Detailed Information on Mantle Cell lymphoma

Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare form of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is a fast growing tumor that spreads fast to different organs of the body. Mantle cell lymphoma can arise at any age from the late 30s to old age, but is more common in the over 50s. Mantle cell lymphoma, like other cancers, is not infectious and cannot be passed on to other people. It is three times more common in men than in women. It affects men much more commonly than women. The male-to-female ratio is 4:1.There is only about 15,000 patients presently in the U.S. (The prevalence seems to be somewhat higher in Europe).

There are no definite risk-factors for getting this lymphoma. The first sign of the condition is frequently a painless swelling in the neck, armpit or groin, caused by enlarged lymph nodes. Frequently more than one group of nodes is affected. The lymphoma may spread to affect various organs in the body, such as the bone marrow, liver or spleen. About 1 in 4 people with mantle cell lymphoma will also have the disease in the stomach or bowel. Some people experience a loss of appetite and tiredness. Other symptoms may comprise night sweats, unexplained high temperatures, fever, heavy night sweats and weight loss.

Mantle cell lymphoma is common for a person to have primary regarded” a bump" on the neck or in the armpits or groin. There are no established average of treatment for MCL, and not even consensus among specialists on how to treat it optimally. There are four classes of treatments currently in general use: chemotherapy, immune based therapy, radio immunotherapy and new biologic agents. Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy is administered in the form of injections or drips in the veins over a few hours to few days. It is the most commonly used treatment for mantle cell lymphoma.

Biological therapy has been tried effectively in various forms of lymphoma. It includes injections of special molecules called monoclonal antibodies that target cancer cells based on special markers on their surface. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that is broadly used in many types of Non-hodgkin lymphoma. It can have good activity against MCL alone but especially in combination with chemotherapies to prolong response duration. A bone marrow or stem-cell transplant after chemotherapy may be an option for young individuals who have a matched donor.

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