Sarcoidosis and lymphoma are diseases that mainly affect the lymphatic system (the lymphatic system is a network of vessels throughout the body that produce and carry white blood cells (WBCs) to fight or prevent infections, it is also known as the lymphoid system). Let’s see the differentiating points between them.

Sarcoidosis vs Lymphoma

Definition:

Sarcoidosis:

Sarcoidosis is defined as an inflammatory disease that affects most commonly lungs and lymph nodes (it can also affect other organs of the body such as skin, heart, eyes, etc). It produces granulomas (growth of clusters of inflammatory cells) in the affected part of the body.

Lymphoma:

Lymphoma is defined as cancer that affects the lymphocytes (cells of the immune system).

Risk factors/ causes:

Risk factors are those factors that increase the risk of certain diseases.

Sarcoidosis:

Following are the risk factors that may increase the risk of having sarcoidosis in a person:

  • Idiopathic (cause is not known)
  • Family history (positive family history increases the risk of this disease)
  • Age (it can occur at any age, but mostly affect the age group between 20 and 60 years)
  • Sex (females are more prone to develop this disease)
  • Race (Africans and Northern Europeans are at more risk of developing this disease).

Lymphoma:

Following are the risk factors that may increase the risk of having lymphoma in a person:

  • Idiopathic (cause is not known)
  • Age (Hodgkin lymphoma most likely occur in ages between 15 and 40 and age of 55 or older. Non Hodgkin lymphoma mostly occur in the age of 60s and 70s)
  • Sex (males are more likely to develop this disease)
  • Family history (positive family history)
  • Bacterial infections
  • Causative organism (Epstein Barr virus (EBV))
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Sjogren syndrome
  • Genetic factors
  • Diet (a diet rich in fatty foods or red meat)
  • Exposure to chemicals and ionizing radiation
  • Organ transplantation.

Types:

Sarcoidosis:

Following are the different types of sarcoidosis:

  • Pulmonary or lung sarcoidosis
  • Skin or cutaneous sarcoidosis
  • Cardiac sarcoidosis
  • Neurosarcoidosis
  • Ocular or eye sarcoidosis
  • Renal sarcoidosis
  • Hepatic sarcoidosis
  • Musculoskeletal sarcoidosis
  • Sarcoidosis of spleen and bone marrow l.

Lymphoma:

Following are the different types of lymphomas:

  • Hodgkin lymphoma (further types are lymphocyte depleted Hodgkin’s disease, lymphocyte rich Hodgkin’s disease, mixed cellularity Hodgkin’s lymphoma, nodular lymphocyte pre dominant Hodgkin’s disease, Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin’s lymphoma)
  • Non Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (further types are B cell lymphoma, T cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, Burkit t lymphoma, primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma), small lymphocytic lymphoma).

Signs and symptoms or clinical presentation:

Sarcoidosis:

Signs and symptoms may vary depending on the type of sarcoidosis. The most common presentation of sarcoidosis is the following:

  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Fatigue
  • Swelling, pain, and tenderness in joints
  • Weight loss
  • Lung symptoms (shortness of breath (SOB), chest pain, dry cough, and wheezing)
  • Heart symptoms (shortness of breath, arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), tachycardia (increased heart rate), edema (swelling), chest pain)
  • Skin symptoms (red bumps on shins or ankles, hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation, lesions on nose, ears, and cheeks)
  • Eye symptoms (eye pain, blurring of vision, itching of eyes, dry eyes).

Lymphoma:

Signs and symptoms may vary depending on the type of lymphoma. The most common presentation of lymphoma is the following:

  • Fever
  • Painless swelling of one or more lymph nodes in armpits, neck, or groin
  • Night sweats
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath (SOB)
  • Itching
  • Loss of appetite
  • Infections.

Investigations or lab tests:

Sarcoidosis:

Following are the investigations to diagnose sarcoidosis:

  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • Urine test
  • Serum BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine
  • Chest x ray
  • Lung function tests (LFTs)
  • Computerized tomography (CT) scan
  • Electrocardiography (ECG)
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Skin biopsy.

Lymphoma:

Following are the investigations to diagnose lymphoma:

  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • Lymph node biopsy
  • Computed tomography (CT) scan
  • Bone marrow aspiration
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Positron emission tomography (PET).

Treatment:

Sarcoidosis:

Following are the treatment options for sarcoidosis:

  • Corticosteroids
  • Methotrexate
  • Azathioprine
  • Hydroxychloroquine
  • Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha inhibitors
  • Organ transplantation.

Lymphoma:

Following are the treatment options for lymphoma:

  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiotherapy
  • Immunotherapy drugs
  • Bone marrow transplant.

Complications:

Sarcoidosis:

Following are the complications of sarcoidosis:

  • Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Blindness
  • Cataract
  • Glaucoma
  • Kidney stones
  • Depression.

Lymphoma:

Following are the complications of lymphoma:

  • Leukemia
  • Infertility
  • Weak immune system
  • Organ damage.

Conclusion:

Sarcoidosis and lymphoma both are lethal diseases people who are at risk of developing these diseases should take care of themselves and use precautionary measures.

By- Dr. Pashmina.