A man has shared the pre-cancer symptoms he noticed before being diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma at the age of 19.
Hodgkin lymphoma is a rare type of cancer which develops in the white blood cells (lymphocytes) of the body’s lymphatic system, which is a system of thin tubes and glands which run throughout the body.
According to the NHS, around 2,100 people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma each year.
What are the symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma?
The NHS states that common symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include: night sweats, unintentional weight loss, a high temperature, a persistent cough and itching of the skin all over the body.
Fatigue, increased risk of infection and excessive bleeding can also occur in some cases.
Symptoms will vary from person to person, with US TikTok user Aaron Delgado recently sharing the pre-cancer symptoms he experienced and urged people to get themselves checked out if they have any concerns about their health.
Swollen lymph nodes
The ‘most obvious’ symptom for Aaron was the presence of a swollen lymph node on the side of his neck.
In cases of Hodgkin lymphoma, a swollen lymph node occurs when there is a build-up of affected lymphocytes in one of your glands. These are typically painless and can occur in the armpit, neck or groin.
It’s important to note that not all swollen lymph nodes are automatically cancerous, as common illnesses such as colds, flu and throat infections can also cause this symptom.
“It’s always good to get it checked out,” he added.
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Tiredness and fatigue
Another symptoms Aaron noticed was increased tiredness and fatigue. “I was definitely getting more tired after playing [sports] like basketball or football, running around or just hitting the gym,” he said.
“It wasn’t very noticeable at first but once the cancer kept building through my body it became more and more noticeable.”
Chest tightness
Another pre-cancerous symptom Aaron noticed was chest tightness, which typically occurs if the cancer is present in your chest.
“I had two [tumours] in mine and it was putting strain on my chest while I was sleeping and doing daily activities,” he explained.
“I felt that one for sure because I just knew that something was wrong. I think that also played into why I was getting more tired from doing normal things.”
Blood cell count
The last point which Aaron raised was in regards to cancer showing up in blood tests and how this wasn’t personally the case for him.
“Most people think, especially with blood cancer, that your white blood cell count and your red blood cell count has to be really weird and wonky in order for it to be blood cancer… that’s just not the case,” he said.
“When I was being tested for a year my blood was completely normal.”
