Sam Neill Says He’s Cancer-Free After Years-Long Lymphoma Battle
Sam Neill is cancer-free after years of treatment for stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The 78-year-old actor shared the update after saying chemotherapy had stopped working and he later received CAR T-cell therapy.
E! News reported that the Jurassic Park star was diagnosed four years ago with stage 3 blood cancer and said a recent scan showed no cancer in his body. Neill described the result as “extraordinary”.
Variety reported that Neill said chemotherapy had been keeping him alive, but then stopped working. At that point, he said it looked like he was “on the way out,” before turning to a different treatment path.
Page Six reported that Neill later took part in CAR T-cell therapy, a treatment that uses a patient’s own immune cells to help fight cancer. The outlet also noted that his latest scan showed no trace of cancer.
Why fans know Sam Neill
For many people, Sam Neill will always be Dr. Alan Grant from Jurassic Park. That’s the role that made him a household name for a lot of movie fans.
His career runs much deeper, though. Britannica identifies Neill as a New Zealand actor, and he has also appeared in projects such as The Piano, Peaky Blinders, The Hunt for Red October, and Jurassic World Dominion.
What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma?
According to the American Cancer Society, non-Hodgkin lymphoma starts in white blood cells called lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system. It often begins in the lymph nodes or other lymph tissue.
The Mayo Clinic states that non-Hodgkin lymphoma affects the lymphatic system, which helps the body fight infection and disease. There are many types, and treatment depends on the type, where it is, and how aggressive it is.
Why chemotherapy can stop working
Information from the National Cancer Institute shows that many cancer treatments can stop working because cancer cells become resistant. Sometimes this happens because some cancer cells already have changes that make them less sensitive to a drug. Other times, cancer cells adapt during treatment and find ways to escape its effects.
As the American Cancer Society put it, CAR T-cell therapy can be used for some hard-to-treat blood cancers, especially when other treatments are no longer effective. It changes a person’s T cells so they can better recognize and attack cancer cells.
Symptoms worth checking
The Mayo Clinic lists possible non-Hodgkin lymphoma symptoms as swollen lymph nodes, belly pain or swelling, chest pain, coughing, trouble breathing, fever, fatigue, drenching night sweats, unexplained weight loss, itchy skin, and rash.
This doesn’t mean every swollen gland or spell of tiredness is cancer. Not even close. But if any of those symptoms sound familiar, especially if they don’t go away or feel unusual for you, contact a doctor and get checked.
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