Back in June, Blink-182 frontman Mark Hoppus revealed that he’d been undergoing treatment for cancer for a few months. Now, six months after his stage IV lymphoma diagnosis, he shared a hopeful update: Hoppus is officially cancer-free and feeling “so blessed.”
“Just saw my oncologist and I’m cancer free!! Thank you God and universe and friends and family and everyone who sent support and kindness and love,” Hoppus wrote on social media. “Still have to get scanned every six months and it’ll take me until the end of the year to feel normal but today is an amazing day and I feel so blessed. Can I get a W in the chat?”
Hoppus, 49, first shared his diagnosis publicly in June of this year, telling his fans bluntly, “For the past three months I’ve been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. I have cancer.” Then in July he gave a few more details about what was going on. He shared that he’d been diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma), that his cancer was stage IV, and that his mother had been successfully treated for the same type of cancer in the past.
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system in the body, such as the white blood cells, spleen, and bone marrow (depending on the specific type of cancer), according to the American Cancer Society. Under normal circumstances, the lymphatic system operates as part of the body’s immune system, which helps fight infections. B-cells are one type of white blood cell, which develops from stem cells found in bone marrow, the National Cancer Institute explains.
Although diffuse large B-cell lymphomas can grow aggressively, they also typically respond well to treatment, the ACS says. And after the initial round of treatment, about 75% of patients won’t show any signs of the disease. Treatment for this type of cancer usually involves several rounds of chemotherapy using a combination of four different drugs. However, the exact treatment regimen depends on factors such as how far the cancer has spread and whether or not the patient has any underlying health conditions (such as a heart condition, which may rule out a particular drug as an option).
But as Hoppus mentioned, it may take time to recover from treatment involving chemotherapy. As of last week, Hoppus said on Instagram that his hair has already started to grow back, and on Twitter that he was able to walk longer distances, and his mood and energy were picking up as well.
Related:
- Mark Hoppus, Frontman for Blink-182, Revealed He Has Cancer
- Mark Hoppus Revealed More Details About His Stage IV Cancer Diagnosis
- SATC Actor Willie Garson Died at 57 After Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis