Woman Feeling Fatigued All The Time Due to Tonsilitis Diagnosed With 'Silent' Cancer; Know The Symptoms of Lymphoma

A woman who thought a lump on her neck was due to the aftermath of a tonsillitis infection and the constant fatigue was because of low immunity was ultimately diagnosed with'silent cancer’ - lymphoma.

Twenty-one-year-old Chloe Reid said despite wanting to believe her symptoms were just because of tiredness, she knew something was not right. Indolent lymphoma is a type of lymphoma or blood cancer that can be silent because it grows and spreads slowly, sometimes without causing any symptoms.

“I faced some of the most challenging moments of my life at 21. When doctors told me I had cancer, it felt like I’d walked into someone else’s life, a life much more frightening than mine. It forced me to make a lot of decisions at a young age like, ‘Do I want to have kids one day?’ There were days when I cried, and life felt cruel. I think I will ask why for the rest of my life," she told The Sun.

Chloe, who works as a healthcare assistant, said she consulted doctors after she noticed the tiny lump. At first, she was told it was due to an infection following a bout of tonsillitis, but slowly the lump started growing in size. After several biopsies, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer affecting white blood cells known as lymphocytes. By then it had also spread to some lymph nodes under her arm.

But by the time her treatment and the first cycle of chemotherapy began, her scans showed lumps on her collarbone and armpit, and more chemotherapy was needed. Chloe’s final chemotherapy session ended last year.

Also known as Hodgkin's disease, this condition is a group of blood cancers that develop in your lymphatic system. It affects important white blood cells in your immune system known as lymphocytes. Experts say Hodgkin lymphomas form when genes inside B lymphocytes mutate, or change, at some point in your life.

Hodgkin lymphomas typically start in the lymph nodes in your neck or chest cavity. They may also develop in groups of lymph nodes under your arms or in your groin, belly, or pelvis. According to doctors, more people are now living longer after receiving treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma—the treatment for which often cures and eliminates all signs and symptoms.

The most common first sign of Hodgkin lymphoma is pain swollen lymph nodes in your neck, underarm, or groin. Other symptoms include:

• Persistent fatigue
• Unexplained fever
• Drenching night sweats
• Unexplained weight loss
• Itchy skin
• Belly or abdominal pain and swelling
• Chest pain
• Breathlessness

Healthcare providers call fever, unintended weight loss, and drenching night sweats associated with lymphoma B symptoms. The presence or absence of these symptoms helps your provider determine your prognosis and plan treatments.

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