Dawaa Reference

Clinical reference

Hodgkin lymphoma

Treatment options, dosing, cautions and Egyptian brands from the shipped Dawaa Reference card.

Evidence status

Checked against the sources named below

Sources3 sources

Hodgkin Lymphoma - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf (NBK499969) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499969/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class BD25.00 - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care

Verified against1 document
  • No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care

Verified date2026-08

Presentation reference

Is it this?

Reference only, to read alongside your own examination.

Symptoms — what the patient reports (5)

  • Presentation is usually painless lymph node swelling above the diaphragm, involving one or two node regions [lymphadenopathy]
  • B symptoms - unexplained major weight loss, spiking fevers, and soaking night sweats - occur in up to 30% of patients [night sweats · weight loss]
  • Alcohol intake can trigger pain in affected lymph nodes, a paraneoplastic feature
  • Persistent itching without a rash can be a presenting complaint [itching]
  • A bulky mass in the chest can cause chest pain and breathlessness from compression of nearby structures [breathlessness · chest pain]

Signs — what you find (4)

  • Nodular sclerosis disease affects mostly young adults and tends to present at an early stage
  • Mixed cellularity disease occurs across children and the elderly and usually presents at an advanced stage
  • Lymphocyte-depleted disease presents with extensive spread outside the nodes, mainly in older patients and those with AIDS
  • The nodular lymphocyte-predominant form typically appears in men as localized painless neck nodes that spare the mediastinum

Tests (7)

  • Diagnosis requires biopsy of a lymph node or the suspected involved organ
  • Needle biopsies often give non-specific results because malignant cells are sparse and tissue architecture is lost, so excisional biopsy is preferred when suspicion is high
  • Finding a Reed-Sternberg cell or an LP cell in the specimen confirms the diagnosis
  • Baseline labs include a complete blood count, metabolic panel, ESR, and hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV testing
  • LDH tracks disease bulk, and a raised alkaline phosphatase suggests liver or bone involvement
  • PET-CT is now the standard scan for judging treatment response
  • Chest x-ray and CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis assist with staging

If not this — what else fits (5)

  • Infectious mononucleosis is on the differential
  • Peripheral T cell lymphoma is on the differential
  • ALK1-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma is on the differential
  • Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is on the differential
  • Diffuse large B cell lymphoma is on the differential

SourceStatPearls "Hodgkin Lymphoma" - disease-level clinical article

Presentation findings are traced to the source above.

1

NO DRUG THERAPY IN PRIMARY CARE (REFERRAL & ADVICE)

1st line
Adult dose and duration

Treated with chemotherapy/radiotherapy by an oncology/haematology unit; the GP's role is prompt referral on suspicion (painless rubbery lymphadenopathy plus B symptoms) and symptomatic relief in the meantime. - Refer, with advice

Paediatric dose

Children follow the same pathway: recognise and refer. No primary-care medicine is implied.

Dose source

No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care

Why

Treated with chemotherapy/radiotherapy by an oncology/haematology unit; the GP's role is prompt referral on suspicion (painless rubbery lymphadenopathy plus B symptoms) and symptomatic relief in the meantime.

Cautions
  • No medicine is prescribed for this in primary care - this entry is for recognition and referral. Anything given is decided by the service it is referred to.
  • RED FLAG - A significant mediastinal mass can cause chest pain and shortness of breath from mass effect - a presentation distinct from simple painless lymphadenopathy that may need more urgent assessment.
  • RED FLAG - Fever, night sweats or unexplained weight loss (B symptoms), painless rapidly enlarging lymph nodes, a mediastinal mass causing cough or breathlessness, or persistent itching.

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.