Can I Get Checked for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Before I Have Symptoms?
Screening tests check for signs of disease in people who don’t have any symptoms. Your doctor can check you for some types of cancer, even before you have symptoms. But there is no good way to screen for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. If you have enlarged lymph nodes that are not caused by a common infection or that do not return to a normal size after a couple of weeks, your doctor may recommend a biopsy of a lymph node to check for lymphoma cells. Lymphoma can be in the body for months or years before a person shows any signs or symptoms of the disease. If you have any symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Online Medical Reviewer:
Alteri, Rick MD
Online Medical Reviewer:
Dezube, Bruce MD
Online Medical Reviewer:
Foster, Sara M. RN, MPH
Online Medical Reviewer:
Moore-Higgs, Giselle ARNP, MSN, AOCN
Online Medical Reviewer:
Stump-Sutliff, Kim RN, MSN, AOCNS
Last Annual Review Date:
8/1/2009