Megan Kampa

I am creating this page to post updates and keep people who are curious in the loop through my cancer journey.  I have had swollen lymph nodes on my neck since May.  I’ve been to see a few different doctors since then and had some tests done…nothing was definitive until the results of my biopsy.  The biopsy was positive for B-cell lymphoma.

I need several more tests to definitively diagnose this (there are many different sub-types of lymphoma and they are treated with different types of chemo).  The oncologist I met with said he feels that this is Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, but we will have to wait and see for sure after some of the tests.  He also described this lymphoma as “aggressive.”  It’s pretty scary to hear that you have an aggressive cancer growing inside of you.  However, he said this actually is a good thing.  Aggressive cancers can be curable, non-aggressive (or slow-growing) cancers are not curable and have a higher recurrence rate.  The hope is that after chemo (and possibly radiation), I will be cured.  The recurrence rate (the chance of the cancer coming back after I’m cured) is actually fairly low.

Within the next week, I will need a PET scan, a bone marrow biopsy, and total lymph node dissection/biopsy (my first biopsy was a fine needle aspiration which isn’t as specific, so they are going to surgically remove an entire lymph node and then they can perform more testing).  Based on the results of these tests, the oncologist will decide which type of chemo will be best for this type of cancer.  The oncologist recommends I start chemo as soon as possible after all of these tests are done; it will likely be within the next few weeks.

I have had an amazing support system and really do appreciate all of the love and support I’ve received so far.  Thank you all who have offered to help me in various ways.  Either myself or a family member will try to keep this page updated throughout the next few months.