Moderate consumption of alcohol does not cause much damage to the body. However, too much is always bad that even at a young age many people would suffer from its adverse side effects at least once in their lifetime. On the other hand, extremely rare cases might trigger some symptoms of cancer when young people drink alcohol.
A diagram of the lymphatic system with lymphoma cancer. (PHOTO: Cancer Connect)
The Lymphatic System: Causes, Symptoms of Lymphoma
According to Cancer Connect, the lymphatic system is made up of lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, and tonsil that are connected via lymph vessels throughout the body. It is responsible for producing lymphocytes, which are essential in the immune system to ward off infections and lymphoma.
Cancers in the lymphatic system are called malignant lymphomas that were once health cells but mutated and turned into abnormal cells. Lymphomas could range from slow-growing to aggressive in which treatment would depend. There are about 60 types of lymphoma but are categorized as either Hodgkin lymphoma or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
Symptoms of lymphoma include fever, swelling of lymph nodes, excessive sweating, fatigue, itching, and shortness of breath. Fortunately, most lymphomas are curable or manageable with existing therapies, which could vary depending on the stage of the lymphoma.
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Alcohol-Related Lymphoma Symptoms
Some people with lymphomas, particularly younger people, may also experience some symptoms when drinking alcohol. The New York Post reported that alcohol-related symptoms are usually seen in those with Hodgkin lymphoma, which is diagnosed at least 2,100 times in the UK every year.
Lymphoma Action shared that around one in 20 people will experience some alcohol-related symptoms of lymphoma as their lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, and groin would swell.
Consultant Haematologist Dr. Graham Collins from Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said that alcohol can relax blood vessels that may lead to increased pressure within the lymph nodes and strain the surrounding capsules that will cause pain.
Doctors in Harvard wrote in a paper in Anesthesiology that women with Hodgkin lymphoma are usually more prone to pain when drinking, which could range from an aching to stabbing sensation and from mild to unbearable intensity of pain. Since some patients would take over-the-counter painkillers, they become unaware that this is already a warning sign of a deadly disease.
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