Cell lymphoma is the white blood cell cancer that helps the human body to fight against infections. Mantle cell lymphoma disease is developed from the abnormal B lymphocytes.
Mantle cell lymphoma can either be quick growing (high-grade lymphoma) or slow-growing (low-grade lymphoma). The Mantle cell lymphoma is easily recognized by swollen lymph nodes.
Symptoms: Some common symptoms of Mantle cell lymphoma include:
Low blood count
Swollen lymph nodes
Swollen spleen
Abdominal pain
Sudden loss of weight
Night sweats
Heartburn
Loss of appetite
Sometimes, Mantle cell lymphoma also spread to the spinal cord or brain generally known as secondary CNS lymphoma. The major symptoms of CNS lymphoma include dizziness, confusion, and headache.
Diagnosis: Several diagnostic techniques are used by the doctors for the examination of Mantle cell lymphoma. These are mentioned below:
Blood Tests: A sample of blood is taken for the examination of blood cell count, protein and to determine the functioning of the liver and kidney. A low level of blood cell count is the major indication of Mantle cell lymphoma.
Biopsy: A small section of lymph node tissues is taken and examined under the microscope. Availability of any cancerous tissue or cell is determined in the laboratory.
CR scan: It uses a beam of high-energy X-rays that can detect cancer inside the body.
PET scan: This scanning includes a bit of radioactive material for the detection of cancer in the human body.
Treatment: The treatment of a patient begins after the right diagnosis and staging. These treatment methods include:
Chemotherapy: These medications work by directly inhibiting the cell growth and cell division of the cancerous cell. Chemotherapy drugs hinder the genetic material formation leading to apoptosis of cells. Chemotherapy medicines may be prescribed alone or together with other drugs. The chemotherapeutic treatment approaches prescribed in order to treat Mantle Cell Lymphoma are:
R-CHOP ( cyclophosphamide, rituximab, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone).
Bendamustine together with rituximab.
Hyper-CVAD (vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone with high-dose Cytarabine and methotrexate ) + rituximab.
Immunotherapy: These drugs used the body's immune system to recognize and destroy the cancerous tissues. Immunotherapy can also be combined with chemotherapy for an effective result. Most common drugs include Lenalidomide.
Lenalidomide: The exact functioning of lenalidomide is unknown. However, it is believed that it works as an immunomodulating drug as well as an anti-angiogenesis agent that inhibits the growth and formation of new blood cells in the cancerous cell.
Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy works by blocking the specific proteins present in the cancerous cell that is required for its survival and growth. Some common targeted therapies drugs include Ibrutinib, Bortezomib, Rituximab
Ibrutinib: It is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor class drug that is available in oral form. This drug directly inhibits Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK). This inhibition causes disturbance in the signaling of malignant B cells leading to apoptosis.
Bortezomib: This drug has been classified under the proteasome inhibitor class drug. Bortezomib works by inhibiting the proteasome enzyme Complex inside the cell leading to hindrance in the normal cell function.
You may be prescribed bortezomib as first treatment if you are not able to have a stem cell transplant. You may have it as a treatment on its own, or together with chemotherapy.
Rituximab: This drug targets a protein named CD20 on the surface of the lymphoma cells. The antibody specifically sticks to all the CD20 proteins it finds. This helps cells of the immune system in order to pick out the marked cells and destroy them. Because of the way it acts, rituximab is also known as a targeted immunotherapy.
Note: Prior to initiating any treatment, consult your doctor. In order to know more about any medication, please read full prescribing information.
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