Symptoms and Complications
People with Hodgkin's disease may experience any of the following signs and symptoms:
- a painless swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpits, neck, or groin area
- persistent fatigue
- fever and chills
- night sweats
- weight loss (unintended)
- loss of appetite
- severe itching (rarely)
- enlarged spleen
- cough
- difficulty breathing
- swelling of the legs
If you discover a painless mass, particularly in the neck region, and it doesn't disappear after a few weeks, you should see a doctor to have it checked out. Often, especially in children, painless enlargements in the lymph nodes are the only symptoms of Hodgkin's disease.