According to a story from USA Today, Mark Hoppus, bass player for the iconic pop-punk band Blink-182, was recently diagnosed with a rare cancer: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. His cancer had advanced to stage 4. While his treatment course is still in the early stages, Mark shared a message of hope to his supporters on Twitter:
“Scans indicate that the chemo is working! I still have months of treatments ahead, but it’s the best possible news.”
About Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), as the name suggests, is a cancer that affects B cells, which are a type of white blood cell. These cells are responsible for producing antibodies. There is a diverse array of different variants and subtypes of this cancer, and it is the most common form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in adults. Although it can occur in children and young adults in the rarest cases, this type of lymphoma primarily affects older people, usually around 70 or older. Symptoms are typical of many lymphomas and include night sweats, fatigue, unexpected weight loss, a noticeable mass in the lymph nodes, and fever. Risk factors include underlying immunodeficiencies and infection from the Epstein-Barr virus and Helicobacter pylori. Occasionally, this lymphoma can transform from other types of blood cancer. Treatment includes chemotherapy, rituximab, stem cell transplantation, and immunotherapy; the five-year survival rate is 58 percent. To learn more about diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, click here.
A Long Road to Recovery
Blink-182 is considered one of the most notable pop-punk bands of the 90s and early 2000s, enjoying considerable mainstream success and having a strong influence over the genre’s sound. Mark is one of the original founding members and the only founding member who is still an official part of the band.
He first revealed his official diagnosis during a July 15th Q & A. He also revealed that his mother successfully staved off diffuse large B-cell lymphoma several years ago. As is commonplace with chemo, Mark hasn’t left his house since treatment began and has been dealing with side effects:
“My white cell count is so low after the chemo that I can’t get sick, and I have to vigilantly take my temperature and make sure I don’t have a fever.”
Overall, Mark remains hopeful that he will be able to recover from the disease successfully.
