How to Diagnose Castleman Disease
Check for lumps on your body., Notice if you feel feverish, weak, and have a lack of appetite., Check for weight loss and skin rashes., Let your doctor do a physical exam., Allow your doctor to test your blood and your urine., Get X-rays done., Have...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check for lumps on your body.
The localized form of Castleman Disease (CD) may appear as a lymph node or nodes that are swollen or enlarged.
Check at the back of your neck, by your groin, and in your underarm area for lumps.
You can also develop lumps on your chest or abdominal area as a result of CD.If you notice any lumps in these areas, go see your doctor for a diagnosis.
Lumps can be benign and are not a clear indication that you have Castleman disease.
But you should get the lump checked out regardless to ensure you do not have any medical issues. -
Step 2: Notice if you feel feverish
Some people who have CD have no symptoms at all besides a lump or several lumps on their body.
Some people experience symptoms like fever, fatigue, and a lack of appetite.
You may also get night sweats as a result of CD.Some people will have trouble breathing as well as wheezing and coughing due to enlarged nodes in their chest area, which will then press on the windpipe.
There may also be a feeling of fullness in your chest area due to a lump in your chest. , CD can cause weight loss, often due to a lack of appetite.
If you notice dramatic weight loss, you should see your doctor.Some people develop skin rashes due to CD.
This is a less common symptom among those with CD. , Schedule an appointment with your doctor and discuss your symptoms with them.
Your doctor will do a physical exam on any lumps on your body, if any.
They will look at the size of the lumps and how many there are on your body.
They will also review your medical history and ask you about any other disorders or medical issues you may have.If you have one lump or several lumps in one area of your body that are enlarged, and no other symptoms, you have localized or unicentric CD.
If you have more than one lump in several areas of your body and common symptoms, you have widespread or multicentric CD. , Your doctor will run require blood and urine samples from you.
They will then test these samples to rule out any other infections or diseases.The blood and urine tests can also show any anemia or abnormalities in your blood proteins that could be a sign of Castleman disease. , Your doctor will also suggest getting X-rays done to detect enlarged lymph nodes on your body, including in your liver or spleen.
CT scans or an MRI may also be done on your neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis.Your doctor may suggest getting a positron emission tomography (PET) scan done to diagnose Castleman disease. , Your doctor will take a tissue sample from an enlarged lymph node on your body as a biopsy.
This may be done under local anesthesia or through more extensive surgery, depending on where the enlarged lymph node is located.
The biopsy will then be tested to determine if you have CD.The biopsy will also help to rule out other types of lymphatic tissue disorders like lymphoma. , The treatment for CD depends on the type of Castleman disease you have.
If you have unicentric CD, the diseased lymph node will be removed through surgery.
If the lymph node is in your chest or abdomen, you will need major surgery.If the diseased lymph node cannot be removed with surgery, the doctor will recommend medication to shrink it.
Radiation therapy on the lymph node may also be an option. , Due to the number of diseased lymph nodes involved in multicentric CD, you often cannot get surgery to remove them.
Instead, your doctor will recommend medications and therapies to control cell overgrowth.
These may include monoclonal antibodies, chemotherapy, antiviral drugs, and corticosteroids.Your doctor may suggest a combination of these treatments to help reduce the size of the diseased lymph nodes.
If the lymph nodes do not shrink, you will need surgery to remove organs that have been affected. , If you get surgery for unicentric CD, you will need to schedule follow-up exams and X-rays.
This will allow your doctor to check if you have a relapse and to help prevent the development of enlarged lymph nodes.If you are getting treated for multicentric CD, talk to loved ones and lean on them for support.
Often multicentric CD can be a difficult diagnosis, as it usually develops along with other medical issues like HIV/AIDS.
Speak to your doctor about additional support as you need it. -
Step 3: and have a lack of appetite.
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Step 4: Check for weight loss and skin rashes.
