Ashley Monroe Gets Good News!
- Nashville singer-songwriter Ashley Monroe says she’s hoping her "incurable" blood cancer is "gone forever" less than a year after receiving her diagnosis.
- Monroe, 35, who is fighting a rare type of blood cancer called Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, said she had follow-up PET scans and labs on Feb. 24 after completing chemotherapy at the end of last year. And those tests came back with a “cancer-free” verdict.
- Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma; there are more than 40 different types of lymphoma.
She says she received “amazing” scans to follow up on her blood cancer. And she says she’s choosing to believe that her "incurable" blood cancer is "gone forever" less than a year after receiving her diagnosis.
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"That was truly one of the most difficult seasons of my life," she continued. "I didn't know it was possible to feel so sick and defeated. BUT, I believe it was meant to be and I know it has made me a better person."
Monroe, now 35, is known for her work as both a solo artist and a band member. Her solo career has expertly traversed the country and, most recently, pop genres with the release of her fifth solo album Rosegold in April.
Her involvement with the Pistol Annies, an American country group made up of Monroe, Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley, also propelled her into stardom with hits like Hell on Heels and I Feel a Sin Comin' On.
Ashley Monroe Cancer Diagnosis
For Ashley Monroe, cancer was never in the cards. She was just 34 years old when she was diagnosed with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, last year.
Over the summer, she shared the shocking news with the world with an Instagram post.
"A few months ago my dr. was doing some routine lab work and found that I was anemic," she said in her July 13 Instagram post. "I was like, FINE, I'll just double up on cheeseburger patties, take some extra vitamins and call it a day."
"Well my red blood count just kept falling," she continued, "short story long, they did a bone marrow biopsy, (ouch), and VOILA … a rare kind of blood c word called 'waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.'"
"So, I start chemo tomorrow (July 14). Seems like such a negative thing to say. Until I flip that doom feeling on its head and think, wow, I'm thankful I have an illness that is VERY live with-able. I'm thankful there IS a treatment that actually works to fight what is causing harm to my body."
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Of her chemotherapy treatment, she told The Tennessean, "You just don't feel good after you have your chemo, but I've actually bounced back quicker with every cycle that I've done. I'm really thankful that I can do as much as I can, feel as good as I can right now."
She also told The Tennessean that she learned of her cancer diagnosis via email.
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On Dec. 15, Ashley Monroe shared another health update on Instagram. This time, she told her followers: "My last chemo is done! Merry Christmas everyone."
Understanding Lymphoma
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia occurs when the cancer cells produce large amounts of an abnormal protein called macroglobulin.
To further understand Monroe's cancer, it should be noted that lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system that affects infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. And there are more than 40 different types of lymphoma.
"Lymphoma is split up into a number of different categories," Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, tells SurvivorNet.
What Kind of Lymphoma Do You Have? Why Your Type Matters
"The first distinguishing breakpoint, if you will, is non-Hodgkin lymphoma versus Hodgkin lymphoma," she adds, "and those sound like two different categories. But non-Hodgkin lymphoma comprises the majority of lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma is a single specific type of lymphoma."
Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells. The presence of these cells, which can be seen under a microscope, will help your doctor determine which of the two lymphoma types you have.
There are a few other important differences between non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma to note. For one thing, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is much more common. And you're more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55. People usually develop Hodgkin lymphoma at a younger age.
It should also be noted that another difference between these two types of lymphoma is that non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to spread in a random fashion and be found in different groups of lymph nodes in the body, while Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to grow in a uniform way from one group of lymph nodes directly to another.
These two different types of lymphoma behave, spread and respond to treatment differently, so it's important for you to know which type you have.
Contributing: Abby Seaberg
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