Lymphomas also can affect the liver, bone marrow or spleen. Swollen lymph nodes are the most common symptom, but other symptoms can occur, including fevers, weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain and vomiting. People with central nervous system lymphomas, in which the brain or spinal cord is affected, can develop confusion, loss of memory or speech, seizures or headache. Treating a person with HIV-related lymphoma often proves difficult because the immune system is already weakened by HIV, and standard chemotherapy regimens will further suppress immune function. Doctors prescribe specific treatment regimens depending on the stage of the disease, the type of lymphoma the patient has, other opportunistic diseases and immune cell levels.
Chemotherapy can cause nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, hair loss and a loss of immune cells.
Radiation generally is used to treat patients with lymphoma originating in the central nervous system. Kaposi's Sarcoma KS is a disease in which cancerous cells are found in the tissues under the skin or in mucous membranes that line the mouth, nose or eye. KS also can spread to the lungs, liver, gastrointestinal tract and lymph nodes. People with KS often develop raised, usually painless blotches on the skin or inside the mouth. KS can cause painful swelling, especially in the legs.