Search Results

Leanne

In November 2023, on my 40th birthday, I had a biopsy on my neck for a swollen lymph node. We originally thought it was thyroid issues, but several scans and biopsies later led me to Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami. A week later, I was diagnosed with diffused large B-cell lymphoma CD30+ (DLBCL), which I like to say is Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in one big bang, an aggressive rare form of cancer that required a specialized treatment with revolutionary drugs.

Tony

It was 40 years ago that Tony was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age 2. Back then, the disease wasn't very well understood, and the technologies and treatments didn't have a great deal to offer. It was a rough road, but Tony managed to make it through with the help of his mother and many experimental drugs. He went through chemotherapy, radiation, spinal taps, and hair loss, and at age 12, his doctors couldn't find any trace of leukemia.

Follow-Up Care

Follow-up medical care is important for every Hodgkin lymphoma patient. Follow-up care helps the doctor monitor you to see if disease has recurred or relapsed, or to see if more treatment is needed. Talk to your doctor about how often to have follow-up visits and what laboratory tests, scans, or other imaging you need. It is important to get a record of your cancer treatment including the drugs you received so that your doctor can follow up on specific long-term effects that may be associated with your treatment.

Signs and Symptoms

A person who has signs or symptoms that suggest the possibility of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is usually referred to a blood cancer specialist called a hematologist-oncologist. The doctor will order additional tests and a tissue biopsy to make a diagnosis. The signs and symptoms of NHL are also associated with a number of other, less serious diseases.

The most common early sign of NHL is painless swelling of one or more lymph node(s). 

Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm

For personalized disease and treatment information, or to learn about clinical trials, contact one of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS's) Information Specialists at (800) 955-4572. Background

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) was previously known as natural killer (NK) cell leukemia/lymphoma. As understanding of the biology and origin of this malignancy has improved, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the term blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) in 2008.

Nikolette

I was truly honored to be a recipient of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Scholarship for Blood Cancer Survivors. After fighting two different types of cancer, both forms of lymphoma and leukemia, I was unsure what my collegiate education would look like. I had to medically withdraw from my freshman year of college at Penn State University in the fall of 2018 when I received my second diagnosis. My family and I were completely devastated, but I was able to successfully undergo a bone marrow transplant and have been showing no evidence of disease (NED) for 3½ years now!

Anita

I was diagnosed with lymphoma in June, and on December 14, received the news I was in remission. I had primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL) to be exact. It is a very aggressive form of cancer, and within two weeks of being diagnosed, I had started chemotherapy. I started the regimen called DA-EPOCH-R. It is a 21-day cycle which consists of five days of treatment. I got continuous hours of chemo, and on the fifth day, I got two more infusions. I then had two weeks off. 

Sarah

My husband Patrick had a chest cold for about two months. I finally convinced him to go to the urgent care and they did an X-ray. Soon they found that he had an abnormally shaped aorta, so they sent him to our primary for testing.

They tested him and on July 5, 2017 and found that he had a mass in his chest that had caused his heart to move. It turns out the mass was Hodgkin lymphoma.

Marie and Miguel

Miguel was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in early 2017. He was an active, healthy man his entire life, so this diagnosis came as a total shock. Both he and his wife didn't know what to expect or what the outcome would be and were both beyond devastated. After surgery, chemotherapy, numerous procedures, and hospital stays, Miguel and his wife were thrilled to hear the doctors say he had no evidence of disease as of late 2017.

Rhonda

In 2012, I was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. I had 10 rounds of radiation and six treatments of chemotherapy (R-Chop). It was a very rough journey, however, by the grace of God, the love of family, and of course, the wonderful doctors and advances in cancer treatments I persevered through.

Peter

I do not aspire to be a hero, I just want other patients to realize that any one of us can have a long life after receiving such a horrible diagnosis. Times may be difficult but anything is possible.

On September 5, 2015, I celebrated the 25th anniversary of my autologous bone marrow transplant for non-Hodgkin lymphoma that took place at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.  I want to thank my wife, children, and the many doctors, nurses, and technicians who treated me and continue to look after me in my senior citizen years.

Geoff

I'm a survivor of aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.  Seven cycles of R-CHOP reduced my tumor but did not kill it.  I am fortunate to have been referred to the City of Hope for a stem cell transplant which took place a year ago April 8, which is also the day our first grandchild was born.  So of the approximately 70,000 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2013, I'm one of the roughly 50,000 to make it through treatment and into remission.

