Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) Patient Stories

Diffuse large b-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a common subtype of b-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and is usually an aggressive cancer, one that progresses quickly.

Explore below to hear DLBCL patient stories and experiences. Our community members share their first symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, how they made treatment decisions, their entire treatment experience, recovery, and navigating quality of life issues.

Table Of Contents

DLBCL General Information
DLBCL Patient Stories

DLBCL General Information

First Symptoms

Commonly reported first symptoms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in general include, but are not limited to:

Swollen or enlarged lymph nodes
Sudden and/or acute weight loss
Appetite loss
Night sweats
Extreme fatigue
Fever
Unexplained itchiness

Patient Stories on Symptoms

How I Knew I Had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Explore patient stories on the first signs they knew something was wrong.

Treatment

The most common treatment for DLBCL is a four-drug chemotherapy regimen, known as CHOP:

C – Cyclophosphamide
H – Doxorubicin Hydroxydaunomycin
O – Vincristine Sulfate (Onvocin)
P – Prednisone

Oftentimes, it’s combined with a monoclonal antibody known as rituximab or Ritxuan, known altogether as R-CHOP.

One alternative chemo regimen is dose-adjusted or DA-R-EPOCH:

R – Rituximab
E – Etoposide Phosphate
P – Prednisone
O – Vincristine Sulfate (Oncovin)
C – Cyclophosphamide
H – Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (Hydroxydaunorubicin)

Patient Stories on Treatments

Patient Stories with R-EPOCH

Hear from patients on their R-EPOCH chemotherapy regimen experiences.

DLBCL Patient Stories

Hear From DLBCL Patients

Lena V., Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), Stage 1

Symptoms: Blood in urine
Treatment: Surgery, chemotherapy (R-CHOP), radiation

Leanne T., Follicular Lymphoma Transformed to DLBCL, Stage 3B

Symptoms: Fatigue, persistent cough
Treatment: R-CHOP chemotherapy, 6 rounds

Kris W., Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), Stage 4

Symptoms: Pain in the side of the abdomen
Treatment: R-CHOP chemotherapy

Jonathan S., Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), Stage 4

Symptoms: Severe shoulder pain
Treatment: 6 rounds of R-CHOP chemotherapy, 10 rounds of methotrexate, 12 rounds of focal radiation, autologous stem cell transplant

Harriet C., Diffuse Large B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (DLBCL) Symptoms: Weight loss, difficulty walking, stomach pain, feeling unwell Treatment: Chemotherapy, EPOCH, methotrexate

Erin R., DLBCL & Burkitt Lymphoma, Stage 4

Symptoms: Lower abdominal pain, blood in stool, loss of appetite
Treatment: Chemotherapy (Part A: R-CHOP, HCVAD, Part B: Methotrexate, Rituxan, Cytarabine)

Quality of Life Topics

Fertility Preservation

Fertility preservation is not always an option for cancer patients, but when treatments like chemotherapies are involved, our community members recommend that you ask about it. This includes procedures like egg retrieval and freezing, as well as sperm banking.

Exercise for DLBCL Management: Expert Insights from Dr. Joshua Brody

Dive into the valuable benefits of exercise for DLBCL patients and provide practical tips to help integrate physical activity into your daily life.

Fertility Preservation & Cancer Treatments

Read patient stories on how they approached fertility preservation after a cancer diagnosis.

Patient Details Egg Retrieval Before Cancer Treatment

A detailed look at the egg harvesting and retrieval from a cancer patient who went through the process before starting chemotherapy.

Hair loss

Hair loss, often experienced after chemotherapy, is one of the first things that comes to mind for many patients when they first hear a cancer diagnosis.

Dealing with Hair Loss

Patients describe on how they managed through losing their hair after cancer treatments.

Financial toxicity

Trying to deal with a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming enough, but for many patients and their families, there’s the added stress of trying to figure out how to pay for cancer treatment.