Keep On Keeping On
- Blink-182 bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus has been battling stage 4 lymphoma, which is a type of blood cancer.
- The musician recently expressed some relatable feelings of frustration on his Instagram along with a photo of the top of his bald head. (He’s working to grow his hair back.)
- It’s perfectly normal and acceptable to go through a roller-coaster of emotions after a cancer diagnosis, and patients can take comfort in the fact that they’re not alone.
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The Roller-Coaster of Emotions With Cancer
Many cancer patients are familiar with these ups and downs that are evident in Hoppus’ post. It’s human to feel these emotions, yet vital to stay hopeful. Just know that if you’re having a bad day, it can always get better the next. It’s OK to feel.
Hoppus announced his diagnosis to the world in June via Twitter, and has been up front about his feelings from the start.
"For the past three months I've been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. I have cancer," Hoppus wrote. "It sucks and I'm scared, and at the same time I'm blessed with incredible doctors and family and friends to get me through this. I still have months of treatment ahead of me but I'm trying to remain hopeful and positive."
"Can't wait to be cancer free and see you all at a concert in the near future," he added. "Love to you all."
Since then, Hoppus has been using his social media channels to express his feelings as he navigates through this difficult journey, which can be helpful to receive support from your community.
We spoke with Dr. Susan Parsons from the Tufts University School of Medicine on the roller-coaster of emotions that many cancer patients go through after their cancer diagnosis, and throughout their treatment.
“I think the most important advice I would give to someone who has just received a cancer diagnosis is to find people whom they find as a source of support,” Dr. Parsons said. “To allow themselves to go through all of the different emotional reactions to that news. The anger, the frustration, the fear. The disappointment. Whatever those emotions are, figure out what’s important to you and find those people that can help you realize that.”
Just knowing you are not alone, that there is support out there, and many other people facing a similar battle and similar emotions can be comforting. Let it out.
Fear, Anger, Anxiety You're Entitled To Your Emotions
Learning About Lymphoma
With no screening test available for lymphoma, it’s important to know the risks associated with the disease, and watching for symptoms is key to an early diagnosis.
"Screening is a test we do with the goal of detecting lymphoma in a very early state," Dr. Elise Chong, medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, tells SurvivorNet. "For something to be a good screening test, we need to see that the screening helps people live longer, and helps people have better outcomes."
Doctors currently don't have evidence showing that finding lymphoma early helps people live longer.
"That's the second part of screening that we need to see," Dr. Chong adds. "Because we don't meet those two criteria, we don't have a good screening test for lymphoma yet, although people are certainly working on this."
Dr. Chong explains that it’s “typically luck” if patients are diagnosed with lymphoma early on.
“They may have had a symptom that made their doctor check them, or the cancer showed up on a scan or blood test that was done for another reason,” she says.
Until an effective screening test does become available, you can increase your odds of finding lymphoma early by knowing whether you're at risk, and staying alert for symptoms.
You might be at higher risk for this cancer if you:
- Have been infected with the HIV or Epstein-Barr virus
- Had an organ transplant
- Have a family history of lymphoma
- Have been treated with radiation or chemotherapy drugs for cancer in the past
- Have an autoimmune disease
Finding Lymphoma Early, Do You Know the Risks?
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