Symptom 5: Persistent Fevers: The Heating Dilemma in Plasmablastic Lymphoma
A fever is the body’s natural thermostat reacting to invaders. With PBL, these fevers can be low-grade but relentless, resisting the typical over-the-counter treatments. The exact mechanism behind these persistent fevers is a fascinating dance of internal processes.
Contrary to common perception, these fevers aren’t just the body’s way of fighting off the cancerous cells. The malignant cells themselves can release chemicals, known as cytokines, that reset the body’s temperature gauge, leading to increased heat production and reduced heat dissipation.
This mechanism is intriguing. Imagine your body’s thermostat being covertly manipulated. While external factors like environment play a role in fevers, in the case of PBL, it’s an internal tug-of-war, where the body tries to regain control of its temperature. (5)
