The first phase of President David Granger’s medical treatment in Cuba was successfully completed and the Cuban specialists who are overseeing his medical care for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma have expressed their full satisfaction with his response to chemotherapy and his overall physical well-being.
This is according to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency in which it was stated that based on expert evaluation of the President’s medical condition, the Cuban medical specialists have deemed it “no longer necessary in the treatment of the President.”
President David Granger
However, he is expected to commence radiotherapy in April.
On Friday, Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla paid a courtesy call on President Granger and congratulated him on the positive response to the medical treatment. The President’s chemotherapy commenced in November 2018 after he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of cancer which envelopes the lymphatic system. On October 30, 2018, the President and First Lady Sandra Granger travelled to Cuba for him to undergo medical tests after he had complained of feeling unwell. Days later, he was diagnosed with cancer. The President has since reduced his number of public engagements.
According to WebMD, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is cancer that starts in your body’s lymph system. Lymphoma occurs when the lymph node cells or the lymphocytes begin to multiply uncontrollably, producing cancerous cells that have the abnormal capacity to invade other tissues throughout the body.
According to webmd.com, chemotherapy targets cells that grow and divide quickly, as cancer cells do. Unlike radiation or surgery, which target specific areas, chemo can work throughout the body. But it can also affect some fast-growing healthy cells like those of the skin, hair, intestines, and bone marrow.
According to the website, some of the most common side effects of chemotherapy are fatigue, hair loss, easy bruising and bleeding, infection, anaemia (low red blood cell count), nausea and vomiting, appetite changes, and constipation.
Radiation therapy treats cancer by using high-energy waves to kill tumor cells. The goal is to destroy or damage the cancer without hurting too many healthy cells. There’s no way to predict how radiation will affect you. You may have few or only mild side effects from your treatment; someone else may have a lot of problems or very severe ones.
Early side effects, such as nausea and fatigue. Late side effects, such as lung or heart problems, may take years to show up and are often permanent when they do.
The most common early side effects are fatigue and skin problems. You might get others, such as hair loss and nausea, depending on where you get radiation – WebMD
