Can Hodgkin Lymphoma Be Found Early?
Screening tests or exams are used to look for disease in people who have no symptoms. At this time, there are no widely recommended screening tests for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). This is because no screening test has been shown to lower the risk of dying from this cancer. Still, in some cases HL can be found early.
The best way to find HL early is to be on the lookout for possible symptoms. The most common symptom is enlargement or swelling of one or more lymph nodes, causing a lump or bump under the skin which usually doesn't hurt. It's most often on the side of the neck, in the armpit, or in the groin. More often this is caused by something like an infection, not HL, but it’s important to have such lumps checked by a doctor.
Careful, regular medical check-ups may be helpful for people with known risk factors for HL, such as a strong family history. These people do not often get HL, but they (and their doctors) should know about any possible symptoms and signs they might have.
- Written by
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
American Society of Clinical Oncology. Lymphoma - Hodgkin: Symptoms
and Signs (09/2017). Accessed at
www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lymphoma-hodgkin/symptoms-and-signs on March
15, 2018.FitzGerald TJ, Bishop-Jodoin M. Hodgkin Lymphoma:
Differences in Treatment Between Europe and the United States/North
America: Evolving Trends in Protocol Therapy. Clin Med Insights Oncol. 2018;12:1179554918754885.National
Cancer Institute. Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient
Version. April 20, 2017. Accessed at
www.cancer.gov/types/lymphoma/patient/adult-hodgkin-treatment-pdq on
March 15, 2018.Shanbhag S, Ambinder RF. Hodgkin lymphoma: A review and update on recent progress. CA Cancer J Clin. 2018;68(2):116-132.
Last Revised: March 28, 2017
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
American Cancer Society Emails
Sign up to stay up-to-date with news, valuable information, and ways to get involved with the American Cancer Society.
Help us end cancer as we know it, for everyone.
