Physical Exam

If there are symptoms, these are assessed during the physical exam.

Common signs of leukemia

• Bone or joint pain
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Eczema-like skin rash
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Pain or feeling of fullness below the ribs
• Painless lumps
• Petechiae
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness

Common signs of lymphoma

• Adenopathy
• Drenching night sweats
• Fatigue
• Fever (for no known reason)
• Pain in the chest, abdomen, or bones (for no known reason)
• Painless swelling in the lymph nodes
• Rapidly enlarging mass at a single or multiple nodal or extranodal site(s)
• Skin rash or itchy skin
• Weight loss (for no known reason)

Document physical exam details in NAACCR Item # 2520 Text-Dx Proc-PE.

See History & Physical Exam | SEER Training website for more information on the patient history and physical exam.

Updated: December 2, 2025