Lymphoma

A painless, persistent lymph node is easy to dismiss as a minor infection, especially when the patient otherwise feels well. The concern rises when nodes enlarge progressively, involve the supraclavicular or mediastinal regions, or occur with drenching night sweats, unexplained fever, or significant weight loss. These findings do not diagnose lymphoma, but they change the urgency of the assessment. Two clinical questions organize the work-up: what type of lymphoma is present, and how far has it spread? Tissue architecture from an excisional biopsy helps establish the diagnosis; PET-CT then maps metabolically active disease and supports Lugano staging. Subtype and stage determine whether treatment is curative, disease-controlling, chemotherapy-based, radiation-based, or combined. For the RPN, the same model continues after treatment begins. The regimen determines which laboratory results, organ systems, infection risks, and infusion reactions demand attention. A new fever during chemotherapy is not a routine side effect to observe at home; it may represent febrile neutropenia and requires an emergency response.