Early Detection, Diagnosis, and Staging of Lymphoma in Children

Learn about the signs and symptoms of lymphoma in children and teens. Find out how it is tested for, diagnosed, and staged, as well as the outlook for children and teens who are diagnosed.

Can lymphoma in children be found early?

Lymphoma is rare in children and teens. There are no widely recommended screening tests for lymphoma, but it can sometimes still be found early. Screening is testing for a disease like cancer in people who have no symptoms.

The best way to find lymphoma early is to pay attention to possible signs and symptoms of the disease.

Lymphoma in a child or teen is often found because they visit the doctor with signs and symptoms. The doctor then orders tests that might point to lymphoma as the cause.

For children at increased risk

Careful, regular medical checkups are important for all children, but especially children with known risk factors for lymphoma, such as:

• Certain inherited immune deficiencies
• Prior cancer treatment, organ transplant, or allogeneic bone marrow transplant
• HIV infection

Most children and teens with these conditions do not develop lymphoma. However, if your child has one of these conditions and develops new symptoms like an enlarged lymph node that doesn’t go away, talk to their health care team so a cause can be found and treated, if needed.

What are the signs and symptoms of lymphoma in children?

Lymphoma affects the immune system cells. When cancer cells of the immune system grow, they can cause the lymph nodes, spleen, and/or liver to enlarge.

The symptoms of lymphoma in a child can vary depending on the location of the tumor or enlarged lymph nodes.

For example:

• Lymphoma in the neck, underarms, or groin may be visible under the skin.
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the chest may cause a cough or trouble breathing.
• Lymphoma in the belly or swelling of the spleen can cause low appetite, belly pain or fullness, or nausea and vomiting.

Lymphoma can also cause general symptoms, called B symptoms:

• Fevers and chills
• Drenching sweats, often at night
• Unexplained weight loss

How is lymphoma diagnosed in children?

If your child’s health care team suspects lymphoma, they will do a series of tests to find out for sure. This often includes a physical exam, blood and imaging tests, and a biopsy of any abnormal lymph nodes. Sometimes a biopsy of the bone marrow or a lumbar puncture is also needed.

If cancer is found, more imaging tests might be needed to find out if, and where, it has spread. This helps doctors decide on a treatment plan and understand the outlook for your child’s cancer.

Stages of lymphoma in children

Staging is a way for doctors to describe how much cancer is in the body and where it is located when first diagnosed. Along with the type of lymphoma, the stage is important for determining the treatment options and prognosis (outlook) for a child or teen with lymphoma.

The stage of a lymphoma is based on the results of physical exams, biopsies, and imaging tests such as CT and PET scans.

Prognostic factors and outlook

Survival rates are a way to measure how many people survive a certain type of cancer over time. While every child’s experience is different, survival rates can offer a general picture based on past outcomes in children with similar types of lymphoma.

Some people find this information helpful, while others prefer to focus more on the treatment plan and next steps.

Certain factors may influence the risk of the cancer coming back after treatment. These are called prognostic factors. They help the cancer care team tailor treatment and better predict the likely course of the disease.