Woman, 21, Misdiagnosed With Urinary Tract Infection Before Finally Getting Blood Cancer Diagnosis Advocating for Yourself Can Save Your Life

Jennings is fortunately at the tail-end of her cancer journey. It began several months ago when she developed a cough that wouldn't go away. Then she found a lump above her collarbone that was painful to touch.

She went to see her doctor who ended up diagnosing her with a urinary tract infection (UTI). A UTI occurs when "bacteria, often from the skin or rectum, enter the urethra, and infect the urinary tract," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When it Comes to Health, Push for Answers

However, as symptoms continued to plague Jennings, she went back to the doctor to seek more testing. After a week of tests, her doctors diagnosed her with stage 3B Hodgkin lymphoma this past January.

The cancer was also found in her neck, chest, stomach, and pelvis.

Her doctor told her she had, "swollen lymph nodes all throughout [her] stomach and fluid on [her] heart," Jennings said.

"It was a complete shock when he mentioned my heart," she continued.

"Adult Hodgkin lymphoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lymph system," according to the National Cancer Institute. During Stage 3, the cancer is found "in groups of lymph nodes" above and below the diaphragm or above the diaphragm and in the spleen.

Jennings underwent chemotherapy which uses drugs designed to destroy cancer cells. Jennings says her treatment has lasted for five months so far and she's been told her cancer is "almost gone" and won't require surgery.

Understanding Blood Cancer like Hodgkin Lymphoma

Blood cancer isn't a single disease, but a collection of more than 100 different cancers. Doctors categorize blood cancers into types, based on where they start. The different types of blood cancer have some features in common, but they differ in other ways.

Your blood is made up of different kinds of cells:

• Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body
• Platelets help your blood clot after you're injured
• White blood cells help your immune system fight infections

All of these cells start out as immature cells, called stem cells, in the bone marrow. Then they mature into fully functional blood cells.

When you have blood cancer, your blood cells either don't mature fully, or there are too many of them. The cells involved in blood cancer are almost always white blood cells.

Lymphoma is one of the three main types of blood cancer. Leukemia is another type of blood cancer. It is a cancer of the early cells in the bone marrow that grows into white blood cells impacting the body's ability to fight infections. Multiple myeloma is the remaining blood cancer type. It starts in plasma cells but when these cells turn cancerous the body cannot make as many antibodies.

Lymphoma is a cancer of your immune system. It starts in a specific kind of white blood cell called the lymphocyte. These cells are part of the body's lymphatic system which is a network of vessels and nodes that collect fluid, waste, and germs like bacteria and viruses. This system drains excess fluid and waste from your tissues and drains them into your bloodstream. It also produces disease-fighting white blood cells that defend your body against infections.

It's important to remember that, unlike other types of cancers, lymphoma is not one cancer, but an umbrella term that encompasses several different types. Knowing which kind of lymphoma you have is important as you and your doctor plan your treatment.

"I always advise that people understand their specific type of lymphoma because there are over 40 different types," Dr. Elise Chong, medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, told SurvivorNet in a previous conversation.

Dr. Elise Chong explains that there are many different types of lymphoma.

The two main lymphoma types are Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Within each of these two types are several more subtypes.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the more common of the two types. It affects white blood cells called B-cells and T-cells. People with Hodgkin lymphoma have too many large abnormal cells called Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells.

Symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma may include:

• Painless, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin.
• Fever
• Night sweats.
• Unexplained weight loss
• Itchy skin
• Fatigue

Advocating for Your Health

Patients advocating for their health can lead to better patient outcomes. This is especially important when you find your doctor has misdiagnosed your symptoms. Jennings realized a UTI likely wasn't the culprit to her lingering symptoms and fortunately, she pushed for more answers.

A component of advocating for yourself in healthcare includes going back to the doctor multiple times and even getting multiple opinions.

Dr. Steven Rosenberg is the National Cancer Institute Chief of Surgery, and he previously told SurvivorNet about the advantages of getting input from multiple doctors.

 

Cancer research legend urges patients to get multiple opinions.

"If I had any advice for you following a cancer diagnosis, it would be, first, to seek out multiple opinions as to the best care. Because finding a doctor who is up to the latest of information is important," Dr. Rosenberg said.

Questions for Your Doctor

If you find yourself experiencing unusual symptoms such as a lingering cough or a part of your body that's painful to touch, these are things you should bring to your doctor's attention.

Here are some takeaways to think about when talking to your doctor.

• Are you experiencing pain or fever that won't go away?
• Are you gaining or losing weight unexplainably?
• Have you discovered any bumps, spots on your skin, or lumps on parts of your body that cannot be explained?
• Are you struggling to get a good night's rest?
• Are you noticing changes in your bathroom habits such as blood in your urine or stool?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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