Stage IV is the final stage of lymphoma, according to Healthline. Stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma is an aggressive disease affecting the lymph nodes both above and below the diaphragm, and cancer cells in other areas of the body, such as the lungs, the liver or bones.
Healthline explains that lymphoma is not just one disease. The term refers to a group of blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. Hodgkin lymphoma, a highly curable form and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are the two main types. When non-Hodgkin lymphoma spreads to one or more organs other than the lymph nodes and possibly one or more lymph node areas in the body, it is stage IV.
In 2011, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society data revealed that there were roughly 159,846 people living with Hodgkin lymphoma or in remission and approximately 502,943 people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma have similar symptoms, notes Healthline. Stage IV symptoms depend on the type and extent of the cancer.
Healthline identifies several indications of this final stage. A person suffering from stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma experiences worsening fatigue, night sweats, recurrent high- or low-grade fevers, weight loss, and bone pain if the bone marrow is involved in Hodgkin lymphoma. If lymphoma causes fluid build-up in the abdomen or if it enlarges the spleen or perforates the intestinal wall, symptoms may include loss of appetite, abdominal pain or swelling, nausea, vomiting and constipation. Also, itching is another symptom of this disease.
