[ LIVING WITH LYMPHOMA ]
GLASS HALF FULL At 24 years old, Nina Luker’s life was turned upside down when she learned she had stage IV diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) — just three days before New York City went on lockdown due to the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. “It was March 11, and I was sitting alone in my apartment as I saw my phone begin to ring. I answered in a cheerful and hopeful tone, never expecting that my life would be turned upside down,” Luker recalls.
24-year-old, health-conscious former Division I athlete have cancer? It didn’t make sense, it couldn’t be right,” says Luker.
She vividly remembers her doctor’s emotionless and somber tone as he said “hi” from the other side of the phone. “He took a long pause and then cut right to the chase, and all I can recall were the words, ‘lymphoma, a blood cancer.’” In complete shock and disbelief from the news she had just received, all Nina was able to think was “NO.” “I felt helpless, alone, scared and overwhelmed. How could a
Presently, the most widely used treatment for DLBCL is the combination therapy known as R-CHOP (rituximab [Rituxan®], cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan®], and prednisone). The R-CHOP regimen is usually given in 21-day cycles (once every 21 days) for an average of six cycles. However, the length and number of cycles given can vary based on the patient’s disease and health status.
DLBCL is an aggressive or fast-growing type of nonHodgkin lymphoma (NHL). DLBCL affects B-lymphocytes, which are one type of white blood cell. These lymphocytes make antibodies to fight infections and are an essential part of the lymphatic system. DLBCL is the most common type of NHL worldwide, accounting for 18,000 newly diagnosed cases in the United States each year.
“ I felt helpless, alone, scared and overwhelmed. How could a 24-year-old, health-conscious former Division I athlete have cancer? It didn’t make sense, it couldn’t be right.” Continued on the next page
PULSE | SUMMER EDITION 2021
