Medical Breakthrough: Hope for Lymphoma Patients

Treatment

“Good afternoon. My name is Jackie and I am grateful to be standing here as a cancer survivor.”

Jackie Ellis was speaking to a group of BC Cancer Agency doctors, scientists and BC Cancer Foundation donors at the recent announcement of a research breakthrough in lymphoma – the same kind of cancer she had. It was the third major discovery in just over a year by the Agency’s renowned Centre for Lymphoid Cancer, and one which could lead to new treatments for the increasing numbers of people affected by this disease in North America.

Jackie described how her cancer journey began: “After four months of chronic chest tightness, shortness of breath, and a pounding, racing heartbeat, I was diagnosed with lymphoma on Thursday, July 29th, 2010. The next day, I met with a respirologist, a thoracic surgeon, and had a full-body CT scan. On Saturday afternoon, I had a surgical biopsy on my lymph node, followed by a pathology report, confirming a diagnosis of mediastinal diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma.

“On Monday, I had a bone biopsy and by Tuesday, I began my first of six rounds of chemotherapy. All this happened over the August long weekend. I have told this story many times and the response is always, “Wow, that is amazing!”

Like many British Columbians, Jackie wasn’t aware that the BC Cancer Agency is a leading cancer control organization, with the best cancer survival rates in Canada and among the best in the world. Or that researchers, oncologists and clinicians all work together within this same organization, where they can collaborate on questions, answers and ideas that shape new research, which in turn leads to new and better treatments.