Stage 4 NHL- Aggressive B

AnneAC

Hi just looking for R-Hyper-CVAD fellows out there! I am in round 3. I am 51 in great health except for this cancer crap!! Doing ok. The treatment is rough for 2 weeks and then the third week I feel really good. Just in time to check back into the hospital for 5-7 days. Have had neutropenia fevers that land me back into the hospital but an antibiotic helped keep me home for Christmas. I saw my doctor today who I trust and really like. He did say the likelihood it would return is 50% and we would then do a stem cell transplant. But that is far off. I still have 5 more treatments to go. Anyone else out there doing this treatment? Anyone have recurrance? This is a pretty nasty diagnosis I guess. Thanks!

ThisisLife

Hello

Hi Anne,

I don't have the same lymphoma as you (Nodular Sclorosing Hodgkins Lymphoma - Stage IIIA - bulky), but we are close to the same age (I'm 55).  Like you, I was in excellent health before this diagnosis and I know how frustrating it can be.  That's great that you were able to be home for Christmas.  I finished my final round of chemo on Dec. 31.  Now I just need to wait and see what the PET scan shows and find out where we go from here.  I too had/have neutropenia and am doing Neupogen shots (my last one is tomorrow). 

Good luck with the rest of your treatments.  I hope they go well for you.

Sharlene

po18guy

Keep that chin up!

I was first diagnosed at stage 4B with an unknown sub-type of a rare and aggressive T-Cell Lymphoma. There is no standard treatment for it. I had "innumerable" nodes involved throughout my body and disease in my bone marrow. 1 in 3 chance of responding (at all) to any chemo. This one runs its course in 6 months and I had only three left. I was given a dose dense regimen of CHOEP14 followed immediately by GND. It had to be modified at the end as the cancer was racing with it to kill me. It was a rather horrible regimen, and I can only imagine what R-HyperCVAD does to you but, in our cases, it is necessary. Yet, Rituxan by itself, in many cases, is highly predatory on B-Cell Lymphomas, so I would think that your chances for a remission are very good. 

Oh, T-Cell Lymphomas are known for relapsing, and mine did right at the end of chemo, when I was too sick for more treatment. As well, it had defeated eight different drugs and there was nothing left to use with any hope of a remission. However, by providence, a clinical trial opened up for relapsed T-Cell Lymphomas. Almost four years later, still no evidence of disease. So, miracles do happen! All the best to you.  

AnneAC

ThisisLife said:

Hello

Hi Anne,

I don't have the same lymphoma as you (Nodular Sclorosing Hodgkins Lymphoma - Stage IIIA - bulky), but we are close to the same age (I'm 55).  Like you, I was in excellent health before this diagnosis and I know how frustrating it can be.  That's great that you were able to be home for Christmas.  I finished my final round of chemo on Dec. 31.  Now I just need to wait and see what the PET scan shows and find out where we go from here.  I too had/have neutropenia and am doing Neupogen shots (my last one is tomorrow). 

Good luck with the rest of your treatments.  I hope they go well for you.

Sharlene

Thanks sharlene!
 

Thanks sharlene!

 

AnneAC

po18guy said:

Keep that chin up!

I was first diagnosed at stage 4B with an unknown sub-type of a rare and aggressive T-Cell Lymphoma. There is no standard treatment for it. I had "innumerable" nodes involved throughout my body and disease in my bone marrow. 1 in 3 chance of responding (at all) to any chemo. This one runs its course in 6 months and I had only three left. I was given a dose dense regimen of CHOEP14 followed immediately by GND. It had to be modified at the end as the cancer was racing with it to kill me. It was a rather horrible regimen, and I can only imagine what R-HyperCVAD does to you but, in our cases, it is necessary. Yet, Rituxan by itself, in many cases, is highly predatory on B-Cell Lymphomas, so I would think that your chances for a remission are very good. 

Oh, T-Cell Lymphomas are known for relapsing, and mine did right at the end of chemo, when I was too sick for more treatment. As well, it had defeated eight different drugs and there was nothing left to use with any hope of a remission. However, by providence, a clinical trial opened up for relapsed T-Cell Lymphomas. Almost four years later, still no evidence of disease. So, miracles do happen! All the best to you.  

Good for you! I love hearing

Good for you! I love hearing great news! Thanks for sharing!

 

DennisR

Hi Anne
I had NHL large B

Hi Anne

I had NHL large B cell cancer stage 4 about 12 years ago.  i had surgery followed by R CHOP chemo and was in remission for 8 years.  Cancer recurred about 4 years ago and I had a different chemo regime.  Oncs told me there was a 50% probability of another recurrance, but much sooner.  I underwent a bone marrow stem cell transplant after more chemo and full body radiation.  The xplant was difficult, but I did ok and continue to be NED today.  If your onco believes a recurrence is likely, I believe I'd try to get recommended for a transplant before the cancer recurs so you can use your own cells and decrease the odds of rejection.  You may also ask him about collecting the cells for a transplant while you're still NED after the chemo, assuming it's sucessful.  Just sayin'