The sudden news that 'national actor' Ahn Sung-ki closed his eyes on the 5th swept Japan into a mourning atmosphere. Japanese media rushed to report the obituary of the giant, and tributes poured in the comments. Articles, including Yahoo Japan News, had many comments wishing for the peace of Ken Takakura.
Ken Takakura is a talented actor who starred in the film 'The Railway Man', which is being re-released domestically on the 7th, and won awards such as the Montreal International Film Festival and the Japan Academy Best Actor Award. Coincidentally, he also passed away from the malignant lymphoma that Ahn Sung-ki suffered from. Both 'Korean and Japanese national actors' have fallen victim to this disease.
Ahn Sung-ki was diagnosed with 'Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma', a type of malignant lymphoma, in 2019. At one point, it seemed that the cancer cells had disappeared, but during follow-up observation, the disease recurred. After continuing his battle with the disease, he ultimately passed away after struggling in the intensive care unit of Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul due to food getting stuck in his esophagus.
Blood cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system, among which lymphoma is a cancer characterized by the abnormal overgrowth of lymphatic tissue cells. Lymphoma is one of the representative blood cancers along with leukemia and multiple myeloma, and it accounts for more than 50% of the incidence rate among blood cancers. According to data from the Central Cancer Registry in 2024, there were a total of 6,447 cases of malignant lymphoma reported in the country (as of 2022), accounting for 2.3% of all cancer cases.
Malignant Lymphoma That Has Taken the Lives of Famous People at Home and Abroad
Lymphoma is divided into Hodgkin lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma based on the type of tissue. The 'Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma' that Ahn Sung-ki suffered from is a disease that affects more than 90% of lymphoma patients. The number of new cases worldwide exceeds 500,000 annually, indicating a high incidence rate.
Many famous people at home and abroad have also lost their lives to lymphoma. Abroad, Ken Takakura battled this disease and passed away in 2014 at the age of 83. Additionally, British actor Andy Whitfield, who starred in the first season of the American drama 'Spartacus', and Bob Ross, the American painter well-known for 'Isn't it easy?', also died from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
In Korea, following actor Ahn Sung-ki, model Kim Seong-chan, who appeared on 'Challenge Supermodel Korea Season 5' last November, and beauty creator YouTuber Dawn (real name Lee Jeong-joo) passed away from lymphoma in May 2021.
Lymphoma, No Longer a Rare Cancer
When diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, and groin, night sweats, weight loss, and fatigue may appear. Hodgkin lymphoma has similar symptoms to Non-Hodgkin lymphoma but generally has a higher cure rate.
On the other hand, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is classified as a disease that is not easy to prevent and treat due to the variety of subtypes and their corresponding prognoses compared to Hodgkin lymphoma. The incidence of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma tends to increase with age, while Hodgkin lymphoma is known to have a higher incidence in individuals in their 20s to early 30s and those over 65.
The exact cause of lymphoma has not yet been clearly identified. Professor Kim Dae-sik of the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Korea University Guro Hospital stated, "Some studies have indicated that (lymphoma) is associated with genetic diseases, autoimmune diseases, HIV infection or immunosuppression due to the use of immunosuppressants, and infections from certain viruses and bacteria," adding, "Currently, it is analyzed to occur due to complex causes."
Lymphoma presents a variety of symptom manifestations, making self-diagnosis difficult. Therefore, if swollen lymph nodes persist or if there is rapid weight loss, fever, and sweating, it is advisable to suspect lymphoma and undergo testing. Experts recommend that for an accurate diagnosis of lymphoma, a complete excision of the lymph nodes and a biopsy should be performed.
Meanwhile, Ahn Sung-ki donated 100 million won to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital in October 2021 for economically disadvantaged patients. It is reported that after the recurrence of lymphoma, he often visited Soonchunhyang University Hospital near his home, as well as Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, where his attending physician, Professor Jo Seok-gu of the Hematology Department, was located.
