{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"174: John Walker Pattison survived hodgkin lymphoma and bladder cancer | vincristine | prednisolone | mitomycin | cystoscopy","description":"John Walker Pattison is still with us despite two protracted battles with cancer.  He was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma in 1975 and relapsed three times.  Then in 2018, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer, a diagnosis after which he relapsed once.  After his lymphoma diagnosis, treatment included an aggressive chemotherapy regimen, which included nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisolone.  John said effects from the chemo hampered his fight with bladder cancer and still affect him today, although his urinary function is just fine.    John was in his late teens when he began to experience fatigue, night sweats, recurring cough and weight loss, among other symptoms.  He was doing heavy lifting in the shipbuilding business, had difficulty at work and one day on the job he collapsed.  Realizing he needed medical attention, he underwent scans and biopsies, and they led to a diagnosis of Stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma.  He was told his chances of recovery were slim.   In May 1975, his care team prescribed a chemotherapy cocktail of nitrogen mustard, prednisolone, procarbazine and vincristine, which only added to a high degree of fear he had for his future.    Things went from bad to worse when he was informed that the chemo regimen didn\u2019t work and he relapsed.  In April 1976, he was put on a different regimen with cyclophosphamide taking the place of nitrogen mustard.  That, too, was ineffective, resulting in another relapse.  In December of that year, his care team tried radiotherapy, again with no success.    In April 1977, John went on a regimen of palliative chemotherapy, with single agent vinblastine.  On a subsequent visit, his oncologist raised his arms in triumph and shocked John by telling him he was cancer free.   John Walker Pattison thought cancer was in his rear-view mirror, but in 2018, while traveling by air, he discovered blood in his urine.  He was a health care professional and immediately knew something was wrong.  Again seeking medical attention, he was diagnosed with Grade II Transitional Cell Bladder Carcinoma.  He underwent surgery, followed by bladder installation of mitomycin chemotherapy.  That was followed by transurethral laser ablation in 2020.  Not long after that procedure, again, John was told he was cancer free.   John Walker Pattison enjoys normal urinary function, but says he will be dealing with the side effects of the chemotherapy and radiotherapy he underwent in the seventies.   That said, John wants to help others diagnosed with cancer.  He has written a book, \u201cShadow of a Survivor,\u201d which he hopes will be a source of hope and inspiration.   Additional Resources:   John\u2019s Book, \u201cShadow of a Survivor,\u201d available on Amazon John's Website, https:\/\/www.johnpattison.co.uk   ","author_name":"Cancer Interviews","author_url":"http:\/\/cancerinterviews.com","html":"