Does anyone know anything about a connection or mistaken diagnosis for RA / Lymphoma?
I was diagnosed with RA earlier this year from symptoms mainly with hands and wrists although not all blood markers were present.
This week I was told I have Lymphoma which leaves me wondering have I got both or was the RA diagnosis actually caused by Lymphoma symptoms?
Anyone have any experience of this?
I’m sorry I don’t know. I hope you’ll get the answers you do need.
You need to speak to your doctor...have you been started on any treatment....if not do ask why?
yes there is a link which I discovered when I finally googled RA and life expectancy. It particularly worries me as my father and his mother, my grandmother, both had various blood cancers and blood disorders.
I am so sorry to hear of your diagnosis and hope that you are now under treatment for it. Yes as Brychni says there is, unfortunately, an increased risk of Lymphoma with many Autoimmune diseases. I suppose, it is in someway fortunate that we are so closely monitored that the disease is more likely to be detected in its early stages. When I read into this, the treatment for Lymphomas appears to have taken some leaps forward. Please do let us know how you are getting on if you feel able. Wishing all the very best. x
I have a lymphoma breast mass and in my underarm lymph node of the same side.
I only found this out on Tuesday and am awaiting further tests next week to determine spread and type of lymphoma before a treatment plan is decided with the hematologist on Thursday hopefully. I understand it will likely be chemotherapy.
I was only diagnosed with RA in April this year and the only treatment I’ve had for it is naproxen and steroid injections due to covid stopping me seeing the rheumatologist in person.
I am sorry to hear that. Big Good luck for Thursday. It’s disappointing that you have not been started on any proper treatment for the RA. I was diagnosed after lock down and have had one f2f with the rheumy and the rest of the appointments over the phone which has worked incredibly well. I hope you can get this all sorted for you.
What a terrible worry it must all be and there can be no denying that you must be having a rough time, a diagnosis of RA is bad enough. I think everyone who reads your posts will be sending their very best wishes and will be here to support you at any time should you wish. Have you been given the numbers of specialist nurses to give you guidance etc? x
Goodness sp, I'm sorry to hear that. I really hope all goes well for you. xx
Yes, there is some connection between RA and Lymphoma, and diseases of the blood; but these are nevertheless quite rare. They may appear after many years of RA. Your diagnosis may have nothing to do with the RA.
In any case, I wish you well with the treatment.
bienassis
Hi sp22 - I wanted to apologise for my rather matter-of-fact tone in my previous response to your post. I was diagnosed in March and am still in fact finding mode, experimenting with medications and swaying between disbelief and being overwhelmed with the realities.
my father was diagnosed about 12 years ago with CLL (no RA). It underwent a Richter's TRansformation and the prognosis was alarming. However, on the flip side these types of cancers have benefited from a lot of research and conversely the deadly Richter's Transformation meant that a stem cell transplant would quite likely lead to remission.
He had a transplant which was successful. However while recovering and with low immunity he developed an infection in his knee which had been operated on and he died of the resulting infection. He was very unlucky but it had noting to do with his underlying cancer. He was 70.
My grandmother also had some kind of leukaemia either large or small cell, can't remember and she also had polycythemia rubra vera, both of which she was diagnosed with in her late 70s, she had her spleen removed and died aged 88 - what I'm getting at is it really didn't affect her life and for the most part my father's condition was well managed too.
I'm really sorry that you've had this double whammy of illness.
Keep talking to people and be well informed. I've noticed that the medical professionals like to downplay things and perhaps it's only right that patients shouldn't be panicked but not knowing what's going on or being given only bits of information is also not good.
Good luck. x
Hiya. Well that's a shock for you . I was told to look out for symptoms of lymphoma when I was first diagnosed .
But let's cross the hurdles of seeing the docs , get as much info as you can , I'm a compulsive list maker pre hospital as when I get there I forget what I was going to ask!
Let us know how you get on and I'll send virtual hugs ! 🤗
Lists!! high achievers make lists. I make lists then lose them 🙄😂
I’m useless with lists
I am so sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. I really hope that next week brings you so much needed answers and support. Thinking of you 🤗
Hi, I was diagnosed with lymphoma two years ago, I see my rheumatologist because I have MCTD. She told me that lupus and Sjögrens do tend to see lymphoma as a complication of these but wouldn’t really tell me more. It was the ENT doctor when I first went to him about a lump in my neck told me that it was common for autoimmune diseases and lymphoma to come together, he thought I was high risk and he was correct. I’ve had treatment but unfortunately it came back six weeks after treatment. I am now on watch and wait as they don’t always do treatment right away with lymphoma and it also depends what kind you have. Mine is a indolent kind and the team of doctors decided not to do more treatment atm. I go every three months to get checked and get bloods done although with COVID I’ve not been checked since December, I don’t have any of the B symptoms that are worse like the first time so I’m happy just to watch and wait and live with it, which I must say wasn’t easy at first. I hope your tests come out ok, they do seem to take forever to come through. Biopsies, scans, I also had a bone marrow biopsy, all in all it took 3 months before treatment started. Best wishes
Thank you, let us know how you get on x
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