[ LIVING WITH LYMPHOMA ]
AN ENDURING LEGACY OF
HOPE AND IMPACT Chike Springer was many things — a husband, son, brother, uncle and patriot — but one thing he was known for most was his infectious positivity and determination. “Chike was hilarious — he did great impressions and made jokes about everything, a lot of times about me or his mom,” his wife Lyndsay Springer recalls. “He was also very introspective and critical, but fair. He was the guy everyone wanted on their team because he made you better.” He carried that positivity and determination with him in April 2019 after a series of tests, and a biopsy revealed he had T-cell histiocyte rich large B-cell lymphoma (THRLBCL), a rare and aggressive subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with malignant B-cells and reactive T-lymphocytes. B-cells are lymphocytes that make antibodies to fight infections and are a vital part of the lymphatic system. T-cells stimulate B-cells to produce antibodies and kill cells that a foreign invader has already infected. The most widely used treatment for DLBCL presently is the combination known as R-CHOP (rituximab [Rituxan], cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan], doxorubicin [Adriamycin], vincristine [Oncovin], 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. In some instances, a patient is treated in 14-day cycles, and for limited-stage disease (Stage I or II), 3-4 cycles may be used, followed by radiation therapy.
PULSE | SPRING EDITION 2021
“ We are extremely grateful for the incredible work of LRF and the support they have shown us. I’m excited to see where we go and the impact we can make in the years to come.”
