Clinical features

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is typically disseminated at presentation,

• painless lymphadenopathy - seen in two-thirds of patients presents which is often generalised. (in contrast the lymphadenopathy of Hodgkin's disease is often localised to a single group of nodes) (1).
• visceral lymphadenopathy is common, often resulting in heavy tumour burden but with few symptoms.
• peripheral lymphadenopathy is typically seen in low grade lymphomas (1)

There is more extranodal involvement seen in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and any organ can be the primary site of NHL

• gastrointestinal tract is the most common site out of which stomach is the most frequently implicated part
• NHL is the most common testicular tumour (usually aggressive B-cell tumours) in men older than 60 years (1).

B symptoms indicate an adverse prognosis. B symptoms are:

• weight loss >10%
• night sweats
• pyrexia >38C

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma may also present with anaemia, infections or purpura.

Reference:

• (1) Shankland KR, Armitage JO, Hancock BW. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Lancet. 2012;380(9844):848-57