Understanding Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- “Full House” star Dave Coulier, 65, has admitted his diagnosis of 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, was “hard to digest” for him and his wife. However, he’s learned that laughter and love have been a powerful tool for helping him cope with cancer.
- The two main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common, and you’re more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55. People usually develop Hodgkin lymphoma at a younger age.
- It’s important to remember that coping with a diagnosis like cancer or other illness is not easy and usually brings a string of emotions, even if it’s a more hopeful scenario. There’s still the stress of juggling appointments and treatment, surgery, recovery time, financial stress, etc.
- After a partner receives a cancer diagnosis, it’s very fair to experience a wide range of emotions like anger, fear, sadness and more, but it’s important to try to do your best to take care of yourself while also prioritizing your partner’s needs. SurvivorNet’s comprehensive mental health guide can help.
Speaking to Blood Health in a recent interview, Coulier addressed how he had been home alone when he received the call from his doctor informing him he had cancer.
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After admitting “it was a lot to digest,” Coulier said, “You never think the word ‘cancer’ is going to apply to you. I had about 15 minutes to collect myself before my wife walked through the door.
“When I told her, it was like I’d punched her in the chest. We just held each other and cried.”
He continued, “Strangely, a calm came over me. I told her, ‘I think there’s a silver lining. Maybe I can help people, encourage them to get early screenings.’ That thought grounded me. If I was going through this, maybe I could make a difference.”
As Coulier continues on his treatment journey, he credits his beloved wife Melissa Bring for her ongoing support and love.
“If love were a drug, it’d be the most powerful one. Friends, family, and even strangers who’d been through the same thing lifted me up. I’m someone who likes doing things on my own, but cancer teaches you to lean on others,” he told Blood Health.
“I heard from so many people who just wanted to share their stories and encourage me. That human connection — the love and kindness — was better medicine than anything I was prescribed.”
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As for his advice to others going through a cancer journey, Coulier reminds anyone reading his story on how important laughter is through hard times.
He explained, “Laughter replenishes your soul. It carries you through dark times and fills your emotional well with good memories to draw from.
“Even in the hardest moments, find reasons to smile.”
Earlier this year, when Coulier and his wife celebrated Valentine’s Day, his wife took to Instagram to also offer some encouraging words.
Bring wrote in her sweet Instagram caption, “Here’’ what we’ve learned during this season of life—self-care doesn’t always look like a spa day or a weekend getaway. Sometimes, it’s about finding small moments of peace in the midst of chaos.
“To anyone in a caregiving role, we want to remind you that self-care can be simple, even during the hardest times. It’s about taking a deep breath of fresh air, letting the sun kiss your skin. It’s enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. It’s allowing yourself to cry when you need to or calling a friend to share the weight. It’s in the hug of a loved one. It’s even dancing around the kitchen while cooking, letting joy sneak in between the hard moments.”
She concluded, “There isn’t always time for grand self-care rituals, and that’s okay. The most important thing is reclaiming the small moments throughout your day—because those are your self-care moments.
“We’ve learned that these moments help shift perspective and make even the hardest days feel a little lighter.”
Dave Coulier’s Cancer Journey
Coulier, a dad of one who is fighting cancer with the support of his caregiving wife Melissa Bring, was diagnosed with stage three non-Hodgkin lymphoma in October.
Since starting chemotherapy, he is set to receive six rounds of chemo every three weeks and complete his treatment in February.
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Speaking exclusively to People about his diagnosis in a recent interview, he explained how he was informed he had cancer following an upper respiratory infection which led to swelling of this lymph nodes.
After the lymph nodes dramatically increased in size, he underwent PET and CT scans, in addition to a biopsy, which led to his diagnosis just three days later.
The type of cancer he was diagnosed with is “very aggressive” and labeled as B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
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He explained, “I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming. This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey.”
As for how he’s feeling emotionally throughout his cancer journey, Coulier said, “When I first got the news, I was stunned, of course, because I didn’t expect it, and then reality settled in and I found myself remarkably calm with whatever the outcome was going to be.
“I don’t know how to explain it, but there was an inner calm about all of it, and I think that that’s part of what I’ve seen with the women in my family go through. They really instilled that in me and inspired me in a way because they were magnificent going through what they went through, and I just thought, ‘I’m okay with this too.'”
