Barry Watson Is Thriving as a Cancer Survivor
- Actor Barry Watson was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2002 after feeling “so tired” and finding a lump on his neck. Today, he is almost two decades cancer-free, and continuing his prolific acting career with a new television series, Naomi.
- Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that is more likely to grow in a uniform way from one group of lymph nodes directly to another making it generally easier to treat than non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Early symptoms of lymphoma can be tricky to notice; they may include swollen lymph nodes, fatigue or unexplained weight loss.
You might know Watson, 47, for his breakout role in Aaron Spelling's 7th Heaven, which began in 1996. He’s also had notable roles in ABC sitcoms What About Brian and Samantha Who? But fans can still see Watson grace their screens today.
Read More“As an actor, I’ve never been on a series where each week as I’m reading the new episodes going, ‘What?’ You know, and discovering more and more not only about the arc of what’s happening with Naomi, but my own character as well,” he told Cheddar News. “It’s really, really fun and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
The next episode of the series will air on March, 29, 2022.
Barry Watson’s Cancer Journey
With Watson being such a prolific actor, it might be easy to forget the ultimate obstacle he had to face as his career was reaching new heights: a cancer diagnosis in 2002. And though the word “cancer” generally comes as a surprise, Watson did say he knew something wasn’t right months before while he was promoting his movie Sorority Boys in New York.
"I just remember being so tired," he said in an interview with Coping Magazine. "I was kind of certain that something was going on with my body."
Then, some months later, Watson found a lump on his neck. After a trip to the hospital, he received his diagnosis: stage II B Hodgkin lymphoma.
For treatment, Watson underwent chemotherapy every two weeks for six months. But no grueling treatment schedule was going to prevent Watson from doing everything he could to fight the disease.
"I was ready to do whatever I needed to do to get the cancer out of my body," he said.
Thankfully, his efforts were successful. Watson completed his treatment in October 2002, and he has been in remission ever since making him over almost two decades cancer-free. Even with the passage of time, Watson will admit that cancer will always be a part of who he is.
"It's still such a big part of my life," he told the Associated Press. "Because I still think about it, but also time has passed where it's almost like, 'Did that really happen? Did I really go through all that?' And now having this whole other life with my wife and my kids that they weren't even a part of that time, it feels like a lifetime ago."
Today, Watson is married to Natasha Gregson Wagner, 51, with three children. One (Clover Clementyne Watson, 9) with his current wife and two (Felix Watson, 14, and Oliver Watson, 16) with his ex-wife Tracy Hutson, 35. He was also married to Laura Payne-Gabriel before having children.
Understanding Hodgkin Lymphoma
Lymphoma, in general, is a cancer of the immune system that begins in the white blood cells called lymphocytes. There are more than 40 different types of the disease, but Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are the main two sub-categories with the latter being more common. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 8,540 new cases (4,570 in males and 3,970 in females) of Hodgkin lymphoma will be found in the United States in 2022.
The type of white blood cells linked to the disease determines the distinction. If doctors are unable to detect the Reed-Sternberg cell a giant cell derived from B lymphocytes then it is categorized as non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
In a previous interview, Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, explained that Hodgkin lymphoma is most often seen in younger adults. And although less common, it is generally easier to cure than non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
What Kind of Lymphoma Do You Have? Why Your Type Matters
Lymphoma treatment depends greatly on the nature of your specific diagnosis. For non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, their cancer is more likely to spread in a random fashion and be found in different groups of lymph nodes in the body. Hodgkin lymphoma cancers, on the other hand, are more likely to grow in a uniform way from one group of lymph nodes directly to another.
Some lymphomas, called indolent lymphomas, might not even need to be treated right away because they're slow-growing. In this case, careful monitoring including imaging scans such as PET/CT is used to track the progress of your cancer and gauge whether it needs treatment yet.
"Where I use PET/CT in my practice quite a bit is if I'm observing a patient… and there is some new symptom or situation which makes me concerned that the patient may be changing from an indolent lymphoma to a more aggressive lymphoma," Dr. Jakub Svoboda, medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet. "We refer to it as transformation."
Signs of Lymphoma
One thing to note about lymphomas is that this type of cancer often creeps in quietly, without symptoms. And even when symptoms do show up, they don't necessarily point directly to cancer.
In a previous interview, Dr. Chong explained that lymphoma symptoms could be difficult to detect.
Sneaky Lymphoma Symptoms Often Lead to a Late Diagnosis
"The symptoms of lymphoma, especially if you have a low-grade lymphoma, often are no symptoms," Dr. Chong explained. "People say, but I feel completely fine, and that's very normal."
People with lymphoma do not always have symptoms, but common ones are:
- Swollen glands in your neck, armpit or groin
- Fever
- Chills
- Night sweats
- Unexplained weight loss
- Feeling tired
- Swelling in your stomach
No matter what, it's important to communicate anything usual happening to your body with a doctor. Even if you think there's nothing to worry about, it's good to rule out the possibility of more serious issues.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.