Stephen

Here's a truly inspiring story about a lymphoma patient and his treating physician who discovered in the midst of treatments last year that they shared a bond as former national champion ballroom dancers – and how the special connection affected his care.

Holly

In February 2024, I had just entered my second trimester of pregnancy and woke up with a swollen lymph node on my neck about the size of a golf ball. After scans and two biopsies, I was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (DLBCL). It was found to be high-grade (meaning it’s growing fast). This is an aggressive form of lymphoma, so I immediately began chemotherapy while pregnant. Waiting until after the baby was born for treatment (estimated six months later) was not in my best interest, and unfortunately, the risk of waiting was too high.

Daniel (Lil Sicky)

Cancel blood cancer with web3! Daniel is a 27-year-old lymphoma patient who combined his medical diagnosis and love of digital art into an NFT project supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma (LLS) patients and their families.

In November 2021, Daniel was diagnosed with stage three nodular sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma (NSHL). Like so many others during the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been isolated to protect his health and has been unable to work.

Holly

I noticed a bulge on my lower abdomen in December 2022. I had a negative ultrasound and CT. What was initially believed to possibly be a lipoma (benign tumor of fat) was later biopsied, and by May 2023, I was diagnosed with subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL). It was a rare form of cutaneous lymphoma. I was young, active, and healthy, so I thought. 

Mike

Pam

Pam Katten died on September 24, 2002 after a year-long battle with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).  

Angela

I am a two-time Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cancer survivor. I was first diagnosed with stage 2 HL in 2006. I underwent chemo and radiation. The doctors at my check-ups were no longer looking for cancer but looking for the effects the treatment had on me. Well, eight years later it came back aggressively as stage 4 HL in my lung. I went to Dr. Armitage at Nebraska Medicine and underwent a stem cell transplant using brentuximab vedotin, a target therapy drug that was successful. He is a worldwide expert on lymphoma, so I knew I was in good hands.

Samantha

In February 2023, I was on top of the world. I turned 27 years old, I was training for a new position at my dream company, I spent an amazing weekend in Nashville with girlfriends, and had just touched down from Mexico after spending a fantastic weekend with one of my best friends. Everything felt right ― for the most part. While this month was filled with love, laughter, and good times, it was also filled with night sweats, stomach pains, and overall feelings of illness.

Bradley

I was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) on February 13, 2017. I went to MD Anderson since I was already living in Houston, Texas. I was a pastor and counselor for 24 years. I was able to use my counseling skills with other patients as I was going through my inpatient treatment. I introduced patients to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and AFLAC, as well as provided a listening ear. My life was not without troubles. My brother took his life the same day as my diagnosis. After my first relapse, my wife of 24 years passed from stomach cancer in May 2019.

Dane

I was diagnosed with stage 3 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the summer before my senior year of high school in 2020. It was a tough adjustment dealing with the treatment and the aftereffects of treatment while going into my final year of high school. A relatively carefree life was upturned in an instant, and I was presented with new challenges of balancing my new condition with the social and educational challenges that the final year of high school posed.

Lo

I was diagnosed with stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in February 2022. I endured six months of chemotherapy and relied on my girlfriend to be my caregiver. I faced many setbacks including remaining neutropenic for the majority of my treatment. This meant staying home 24/7 despite going to the hospital and spending a lot of time online.

Shar

For the past nine years as a physician assistant, I have had the privilege of taking care of acute leukemia, high-risk lymphoma and bone marrow transplant patients at the Intermountain Blood and Marrow Transplant Program.  Throughout my years at this job, I have seen the struggles patients and their families face once they’ve been told “you have cancer.” I've enjoyed being an important part of our patients’ medical team, helping them heal physically and emotionally, but I wanted to do more.  

Bruce

I was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma in August 2019 at age 64. It was an accidental find while scanning for a kidney stone. I was late stage 3 at diagnosis with no prior symptoms.

I had 4 rounds of R-DHAX finishing at the end of 2019 and followed with an autologous stem cell transplant at the University of Virginia on February 24, 2020. Along the way I had a life threatening duodenal ulcer (Oscar) as a result of the R-DHAX treatment.