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Step 5: Let your doctor do a physical exam.
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Step 6: Allow your doctor to test your blood and your urine.
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Step 7: Get X-rays done.
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Step 8: Have a biopsy done on your lymph nodes.
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Step 9: Discuss treatment for unicentric CD with your doctor.
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Step 10: Determine the treatment options for multicentric CD.
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Step 11: Schedule a follow up appointment.
Detailed Guide
The localized form of Castleman Disease (CD) may appear as a lymph node or nodes that are swollen or enlarged.
Check at the back of your neck, by your groin, and in your underarm area for lumps.
You can also develop lumps on your chest or abdominal area as a result of CD.If you notice any lumps in these areas, go see your doctor for a diagnosis.
Lumps can be benign and are not a clear indication that you have Castleman disease.
But you should get the lump checked out regardless to ensure you do not have any medical issues.
Some people who have CD have no symptoms at all besides a lump or several lumps on their body.
Some people experience symptoms like fever, fatigue, and a lack of appetite.
You may also get night sweats as a result of CD.Some people will have trouble breathing as well as wheezing and coughing due to enlarged nodes in their chest area, which will then press on the windpipe.
There may also be a feeling of fullness in your chest area due to a lump in your chest. , CD can cause weight loss, often due to a lack of appetite.
If you notice dramatic weight loss, you should see your doctor.Some people develop skin rashes due to CD.
This is a less common symptom among those with CD. , Schedule an appointment with your doctor and discuss your symptoms with them.
Your doctor will do a physical exam on any lumps on your body, if any.
They will look at the size of the lumps and how many there are on your body.
They will also review your medical history and ask you about any other disorders or medical issues you may have.If you have one lump or several lumps in one area of your body that are enlarged, and no other symptoms, you have localized or unicentric CD.
If you have more than one lump in several areas of your body and common symptoms, you have widespread or multicentric CD. , Your doctor will run require blood and urine samples from you.
They will then test these samples to rule out any other infections or diseases.The blood and urine tests can also show any anemia or abnormalities in your blood proteins that could be a sign of Castleman disease. , Your doctor will also suggest getting X-rays done to detect enlarged lymph nodes on your body, including in your liver or spleen.
CT scans or an MRI may also be done on your neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis.Your doctor may suggest getting a positron emission tomography (PET) scan done to diagnose Castleman disease. , Your doctor will take a tissue sample from an enlarged lymph node on your body as a biopsy.
This may be done under local anesthesia or through more extensive surgery, depending on where the enlarged lymph node is located.
The biopsy will then be tested to determine if you have CD.The biopsy will also help to rule out other types of lymphatic tissue disorders like lymphoma. , The treatment for CD depends on the type of Castleman disease you have.
If you have unicentric CD, the diseased lymph node will be removed through surgery.
If the lymph node is in your chest or abdomen, you will need major surgery.If the diseased lymph node cannot be removed with surgery, the doctor will recommend medication to shrink it.
Radiation therapy on the lymph node may also be an option. , Due to the number of diseased lymph nodes involved in multicentric CD, you often cannot get surgery to remove them.
Instead, your doctor will recommend medications and therapies to control cell overgrowth.
These may include monoclonal antibodies, chemotherapy, antiviral drugs, and corticosteroids.Your doctor may suggest a combination of these treatments to help reduce the size of the diseased lymph nodes.
If the lymph nodes do not shrink, you will need surgery to remove organs that have been affected. , If you get surgery for unicentric CD, you will need to schedule follow-up exams and X-rays.
This will allow your doctor to check if you have a relapse and to help prevent the development of enlarged lymph nodes.If you are getting treated for multicentric CD, talk to loved ones and lean on them for support.
Often multicentric CD can be a difficult diagnosis, as it usually develops along with other medical issues like HIV/AIDS.
Speak to your doctor about additional support as you need it.
About the Author
Andrew Nguyen
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in pet care and beyond.
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