WWE’s Roman Reigns, 38, Praised By Fan For Choosing To ‘Stay & Elevate’ Amid Leukemia Battle, Which He’s Still Taking Oral Medication For: ‘I’m Just a Young Man Addicted To Greatness’

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A post shared by Joe Anoai aka “Roman Reigns” (@romanreigns)

In an earlier interview, according to Leukemia Care, Reigns explained, “I take an oral chemotherapy. I don’t have to go in for radiation. The analogy I use is that I went to war, but I didn’t shoot my gun. Now the question seems to be ‘have you suffered enough?’or ‘you’re not as bad as this person’. Why should I be as bad as the next person? Do I have to be as bad as the next person to be in a bad way?

“We’re all different and we all have our own journeys. I’m not going to belittle my story or be ashamed of it just because I didn’t suffer as much as the next person. I would never ask that or never want it to be. I’m very fortunate for how my life has turned out, and the struggles that I’ve met and thankfully conquered. I’m good where I’m at and I don’t need anything worse to prove anything to anybody else.”

He continued, “This is what I feel when people see me in that ring, when they know I came through what happened to me and still do something like being a performer and throwing my body around in front of millions of people. The fact that I am still able to do that, I think that should give a lot of hope to people that they can lead a normal life and can still capture their dreams.”

Leukemia Care explains, “For patients like Roman, many will take a treatment called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or TKI. In the most basic of terms, this is a treatment that is targeted at the leukaemia cells. Whilst his treatment can’t cure a patient of leukaemia, it can keep cells at an almost undetectable level. These treatments aren’t without their side effects. Some sections of the media, particularly in the wrestling media, have argued about whether this treatment can be classed as a chemotherapy in the more traditional sense.”

As for confirming he’s still on the medication in his most newest documentary, fans have taken to social media to praise the wrestler for his strength amid adversity.

One fan took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to commemorate the WWE champions cancer update, saying, “Roman Reigns is STILL taking oral medication for Leukemia and will forever be immunocompromised.

“Roman Reigns could stop wrestling today and be financially set/go down as one of if not the greatest EVER, yet he chooses to stay and elevate. THIS IS MY CHAMPION #WWEOnAE.”

Roman Reigns is STILL taking oral medication for Leukemia and will forever be immunocompromised.

Roman Reigns could stop wrestling today and be financially set/go down as one of if not the greatest EVER, yet he chooses to stay and elevate.

THIS IS MY CHAMPION ☝🏾#WWEOnAE pic.twitter.com/6w6VWxrka3

— ⭕️ (@TeeStonee) April 1, 2024

Another fan wrote, “Damn…Roman Reigns is on that oral medication to this day. As someone who has psoriasis, an autoimmune disease and uses medication that can weaken my immune system and having to work everyday to work around that?

“I can’t even IMAGINE how it is to wrestle, travel and keep up his physique while on the cancer medication he is on. My respect level just went up for him for him exponentially.”

Reigns first was diagnosed with CML when he was just 22 years old, in 2008. Then the disease came back in October 2018 and Reigns announced he was in remission once again in 2019.

He previously told Moffitt Cancer Center’s Endeavor, “Thank God everything played out the way it did, but yeah, I mean it’s been challenging, but I always feel very fortunate, as you know.

“I think of all the cancers, the process of blood cancer, where we are with research and the development of the medications, it really puts us ahead of the eight ball and it allows us to continue to still live very full lives and carry out our dreams.”

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When asked during Reigns’ A&E special, “Who is Roman Reigns?” the iconic WWE star replied, “Who is Roman Reigns? Well that depends on the perspective. That depends on how you relate to me. How I affect your life.

“But down to the core of it … I’m just a young man addicted to greatness.”

What Is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia?

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), also known as chronic myelogenous leukemia, is a type of cancer of the white blood cells. In CML, blast cells (or immature white blood cells) form and uncontrollably multiply and divide. This change in cells creates an abnormal gene called BCR-ABL, which is responsible for turning healthy cells into CML cells.

As the disease progresses, CML cells crowd out healthy cells and eventually build up and spill over into the blood. CML cells can also land in other areas of the body, among them the spleen, intestinal tract, kidneys and lungs. Although CML usually grows fairly slowly, it can also turn into a faster-growing acute leukemia. When this happens, CML may become more difficult to treat.

With early diagnosis and treatment, experts say the prognosis for the disease is very good.

What is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and How is it Diagnosed?

