College senior battles rare lymphoma, survives after experimental drug and bone marrow transplant

Emma Operacz, a psychology senior at Eastern Michigan University, experienced what she believed to be a urinary tract infection in June 2024, but persistent fever, side pain and extreme fatigue led to a hospital work-up that revealed swollen lymph nodes. After a biopsy, doctors diagnosed her with stage IV ALK-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma affecting younger patients. Initial chemotherapy failed to control the disease, and scans showed spread to her brain, prompting a transfer to the Cleveland Clinic.

On the suggestion of oncologist Deepa Jagadeesh, she received the off-label drug alectinib, which quickly improved her condition, and later underwent a bone-marrow transplant using her sister Sara as a match. Following a 70-day isolation period, she achieved remission, completed her degree in December 2025, and started a graduate program in social work, aiming to help other cancer patients. Follow-up care will continue, with long-term monitoring for relapse.