A Survivor Helping Shape The Future Of Cancer Care: Dr. Rosanna Ricafort On Hope, Innovation & Paying It Forward

“I had my own battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and I am proud to say that I am now three years off therapy and in remission,” she adds.

Understanding Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma encompasses a wide range of blood cancers originating in lymphocytes, the immune system’s infection-fighting white blood cells. While all begin in these cells, doctors separate these cancers into types depending on the specific kind of lymphocytes they grow from, B-cells or T-cells.

Once you’ve been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the next question your doctor will want to answer is whether you have B-cell or T-cell lymphoma. That answer is important because it will help determine your treatment.

B-cells and T-cells are both infection-fighting cells, but they work in different ways.

About 85% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas affect B cells. These cells produce antibodies, proteins that react to foreign substances like viruses or bacteria in your body. The antibodies attach to another protein on the surface of the invading cells, called an antigen, to target and destroy them.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment depends on the type, stage, and how fast it grows. People with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma can expect to get a chemotherapy combination called R-CHOP, which is a drug cocktail consisting of chemotherapy drugs plus an antibody drug and a steroid to treat diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

WATCH: Understanding R-CHOP Treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

R-CHOP stands for:

• R: Rituximab (Rituxan) is a monoclonal antibody that attaches to a specific protein called CD20, which sits on the surface of B cells. It targets cancerous cells and destroys them.
• C (cyclophosphamide), H (hydroxydaunomycin or doxorubicin hydrochloride), and O (Oncovin or vincristine sulfate) are all types of chemotherapy drugs.
• P: Prednisone is a steroid that lowers inflammation.

A Journey That Reshaped Her Perspective

For Dr. Ricafort, now a senior leader at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), that journey has reshaped how she sees her work.

“I consider myself extremely fortunate to be in this field,” she reflects. “It’s humbling to have been a physician, a researcher, a drug developer, and now a patient who’s had an aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”

Survival, she emphasizes, is a privilege not everyone receives.

“I can call myself a survivor now, three years out from therapy,” she says. “But I know that there are so many other patients who can’t say that.”

That reality fuels her mission at Bristol Myers Squibb, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible so more people can reach remission and stay there.

“What I’m really excited about at BMS is being able to develop the next generation of standard of care so that more patients can become survivors,” she says.

Expanding Access To Cell Therapy

Dr. Ricafort acknowledges the tremendous progress made in blood cancer treatment, but she’s clear-eyed about the work ahead.

“We certainly have come a long way from standard chemotherapy approaches, but there’s still more to do,” she says. “On the cell therapy side, there’s more to do in terms of being able to bring cell therapy to more patients.”

In order to make these treatments more widely accessible, Dr. Ricafort says, tackling barriers that have historically limited access is key.

“What we’re doing is not only expanding treatment centers, but also developing off-the-shelf technologies, which enable more patients to access the drugs,” she explains. These innovations aim to reduce wait times, simplify logistics, and ensure that lifesaving therapies reach people who need them most.

Expanding the Use of Groundbreaking Cell Therapy Beyond Blood Cancers

The Power Of Education & Advocacy

Scientific innovation is only part of the equation. Equally important is empowering patients and caregivers with clear, trustworthy information — something Dr. Ricafort leaned on heavily during her own cancer journey, and a shared mission SurvivorNet also works towards.

“Having gone through a devastating disease and so many what-ifs and questions — not only for myself but also for my loved ones — it was extremely helpful to have patient advocacy groups disseminate information on the latest clinical trials, side effects, safety, and efficacy of new advances in care,” Dr. Ricafort adds.

When To Consider A Clinical Trial

Part of improving access to care in general lies in improving both awareness and access to clinical trials. In the U.S., all new drugs must go through clinical trials before the FDA approves them. Although the rewards of clinical trials can be great, they also come with risks. Talking to your doctor about this before enrolling in a trial is important.

Some risks to consider include:

• The risk of harm and/or side effects due to experimental treatments
• Researchers may be unaware of some potential side effects
• The treatment may not work for you, even if it has worked for others

If you want to participate in a clinical trial, your first step should be to talk with your doctor. They can address many of your initial questions and help you determine if you would make a good participant.

Another crucial part of clinical trials is finding the right one for you. SurvirorNet has a resource called the Clinical Trial Finder to help with this.

A Survivor’s Mission

Dr. Ricafort’s story is one of science, survival, and service.

Her experience on both sides of the cancer journey gives her a unique perspective about what patients need — and what the future of cancer care must deliver.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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