A careful medical history can provide important clues to the diagnosis of a neck mass.1 The patient's age and the size and duration of the mass are the most significant predictors of neoplasia.1 The patient's age is most important, because the risk of malignancy becomes greater with increasing age.2
Shortness of breath is a common symptom. Some patients have troublesome dry cough and others may have pain in the chest. Tiredness, lethargy, listlessness and joint pains are common. Sarcoidosis may also cause fever and weight loss.
Sarcoidosis can cause calcium to collect in the blood and urine because the granulomas produce activated vitamin D, which causes the intestines to absorb more calcium. High blood calcium levels lead to a loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, thirst and excessive urine production.