As a physician watching the NBA Finals tonight, I can’t help but have a HUGE smile on my face as I watch Craig Sager do what he loves best. It was a grand gesture by ESPN and TNT to allow Sager to take some time off from active chemotherapy as he continues to FIGHT for his life.
Sager started his career as a sports reporter in 1972 interviewing Hank Aaron after Hank hit his historic 715th homerun. In 1999, Sager began his career as an NBA analyst. However he never had a chance to be a reporter in the NBA Finals.
You may not have noticed because he looks so well on television but he is FIGHTING for his life right now getting active chemotherapy treatments. In fact his platelet levels are so low he requires regular platelet infusions to prevent his body from bleeding internally. Last night will be something he will cherish for the rest of his life.
Craig Sager has endured a 2 year battle with a blood cancer known as Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). This cancer is one of the worst cancers known to oncologists (cancer doctors). Around 20,000 patients are diagnosed with this cancer annually in the United States and 10,000 or so die from this horrible cancer. In fact only 25% of patients with this cancer live more than 5 years.
AML is caused by abnormal white blood cells (myeloblasts) that overpopulate the bone marrow. These cancer cells crowd out normal blood cells that are normally formed in our bone marrow such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and cells that make platelets. Therefore the body makes less red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Patients end up with Anemia (low amount of red blood cells), Leukopenia (low amount of white blood cells can lead to infections), and thrombocytopenia (low amount of platelets that can lead to bleeding).
AML can be highly treatable with medications known as chemotherapy and a medical procedure known as an allogeneic stem cell transplant.
The key prognostic factor is how long does a patient stay in remission after the transplant. The longer (in months) a patient has no leukemia cells in his blood or bone marrow after an allogenic stem cell transplant the better the prognosis.
Unfortunately, Craig Sager’s cancer returned after a stem cell transplant in only a couple months after treatment.
After knocking down the cancer cells again with a 2nd round of chemotherapy over couple months, Craig underwent a 2nd allogeneic transplant.
Everyone in the sports world was hopeful that Craig would stay in long term remission.
On March 2016, Craig notified everyone that his leukemia came back a third time.
Craig is fighting for his life right now. He is currently on a clinical trial at one of the premier cancer centers in America. He is getting active treatment and took time off to be a reporter for Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Once the Finals are over, Craig Sager will continue his FIGHT.
I hope that his current treatment can put him back into a remission so he can have a third allogeneic transplant.
A third allogenic transplant is his ONLY chance for a cure.
It will be a tough fight to endure another tough transplant but that is his only chance to live.
His fight continued last night in the the city known as Comeback City. After the game, LeBron was not only happy to win Game 6 but also to see Sager doing what he does best.
We are all hoping that Craig Sager will receive another allogeneic transplant so he will make another NBA comeback. #SagerStrong