YouTuber Hank Green reveals he is undergoing treatment after cancer diagnosis
US YouTuber Hank Green has revealed he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, an uncommon form of cancer. The popular content creator, best known for running the Vlog Brothers channel with his sibling, author John Green, posted a video on Friday telling his viewers he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He explained that after discovering his lymph nodes were enlarged, he went to see his doctor who sent him for an ultrasound and biopsy. In the video he said: “Good news and bad news, one it’s cancer, it’s called lymphoma. It’s a cancer of the lymphatic system. “And good news is it’s something called Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It’s one of the most treatable cancers.
“It responds very well to treatment. The goal is cure. The procedure to get there is fairly well known, if unpleasant.
“I have a friend, amazingly enough, who has been through a diagnosis and treatment and remission and is 10 years post with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “It’s been really nice to have that in my back pocket for texting and being like ‘Is this normal? Am I panicking? And please tell me I’m going to be okay’.”
What is Hodgkin’s lymphoma and what are the symptoms?
Hodgkin lymphoma is an uncommon cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, which is a network of vessels and glands spread throughout your body, according to the NHS website.
Swelling, which is typically painless, in a lymph node - usually in the neck, armpit or groin - is the most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma.
The NHS adds that swollen lymph nodes are unlikely to be an indicator of the cancer as these glands often swell in response to infection.
The health service says that some people may have more general symptoms, including:
Night sweats
Unintentional weight loss
A high temperature
A persistent cough or feeling breathless
Itching of the skin all over the body
Other symptoms may depend on where in the body the enlarged lymph glands are, the NHS says, for example if the abdomen is affected you may experience abdominal pain or indigestion.
Some people with lymphoma might have abnormal cells in their bone marrow when they are diagnosed. This might lead to persistent tiredness and fatigue, an increased risk of infections, and excessive bleeding (such as nosebleeds, heavy periods, or spots of blood under the skin).
Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age, but typically affects those aged between 20 and 40, and those over 75. It is slightly more common in men.
Some 2,100 people in the UK are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma each year.
The YouTube star added: “I have a bunk of risk factors for lymphoma including medications I’ve taken, the fact that I have an autoimmune disease, the fact I had mono when I was a kid. “All of these are risk factors so it was something that I was look out for and have been aware of. “I’m glad everyone took it seriously and we got a diagnosis pretty quick.” He later wrote on Twitter to say that he was currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment. He also posted a video on Instagram which he captioned: “Thanks yall. Still doesn’t really feel real but here we are!!”
Due to his recent diagnosis, he will not be attending VidCon, an annual vlogger convention which is being held in Anaheim, California next month. The Green brothers make video blogs on a range of topics from updates on their life to deep dives into various topics for their Vlog Brothers channel, which has more than 3.5 million subscribers. John Green is also a best-selling author with titles including The Fault In Our Stars, Paper Towns and Looking For Alaska, with the former two being adapted into films.
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