Fever, unexplained weight loss..., early warning signs of lymphoma in children

Therefore, many cases of fever and unexplained weight loss can be the first warning signs of lymphoma.

10 years old with prolonged fever, unexplained weight loss, diagnosed with cancer

The patient was 10 years old, and was admitted to the hospital by his family with initial symptoms of prolonged cough and fever, and unexplained weight loss. According to the family, 3 months before being admitted to the hospital, the child had a mild fever. The family thought the child was just sick so they bought medicine for him, but his condition did not improve.

About 15 days later, the family saw that the child had lost weight, so they took him to a nearby medical facility for examination. There, the child was diagnosed with pneumonia, but after 10 days, the child's condition did not improve. What was special was that the child only had a slight fever in the evening, had a cough, and had white phlegm... so the family took him to another hospital.

The child was treated but still had a slight fever in the evening, a lot of coughing and fatigue. After 7 days of treatment, the family transferred the child to Bach Mai Hospital. Here, the doctors examined the child and found that he had a fever, his lungs were ventilated regularly, his heart was regular, his liver and spleen were not enlarged, and he did not have respiratory failure. There were no pimples or unusual spots on the skin, and his peripheral lymph nodes were not enlarged.

Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.

Blood test results and chest X-ray images showed lung damage and thickened bronchial walls, and doctors ordered the child to be hospitalized with an initial diagnosis of pneumonia. However, the results of the infectious agent test led the doctor to suspect lung damage caused by atypical bacteria and treated him according to the protocol for pneumonia caused by atypical bacteria.

After two days of treatment and monitoring, the child's clinical condition did not improve, and the lung lesions did not change on the chest X-ray. Therefore, the child was assigned to undergo specialized tests to find the cause.

With suspected lung lesion due to malignancy (lymphoma), the patient was ordered to have a PET/CT scan and histopathological examination, and the results showed that the patient was diagnosed with stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma.

Hodgkin lymphoma is more common in children over 5 years of age.

Hodgkin lymphoma can occur in children of all ages, but is more common in children over 5 years old. Hodgkin lymphoma can also occur in young adults. According to research, boys are more likely to be affected by the disease, and in adolescents, the rate of boys and girls getting the disease is the same.

The exact cause of Hodgkin lymphoma is unknown. However, there is growing evidence that infections (such as viruses that cause fever and swollen glands) may play a role in the development of Hodgkin lymphoma.

When children have fever and unexplained weight loss, parents need to take them to a reputable medical facility for examination and treatment.

Symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma

The first sign of Hodgkin lymphoma is usually a painless swelling of a lymph node, or group of lymph nodes, that lasts for several weeks. The first lymph nodes affected are usually in the neck, most often on just one side of the neck, in a small area above the collarbone.

Sometimes, enlarged nodes may stick together in the armpit or groin area. If nodes in the chest are affected, it may cause cough, discomfort, or difficulty breathing.

Sometimes, children with Hodgkin lymphoma may have fever or high fever, night sweats, itching, irritability or weight loss. Many children have poor appetite or unexplained weight loss (>10% of body weight in 6 months)… as the first signs that require hospitalization.

Therefore, early detection of the disease from the onset stage is very important. If parents see that their child has a fever, a low fever in the afternoon, weight loss, etc., they need to take the child to a medical facility for examination and treatment. Late detection will lead to difficulty in treatment. The disease can leave many sequelae on the child's body or have a poor prognosis.

Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, the body's natural defense against infection and disease. It is a complex system made up of bone marrow, the thymus gland, the spleen, and lymph nodes throughout the body. They are connected by a network of small lymphatic vessels.

Lymph nodes are also known as lymph glands, and the most recognizable ones are those in the neck, armpits, and groin. The number of lymph nodes varies in different parts of the body, with some parts having very few, while your underarm area may have anywhere from 20 to 50.

Cancers that start in the lymphatic system are called lymphomas. There are two main types: non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma. Although they are two types of lymphoma, there are differences between them, which means that treatment is different.