Bongino Looks Ahead
- Radio host Dan Bongino recently revealed it was a nurse who watches his show who spotted the lump on his neck that turned out to be Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Bongino is now cancer-free and looking forward to taking over longtime radio host Rush Limbaugh’s time slot for “The Dan Bongino Show.”
- Lymphoma patients do not always have symptoms, so you should pay attention to potential warning signs from your body and see your doctor if you have concerns.
Radio host Dan Bongino shared the news that he was cancer free in February, but he's recently shed more light on how he found his cancer and the information might surprise you.
Read MoreWith 791,000 subscribers on Youtube and 1.5 million followers on Instagram, Bongino is used to projecting to a large audience. In fact, his visibility will grow as he's set to fill the shoes of the late Rush Limbaugh who died of lung cancer in February at age 70. He’ll be taking over Limbaugh’s radio time slot, broadcasting for Westwood One from noon ET to 3 p.m. ET each weekday. The show will be called "The Dan Bongino Show," same as his existing podcast, and it launches May 24.
But his recent moves to expand his presence might be the beginning of a larger movement for Bongino. Ideally, he would like to "reinvent American media," according to the Post. "He insists that tech companies repress conservative voices." A former congressional candidate, Bongino also told the Post he would consider running for office a fourth time. He has yet to win an election, but Bongino campaigned as a Republican candidate in 2012, 2014 and 2016. In 2012, he lost the U.S. Senate seat race in Maryland to Ben Cardin. In 2014, John Delaney beat him for Maryland's 6th congressional district House of Representatives seat. And most recently, Bongino was defeated by Francis Rooney for Florida's 19th congressional district seat.
Understanding Hodgkin Lymphoma
Lymphoma begins in white blood cells called lymphocytes. This kind of cancer is typically classified as either Hodgkin lymphoma or Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 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 the less common type of lymphoma most often seen in younger adults as well as in older adults. And although less common, it is generally easier to cure than Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Dr. Chong also said lymphoma symptoms can be difficult to detect. "The symptoms of lymphoma, especially if you have a low-grade lymphoma, often are no symptoms. People say, but I feel completely fine, and that's very normal," she explains.
Dr. Elise Chong explains why your type of lymphoma matters
Signs and Symptoms of Hodgkin Lymphoma
Thankfully for Bongino, a nurse with a trained eye pointed out the lump on his neck. Although some people with Hodgkin lymphoma might not have symptoms, it is always important to pay attention to possible warning signs from your body. A Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis can emerge from one or more of the following symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic:
- Painless swelling of lymph nodes in your neck, armpits or groin
- Persistent fatigue
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Unexplained weight loss
- Severe itching
- Increased sensitivity to the effects of alcohol or pain in your lymph nodes after drinking alcohol
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