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Coulier, who has been coping with cancer by spending time with loved ones and doing things he enjoys, like playing hockey, now insists that others should, “Take great care of yourself, because there’s a lot to live for.
“And if that means talking with your doctors or getting a mammogram or a breast exam or colonoscopy, it can really make a big change in your life.”
Understanding Lymphoma
Dave Coulier is battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma, one of the two most common types of lymphoma. Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system that affects infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. And there are more than 40 different types of lymphoma.
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“Lymphoma is split up into a number of different categories,” Dr. Elise Chong, a medical oncologist at Penn Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet.
“The first distinguishing breakpoint, if you will, is non-Hodgkin lymphoma versus Hodgkin lymphoma,” she added, “and those sound like two different categories. But non-Hodgkin lymphoma comprises the majority of lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma is a single specific type of lymphoma.”
Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells. The presence of these cells, which can be seen under a microscope, will help your doctor determine which of the two lymphoma types you have.
There are a few other important differences between non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin lymphoma to note. For one thing, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is much more common. And you’re more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55. People usually develop Hodgkin lymphoma at a younger age.
Age, Race, and Exposures Might All Factor Into Lymphoma Risk
It should be noted that another difference between these two types of lymphoma is that non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to spread in a random fashion and be found in different groups of lymph nodes in the body, while Hodgkin lymphoma is more likely to grow in a uniform way from one group of lymph nodes directly to another.
These two different types of lymphoma behave, spread and respond to treatment differently, so it’s important for you to know which type you have.
As for treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is what Coulier is fighting and comes in a few different subtypes, knowing which one of these you have can help steer you to the most appropriate treatment for you.
One way doctors divide up these cancers is based on how fast they’re likely to grow and spread. “The two main classifications I think of in terms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma are lymphomas that are more indolent and those that are more aggressive, because those are treated very differently,” Dr. Jennifer Crombie, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, tells SurvivorNet.
Indolent lymphomas grow slowly and often don’t cause any symptoms, so they may not need immediate treatment. At the opposite end of the spectrum are aggressive lymphomas, which grow and spread quickly and need to be treated right away.
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment: Finding the Right Fit for You
Coping With a Diagnosis
It’s important to remember that coping with a diagnosis like cancer or other illness is not easy and usually brings a string of emotions, even if it’s a more hopeful scenario as discussed above. There’s still the stress of juggling appointments and treatment, surgery, recovery time, financial stress, etc.
People can feel angry, sad, or determined, and it’s completely normal. Sarah Stapleton, a licensed clinical social worker, encourages cancer warriors and their families to be “patient with your emotions.”
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“It’s also important that you understand how you communicate with your providers, but also with your loved ones,” Stapleton previously told SurvivorNet.
“We can’t always assume that people know what we need at a given time, and there are going to be times when you don’t want to speak about your diagnosis and you don’t want to speak about cancer.”
Coping When a Partner is Diagnosed With Cancer
After a partner receives a cancer diagnosis, it’s very fair to experience a wide range of emotions. Anger, fear, sadness and anxiety are often a part of the equation, but it’s important to try to do your best to take care of yourself while also prioritizing your partner’s needs. And if you’re looking for some ways to cope, check out these suggestions below:
- Consider seeing a therapist to share the feelings you’re dealing with.
- Openly discuss the diagnosis with your spouse if they are willing to discuss.
- Research the disease and learn about potential treatment paths for your partner.
- Be involved as a caregiver. “I encourage caregivers to come in to visits with my patients, because in that way, the caregiver is also listening to the recommendations what should be done in between these visits, any changes in treatment plans, any toxicities [side effects] that we need to look out for, changes in dietary habits, exercise, etc.,” Dr. Jayanthi Lea, a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
- Think about joining a support group to connect with people in a similar situation.
- Try to stay positive when you can. “The only advice I have for anyone watching this is laugh and laugh often, laugh at yourself. Don’t take yourself seriously. Things are already bad. Because once you do that, it’s a game-changer,” Jesus Trejo, a stand up comedian who took care of his parents during their cancer battles, previously told SurvivorNet.
- Take care of yourself and find ways to express your emotions. “I try to stay strong, but then sometimes you just want to go and cry, and you need to cry; it’s good to cry,” Jayne Wexler, a caregiver who took care of her son when he battled cancer, previously told SurvivorNet
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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