, weight loss, night sweats, and itchy skin, among others. As for the physical signs, it mainly refers to palpable superficial lymph node enlargement upon examination.