Hodgkin’s Disease: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs

The following symptoms and complaints may indicate Hodgkin’s disease:

Leading symptoms

Hard, indolent (painless) lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement) – lymph nodes caked into packets (DD/disease with similar or nearly identical symptomsTuberculosis) present in 80-90% of patients at the time of diagnosis; occur primarily in the neck (cervical), under the axilla (axillary), or in the inguinal region (inguinal); furthermore, however, also in the mediastinum of the chest (mediastinal) and in the abdomen (abdominal).

Associated symptoms

Hepatosplenomegaly (enlargement of the liver and spleen).
Fatigue
Fever (> 38 °C)*
Night sweats* (night sweats)
Weight loss* (> 10% within 6 months).
Pruritus (itching)
Paleness
Irritative cough (due tomediastinal lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement)).
Erythema nodosum (synonyms: nodular erysipelas, dermatitis contusiformis, erythema contusiforme; plural: erythemata nodosa) – granulomatous inflammation of the subcutis (subcutaneous fat), also known as panniculitis, and a painful nodule (red to blue-red color; later brownish). The overlying skin is reddened. Localization: both lower leg extensor sides, on the knee and ankle joints; less frequently on the arms or buttocks.
Lymph nodes hurt after drinking alcohol (alcohol pain: only about 5% of cases; typical but not pathognomonic/proving).
Neurological or/and endocrine disorders (rare).
Skeletal pain (rare)

* B-symptomatology (see below).

Concomitant symptoms of mediastinal lymphoma* .

Cough
Hoarseness
Dysphagia (swallowing disorder)
Thoracic pain (chest pain)
Phrenic nerve palsy (paralysis of the diaphragm)
Upper influence congestion in superior vena cava syndrome (VCSS; symptom complex resulting from venous outflow obstruction of the superior vena cava (VCS; superior vena cava)).

* Applies to Hodgkin lymphoma and primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma.

B-symptomatology