Sam Neill dies at 78: All about the rare type of lymphoma cancer that he had
The Jurassic Park star's family said his death was sudden and that he remained cancer free
Dubai: Sam Neill, the New Zealand-born actor best known for playing Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park films, died on Monday, July 13, in Sydney, Australia. He was 78.
What his family said
Neill's family have not disclosed what caused his death, but were clear about one thing: it was not his cancer. "It is with immense sadness that the whānau [family] of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia. Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life," the family said in a statement. "The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free."
The family thanked staff at St Vincent's Private Hospital for their care, and asked for privacy while more details are shared in time.
His cancer battle, explained simply
Neill was diagnosed in 2022 with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare and fast moving blood cancer that starts in white blood cells called T-cells. It falls under the wider umbrella of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a group of cancers that begin when white blood cells grow and multiply the way they should not, forming lumps in the lymph nodes or elsewhere in the body.
In simple terms, lymph nodes are small, bean shaped glands in the neck, armpits and groin that normally help fight infection. In this type of lymphoma, those same immune cells turn cancerous instead. Common symptoms include swollen but painless lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, weight loss and skin rashes.
Neill paused acting for treatment after his diagnosis, and said earlier this year that he was cancer free.
Just how rare is it
Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma is genuinely uncommon. It makes up only around 1 to 2 per cent of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases, though it is the second most frequently diagnosed type of T-cell lymphoma specifically. It mostly affects older adults, with most people diagnosed in their 60s, and is rare in younger adults or children.
Doctors do not fully understand what causes it, though it has a strong link to the Epstein-Barr virus, the same virus behind glandular fever, which shows up in the vast majority of cases. It is generally treated with chemotherapy, sometimes alongside steroids or a stem cell transplant, and because it tends to grow quickly, doctors usually recommend starting treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis.
Treatment in the UAE
This type of lymphoma is treated in the UAE, at specialist blood cancer units in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Hospitals including Burjeel, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City and American Hospital Dubai offer chemotherapy, targeted therapy and stem cell transplants for lymphoma patients.
Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi has also introduced CAR T-cell therapy, a newer treatment that reprogrammes a patient's own immune cells to fight cancer, for certain blood cancers including lymphoma.
A career that spanned decades
Beyond Jurassic Park, Neill was known for roles in Andrzej Zulawski's Possession alongside Isabelle Adjani, The Hunt for Red October with Sean Connery, The Piano, Wim Wenders' Until the End of the World, and Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
