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Dancer's Rare Cancer Missed as 'Sports Injury'
14 Apr
Summary
- A 21-year-old dancer was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Her symptoms, including a 13.5cm tumor, were initially dismissed as injury.
- After months of treatment, Phoebe was declared cancer-free in February 2024.
A 21-year-old dancer, Phoebe Jablonski, faced a devastating diagnosis of stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma when what she believed to be a sports injury revealed a significant tumor.
For months, Jablonski endured worsening shoulder pain, attributing it to her demanding dance schedule. Doctors initially suspected a rotator cuff tear or frozen shoulder.
However, a scan in November 2023 revealed a 13.5cm tumor on her scapula. The subsequent diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer typically affecting older adults, came as a profound shock.
Her symptoms included persistent pain and an unusual reaction to alcohol, which can sometimes be linked to related blood cancers. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a group of blood cancers affecting lymphocytes, with symptoms varying widely.
Jablonski underwent six rounds of chemo-immunotherapy, experiencing severe side effects. Despite the challenges, she was declared cancer-free in February 2024 and has been in remission since.
Reflecting on her journey, Jablonski identified missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis, including lumps on her forehead initially dismissed as benign cysts. She advocates for young people to take their symptoms seriously.
