Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Chuck Pagano has leukemia: An oncologist discusses his prognosis

John Salter, MD
Conditions
October 10, 2012
Share
Tweet
Share

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about Indianapolis Colts’ Head Coach Chuck Pagano lately, so I thought I would dedicate a blog entry to discussing his disease and prognosis.

Coach Pagano was recently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a form of blood cancer that typically carries a rather grim long-term prognosis in adults.  While early reports were quite sketchy on the details of Pagano’s presenting symptoms, it seems that he complained mainly of fatigue and perhaps easy bruising.  Both these symptoms are common manifestations of AML, as the cancer causes declines in healthy blood counts, often leading to anemia (low red blood) and thrombocytopenia (low platelets – this leads to bruising and bleeding).  Pagano was admitted to Indiana University Medical Center where he underwent additional testing and began his initial treatment.

More recent reports have actually shed some important positive light on his diagnosis.  Pagano’s leukemia has been more accurately classified as acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), a rare subtype of AML that accounts for only 5-10% of cases of the disease.  There are roughly 600-800 new cases of APL diagnosed in the US every year, making this one of the more rare cancers seen in clinical practice.  APL is a notoriously aggressive cancer and is generally felt to be fatal within months of diagnosis if left untreated.

Fortunately, APL is also among the more curable forms of acute leukemia seen in adult patients.  Most patients diagnosed with APL are treated with induction chemotherapy, a course of therapy that begins with approximately one week of intravenous drugs administered in a hospital setting.  This potent treatment obliterates the cancer, but takes with it most of the patient’s healthy bone marrow cells.  Patients will then remain in the hospital for several weeks waiting for the recovery of their bone marrow cells before they can be released.  During this time patients will need to stay in isolation to avoid infections, as their immunity is severely compromised from the treatment. They will also require supportive transfusions almost daily until their bone marrow resumes producing blood cells in sufficient number.  Apparently Pagano is currently at this phase of his treatment.

The overwhelming majority (about 80-95%) of APL patients will achieve a complete remission (CR) with induction chemotherapy.  Upon achieving CR, most patients will go on to receive additional chemotherapy (typical less intensive) known as consolidation, followed then by maintenance therapy for a prolonged duration.

Compared with other forms of AML, the survival statistics for APL are very favorable.  Using this modern approach (induction, consolidation, and maintenance), rates of two-year survival range from 69 to 88%, and the likelihood of surviving 10 years ranges from 58 to 85 percent.

I am confident Coach Pagano is receiving the best possible care at Indiana University.   IU is fortunate to have Dr. Larry Cripe, an expert on AML, who is currently overseeing Pagano’s care.  Having trained under Dr. Cripe myself, I have seen firsthand his immense knowledge as well as his profound compassion in his daily commitment to patients with leukemia.  Pagano is undoubtedly in good hands.

I would like to wish Coach Pagano and his family all the best.  Hopefully he can make a speedy, uneventful recovery and return to coaching as soon as he is medically released.

John Salter is a hematologist-oncologist who blogs at SalterMD.com. 

Prev

Reform needs more than expanding health care coverage

October 10, 2012 Kevin 1
…
Next

What EMRs are doing to our notes, and our brains

October 11, 2012 Kevin 8
…

Tagged as: Oncology/Hematology

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Reform needs more than expanding health care coverage
Next Post >
What EMRs are doing to our notes, and our brains

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by John Salter, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Doctors need to be better trained to deliver bad news

    John Salter, MD

More in Conditions

  • Earwax could hold secrets to cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease

    Sandra Vamos, EdD and Domenic Alaim
  • Why male fertility needs to be part of every health conversation

    Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
  • Why health care must adapt to meet the needs of older adults with disabilities

    Lynn A. Schaefer, PhD
  • 4 traits every new attending physician needs to thrive

    Sarah Epstein
  • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

    Pearl Jones, MD
  • Why local cardiac CT scans could save your life

    Benjamin Cohen, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

      Kara Pepper, MD | Physician
    • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

      Anonymous | Education
    • Inside human trafficking: a guide to recognizing and preventing it [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Earwax could hold secrets to cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease

      Sandra Vamos, EdD and Domenic Alaim | Conditions
    • Why male fertility needs to be part of every health conversation

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
  • Recent Posts

    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

      Kara Pepper, MD | Physician
    • Graduating from medical school without family: a story of strength and survival

      Anonymous | Education
    • Inside human trafficking: a guide to recognizing and preventing it [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Earwax could hold secrets to cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease

      Sandra Vamos, EdD and Domenic Alaim | Conditions
    • Why male fertility needs to be part of every health conversation

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Chuck Pagano has leukemia: An oncologist discusses his prognosis
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...