“It’s important for patients diagnosed with CML to understand that their prognosis is quite favorable,” Dr. Jay Yang, hematologist, medical oncologist, and leader of the Hematology Oncology Multidisciplinary Team at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, previously told SurvivorNet.

“With modern treatments, most patients will go on to live healthy and productive lives with a normal life expectancy.”

CML is caused by something called the Philadelphia chromosome, a genetic abnormality discovered in those who suffer from CML in a lab in Philadelphia.

“Having CML is like having your boiler in your house on in the summer. When it’s hot, the boiler should shut off, the thermostat should work, and you shouldn’t have any heat,” explained Dr. Richard Stone, director, translational research, Adult Leukemia Program at Dana Farber told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

“Just like if you’re not infected, your white cells should be normal, they shouldn’t go up, but if the white cells are going up for no darn good reason you probably have a broken thermostat in your white cells, and that’s what the Philadelphia chromosome is.”

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The increased understanding of how that chromosome works has led to multiple breakthroughs in the treatment of CML over the past two decades, so much so that those living with the disease are no different from someone who does not have cancer.

“If you walk in the door with CML today, you have the same natural history as a person the same age as you that doesn’t have CML,” noted Dr. Stone. “In other words, if it’s treated correctly, you don’t die of CML, you don’t need a stem cell transplant. So it’s a pretty, exciting situation.”

RELATED: Will I Need a Stem Cell Transplant for CML and How Do I Find a Match?

There are three phases of CML and the majority of people (~90%) are diagnosed with the slowest-growing phase, known as chronic. “[Chronic phase] is the slowest-moving phase. It’s thought of as the least aggressive and the most indolent,” Dr. Eric Winer, clinical director of adult leukemia at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, tells SurvivorNet.

“There are very specific criteria that make chronic phase … or accelerated phase. Accelerated phase means that there are certain parameters on the blood count that people notice that push you into a different level … The third phase is something known as blast crisis, where it really is more mimicking an acute myeloid leukemia.”

Treatment for Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

The main treatment for CML is targeted cancer drugs (known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors). Other possible treatments include chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant.

Different treatment approaches will be used in different situations:

• Targeted Treatment: For most people, CML is treated with an oral medication, called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). This medication blocks the effects of BCR:ABL1 (the abnormal protein found in people with CML).
• Chemotherapy: These drugs carry toxic substances that inhibit the cancer cells. These are mostly used when TKIs aren’t effective, or they cause intolerable side effects. (ex. Omacetaxine – brand name: Synribo).
• Stem cell transplantation: Also called bone marrow transplantation, this is usually used after the disease stops responding or relapses during treatment with a TKI.
• Symptom control: Certain chemotherapy medications (hydroxyurea, busulfan, or interferon alfa) may be used to reduce symptoms of CML in special circumstances, although they do not cure the disease.

Dr. Javier Pinilla, a hematologist/oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, explains how TKIs are used to treat CML.

Categories of Leukemia

Leukemia is different from other types of cancer because it is not just broken down into stages of severity but into different categories based on the cells that grow into cancer cells and how quickly those cells grow. Leukemia means that one type of white blood cell is growing out of proportion to the others and taking up the body’s resources. A leukemia patient’s bone marrow will become filled with these cancer cells, and that could result in anemia, abnormally low levels of platelets, and white blood cells failing to fight off infections.

There are four basic categories doctors use to identify the different types of leukemia.

• Acute leukemia grows very quickly.
• Chronic leukemia grows more slowly, over several years.
• Lymphoid leukemia grows from lymphoid cells, which produce antibodies and protect against viruses.
• Myeloid leukemia grows from myeloid cells, which is the body’s first defense for bacteria.

Breaking Down Categories of Blood Cancer

Finding Joy Outside of Cancer

When faced with a cancer battle it can be hard to focus on life outside of your disease. But it’s important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.

Determination & Hope Despite Setbacks Prevail in ‘Climbing Blind’

“I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patients are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet. “And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”

RELATED: Stay Positive, It Matters

Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, also advocates for cancer warriors to prioritize their mental health. She noted that emotional well-being has been studied as a factor in patient outcomes.

“We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes,” Dr. Chase told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

What Still Brings You Joy? Your Emotional Health is So Important

“So, working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival,” Dr. Chase explained.

“If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”

She recommends writing down ten things that make you happy and intentionally making the time to do those activities throughout the day.

‘Adversity And The Art of Happiness:’ How Hardship Makes You Even Stronger

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

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