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From good news for a rock star to the deaths of stage and screen stars, here’s what’s happening in the cancer space this week.
Mike Peters of the Alarm in remission after clinical trial.
Mike Peters of the Alarm is in complete remission from Richter’s Syndrome after participating in the phase 2 STELLAR clinical trial. Photo courtesy of Mike Peters.
Mike Peters, frontman of Welsh rockers The Alarm, is in remission from Richter’s Syndrome after participating in a clinical trial.
The BBC reported that Peters, 65, underwent treatment at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, England. Peters canceled an American concert tour earlier this year after receiving a diagnosis of Richter’s Syndrome in April.
Peters — who, with The Alarm, has sold more than 5 million albums and charted 17 Top 50 singles in the United Kingdom — received a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1995, then chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 2005, which relapsed in 2015 and again in 2022.
Peters, according to a news release, participated in the phase 2 STELLAR trial, during which he was treated with the targeted therapy Calquence (acalabrutinib) and chemotherapy.
Peters plans to undergo a stem cell transplant once a matching donor can be identified.
“The transplant team at the Christie are now searching the international registries to find the right person to match with me, and as soon as that identification has been made, then I could be called into hospital to begin the conditioning process at any minute,” Peters said in a statement on his website. “In the way that someone out there in the world and unknown to me, is going to help save my life, it’s still not too late to register yourself on to the registry and save a life.”
About Metastatic Melanotic Peripheral Nerve Sheath Sarcoma, according to the Mayo Clinic:
Tony-winning Broadway star Gavin Creel died on Sept. 30 at the age of 48. In July, Creel had received a diagnosis of metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which noted that he had received treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City before transitioning to home hospice care.
Creel, who won a Tony for his work in the 2017 revival of “Hello, Dolly!” was known for his performances in “Hair,” “Into the Woods” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” He was also the co-founder of the nonprofit organization Broadway Impact, which raised money for awareness of LGBTQ+ issues, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
In a post to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Creel’s “Hello, Dolly!” co-star Bette Midler referred to the late actor as “radiant” and “beloved by the Broadway community.”
“I looked forward to working with him every single night,” Midler wrote. “He was fantastic. I can’t believe he’s gone. What a loss.”
“Confessions of a Shopaholic” author Sophie Kinsella, who revealed earlier this year that she had received a diagnosis of the brain cancer glioblastoma in 2022, has written a novella inspired by her cancer journey, “What Does It Feel Like?” which will be released via Dial on Oct. 8.
Kinsella’s new work, according to a profile in the New York Times, is the story of a successful novelist and mother with cancer.
“The title guided me,” Kinsella told the Times. “The irony is that I’ve had this incredibly fortunate life. I’ve had an ability to write and I’ve been able to have children and I met the love of my life at college and it’s all fallen into place so brilliantly until, boom, the hammer blow of fate. I could see that would be the narrative.”
Actor Drake Hogestyn, known as John Black on NBC’s soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” has died of pancreatic cancer. He was 70 years old.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,” said a statement his family shared with the show’s official Instagram account. “He was thrown the curve ball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones. He was the most amazing husband, father, papa and actor. He loved performing for the ‘Days’ audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business. We love him and we will miss him all the ‘Days of our Lives.’”
“Beverly Hills Cop” movie actor John Ashton died of cancer on Sept. 26 of cancer, although his cancer type was not disclosed.
"However, it was his work as an actor/entertainer in theater, film and television where his skill and dedication were most clearly demonstrated. John devoted his career to honing his craft and bringing characters to life on the screen," his obituary stated. "His presence will be greatly missed."
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