More than likely you know someone who has had cancer. Did you realize that all forms of cancer are not the same? Some cancers start as solid tumors (masses) in specific organs like the breast, colon, pancreas, prostate, or uterus. Other types of cancers include blood cancers or cancers present in the body fluids.
Lymphomas are the most common type of blood cancer.1 There are two main types of lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) refers to a group of about 86 types of lymphomas that affect the B-cells of your immune system.2-4 The other type, Hodgkin lymphoma is treated differently.
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare form of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Only about 5% of all lymphomas are mantle cell lymphomas. Although this form of cancer is rare, it is important because it is difficult to treat, it spreads throughout the body quickly, and generally when it is diagnosed it has already spread in the lymph nodes, bone marrow, and the spleen.5,6 In this article we will discuss mantle cell lymphoma, what makes it significant, and how it progresses.
What is Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL)?
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare, aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a group of cancers that affect the lymphatic system.6 The lymphatic system is an important part of the immune system that helps protect your body against infection and disease. MCL starts in the white blood cells in your lymph nodes.7,8 It often starts slow and becomes more aggressive over time.
MCL is known to affect more males than females; men or individuals designated male at birth are 3x more likely to develop the disease.8 If you have MCL, abnormal uncontrolled growth of cancerous cells in your lymphatic system may cause your lymph nodes to become enlarged. Cancer of the lymph may spread to other lymphatic tissues including the digestive system, spleen, and bone marrow. Lymphoma can even spread to other bodily tissues and organs and become fatal.7,8
Symptoms of Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL)6,9
If you have MCL, you may or may not have symptoms.9 If you do have symptoms, you may experience the following:
- A swollen lymph node in the neck, armpit, or groin
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Night sweats
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Indigestion
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- A feeling of “fullness”
- Enlarged tonsils, liver, or spleen
- Pressure or pain in the lower back that extends down one or both legs
- Fatigue from developing anemia
Complications from Mantle Cell Lymphoma Progression6
As MCL progresses, commonly seen complications include low white blood cell and red blood cell counts, complications of the digestive tract, lungs, or nervous system, or high white blood cell counts.
Tests Used for Lymphoma Staging6
There are several tests that may be used to determine the extent of your MCL. Tests that may be used in staging include:
- Complete blood cell counts to determine if blood cell counts are abnormal
- Bone marrow biopsy to determine if the disease has spread from the lymph nodes into the bone marrow
- Imaging studies including CT scans or PET scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis to determine how the disease has moved throughout the body
- Studies to check protein levels in the blood and other markers that indicate how much the disease has progressed
How Does Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) Affect Black Communities?
MCL is most often seen in white men over the age of 60.10
Although MCL mostly affects older white men, Black people who develop MCL are more likely to be female, be diagnosed at a younger age, have at least one other serious disease, and be uninsured compared to white people diagnosed with MCL. MCL is typically diagnosed at a later stage of the disease in Black people and involves the digestive tract and bone marrow.
Black people with MCL are also less likely to receive stem cell transplants compared to white people with MCL.10 Stem cell transplants are procedures that replace damaged or destroyed stem cells in your bone marrow with healthy stem cells. These transplants help your body fight lymphoma and increase your chance of having a longer-lasting remission from lymphoma.11
References
- Lymphoma Research Foundation (2024) About Lymphoma and Lymphoma subtypes https://lymphoma.org/understanding-lymphoma/aboutlymphoma/ Accessed July 3, 2024
- Lymphoma Research Foundation (2024) Non-Hodgkin lymphoma https://lymphoma.org/understanding-lymphoma/aboutlymphoma/nhl/ Accessed July 3, 2024
- Yale Medicine (2024) Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/non-hodgkins-lymphoma Accessed July 3, 2024
- American Cancer Society (2024) Non Hodgkin lymphoma https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/non-hodgkin-lymphoma.html Accessed July 3, 2024
- American Cancer Society (2024) Types of B-cell lymphoma https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/about/b-cell-lymphoma.html Accessed August 22, 2024
- Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (2014) Mantle Cell Lymphoma Facts https://www.lls.org/sites/default/files/file_assets/mantlecelllymphoma.pdf Accessed August 21, 2024
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (2024) Mantle Cell Lymphoma https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/mantle-cell-lymphoma/Accessed August 21, 2024
- Cleveland Clinic (2024) Mantle Cell Lymphoma (2024) https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24030-mantle-cell-lymphoma Accessed August 22, 2024
- Lymphoma Research Foundation (2024) Understanding Lymphoma: Mantle Cell Lymphoma https://lymphoma.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/LRF_Understanding_Lymphoma_Mantle_Cell_Lymphoma_Fact_Sheet.pdf
- Varell V et al. (2023) Real World Outcomes of Black Americans with Mantle Cell Lymphoma https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/142/Supplement%201/4412/503454/Real-World-Outcomes-of-Black-Americans-with-Mantle Accessed August 22, 2024
- Lymphoma Action (2024) Stem cell transplants https://lymphoma-action.org.uk/about-lymphoma-treatment-lymphoma/stem-cell-transplants Accessed August 26, 2024
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