Legendary Korean actor Ahn Sung Ki has passed away at the age of 74. His death has been confirmed by his agency Artist Company. According to KBS World, Ahn was rushed to a hospital on Tuesday (December 30) after collapsing while choking on food at his home and had been receiving treatment since. Ahn Sung Ki was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2019. After treatment, he was declared cancer-free in 2020, but the disease came back, and a relapse was discovered in a regular checkup after 6 months. The acting icon’s battle with blood cancer sheds light on the relapse risks of cancer.
Why some cancers return
According to the US National Cancer Institute, recurrent cancer starts with cancer cells that the first treatment didn’t fully remove or destroy. This means that a small number of cancer cells survived the treatment and were too small to show up in follow-up tests.
How common is blood cancer relapse
For blood cancer, especially leukemia, relapses are not ‘uncommon’. According to a medically reviewed article from Healthline, the likelihood that an individual will have a relapse can vary based on the type of leukemia. For example:
- For acute lymphocytic leukemia, about 10 to 20 percent of people have a relapse. This typically happens within 2 years of initial treatment.
- For acute myeloid leukemia, About 50 percent of individuals experience a relapse.This can happen anywhere between several months to several years after initial treatment, with most relapses occurring within 2 to 3 years of initial treatment.
The fear of relapse and the emotional toll
The fear of relapse can fill an individual with a sense of uncertainty. Harvard Medicine notes that the fear of recurrence is a cynical process that involves physical symptoms, emotional distress and behavioral changes.
Treatment after cancer relapse
Mayo Clinic notes that many local and regional recurrences can be cured. Even when a cure isn’t possible, treatment may shrink your cancer to slow the cancer’s growth. This can relieve pain and other symptoms, and it may help you live longer.According to Cleveland Clinic, recurrent cancer treatment varies depending on the situation, and the healthcare provider may:
- Repeat first-line or initial treatment.
- Do surgery to remove new tumors.
- Use different chemotherapy drugs or combinations of drugs.
- Try a different kind of treatment, such as targeted treatments or immunotherapy.
