Updated October 29th, 2020

Lymphoma Takes Spotlight as “Big Lebowski” Legend Jeff Bridges, 70, Says He’s Starting Treatment to Fight This Complex Cancer

Actor Jeff Bridges shared he has been diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. This disease is more complex than one might think, and SurvivorNet breaks it down.

Shelby Black

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Jeff Bridges' Diagnosis

Actor Jeff Bridges just announced he’s been diagnosed with lymphoma, and is starting treatment.
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer, and is broken up in two categories: Hodgkin Lymphoma and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
The main difference between the two diseases is whether the Reed-Sternberg cell is present, which is a giant cell derived from B lymphocytes.

Golden Globe winner Jeff Bridges, 70, just shared he’s been diagnosed with lymphoma, and starting treatment. It’s one of a 100 different types of blood cancers, and although we don’t know the exact type of lymphoma Bridges is facing, SurvivorNet is breaking down the complexities of the disease.

Bridges, who played beloved “The Dude” of The Big Lebowski, broke the news about his lymphoma diagnosis through social media, and managed to bring a little light to the situation. He shared that he’s immediately starting treatment and his doctors informed him that his prognosis is promising.

“As the Dude would say.. New S**T has come to light,” Bridges wrote. “I have been diagnosed with Lymphoma. Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good. I'm starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery…I'm profoundly grateful for the love and support from my family and friends. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.”

As the Dude would say.. New S**T has come to light.
I have been diagnosed with Lymphoma. Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good.
I’m starting treatment and will keep you posted on my recovery.
— Jeff Bridges (@TheJeffBridges) October 20, 2020

What is Lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system, and is just one of 100 different types of blood cancers which affects nearly 200,000 Americans every year. The disease begins in a specific kind of white blood cell called a lymphocyte, which are part of the body's lymphatic system. In cases of lymphoma, the lymphocytes multiply and build up in the lymph nodes and other tissues. As they multiply and create an abnormal number of white blood cells, it's more difficult for your immune system to launch an effective attack against invading germs leaving the body prone to infections and other illnesses.

“One of the best ways to wrap your head around lymphoma is is thinking about the different ways we categorize lymphoma and how we as doctors approach lymphoma,” Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, tells SurvivorNet. “It really helps better understand the literature and better understand what you should specifically be reading about.”

Two Main Types of Lymphoma

What makes lymphoma particularly complex is that it’s broken up in two main categories: Hodgkin Lymphoma and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Of the two, non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is the more common type of lymphoma, but Hodgkin Lymphoma is considered more treatable. So far, there’s been no word which type of lymphoma Bridges has been diagnosed with, but there’s one important difference between the two.

In order to conclude whether you have Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, doctors will examine the white blood cells linked to the disease. If they are unable to detect the Reed-Sternberg cell (a giant cell derived from B lymphocytes), then it is classified as non-Hodgkin. If the cells are present, then it is classified as Hodgkin.

Dr. Elise Chong explains why your type of lymphoma matters

How is Blood Cancer Different?

Blood cancer isn’t like other types of cancer. While you may assume that the disease is diagnosed through a blood test, that’s not always the case. In cases of lymphoma, doctors take a biopsy of a little bit of your tissue and will examine it. Then, they may need to take an x-ray in order to examine the body even more.

Unlike other types of cancer such as breast, lung, or prostate where the disease starts in that part of the body blood cancer typically starts in the bone marrow. This is the spongy tissue inside some of your bones, where blood is made. Blood cancers disrupt the process of creating red and white blood cells or platelets. Often, this causes white blood cells to grow out of control. Once this happens, this stops your blood from fighting infections and preventing uncontrollable bleeding.

“One cell got really selfish, and decided that it needed to take up all the resources of everybody else,” Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist at the Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinic for UCSF, tells SurvivorNet. “In doing so took up space and energy from the rest of the body.”

Even though every type of blood cancer is different, there are some common symptoms: