A teenager has shared how difficult it was to follow the technical language doctors used while discussing a possible cancer diagnosis — until her memory of an episode of Grey’s Anatomy helped her make sense of what she was hearing.
Patrycja Sobanska was 19 when she learned she had an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. She first noticed a pea-sized lump, along with other symptoms that left her worried something more serious could be going on.
After repeatedly visiting her GP and pushing for further checks, she was eventually referred to hospital. But when clinicians explained the lump could be linked to “lymphoma or sarcoma”, Patrycja said the terminology left her unsure what it actually meant — including whether it meant cancer.
In the absence of clear explanations, she said her only reliable point of reference came from an unlikely place: Grey’s Anatomy, the long-running drama set in the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
Patrycja, from Cambridgeshire, England, said: “I was already so emotional because I’ve never been in a hospital overnight by myself and I couldn’t have anyone with me.
“Then when my dad arrived the doctor told us it was either lymphoma or sarcoma. I didn’t know what sarcoma was. I knew what lymphoma was, purely because I’ve watched Grey’s Anatomy.
“So, it kind of clicked in my head, I was like, that’s cancer, isn’t it? My dad and I just kind of paused and were like: ‘What, that’s not possible’. And then I just started bawling my eyes out. I think that was just the normal reaction. I just didn’t know what to do.”
Now 20, she explained that she initially assumed the small lump might be linked to an infection. But after visiting her doctor four times because it wouldn’t disappear — and later developing jaundice, which turned her skin yellow — she was sent to hospital for a CT scan.
By October 2024, Patrycja was diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a fast-growing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Patrycja said: “In the moment I still didn’t know what it was. I asked: ‘So, is that cancer? Have I got cancer?’ but they never said the words: ‘You’ve got cancer’.
“They’ve just kind of beat around the bush. I asked again whether it was cancer and they just told me it was either lymphoma or sarcoma.
“I started Googling because I wasn’t getting the information I needed. When they told me I had lymphoma they said something along the lines of ‘the type of cancer you have isn’t even that bad’. There wasn’t any compassion.
“I think soft skills training is needed.”
She described her early hospital experience as challenging, but said things changed after she was moved to a specialist cancer trust for young people. There, she felt staff took more time to communicate clearly, without leaving her to decode medical terms on her own.
She added: “The doctor that came in the first day I was there explained everything to me – he was absolutely brilliant.
“I was treated with R-CHOP, which is a type of chemotherapy combination used to treat types of lymphomas. It’s a combination of five drugs, one being a steroid, another being targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and the red devil chemotherapy.
“One of the Junior Sisters working on the day unit, Sandra, would always explain all of the chemotherapy and treatments I was having on the ward. It didn’t matter if it was my first time having chemo or my last, she remembered to take me through every step every time to ensure I was comfortable.”
Following treatment, Patrycja’s cancer is now in remission.
Dr Louise Soanes, Chief Nurse at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “The way in which we talk about and explain cancer is so important, but it’s a difficult subject and can be incredibly challenging.
“However, one conversation can change everything for a young person. The right words at the right time can make all the difference – and we must all do our best to get it right.”
DLBCL is a less common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that begins in the lymphatic system and can progress rapidly. Because it can worsen quickly, new or persistent symptoms should be discussed with a healthcare professional.
A key warning sign is a painless swelling — often appearing in the neck, armpit, or groin — caused by an enlarged lymph node, which can increase in size quickly.
Other possible symptoms include night sweats and fevers that come and go. Some people also experience unexplained weight loss, sometimes around 10 percent of their body weight.
DLBCL can also affect areas outside the lymphatic system, which may lead to different symptoms depending on where it develops. For example, Cancer Research UK notes that if it involves the abdomen it may cause stomach pain and diarrhoea.
In some cases, symptoms can appear and intensify over just a few weeks.