Lymphoma is a disease of the lymphatic system, causing an overproduction of dysfunctional cells, which eventually outnumber their healthy counterparts. There are many forms of lymphoma, according to the type of cells involved and the affected regions of the body. There are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin's Lymphoma, also referred to as Hodgkin's Disease, and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. These major forms of lymphoma can be further divided into various subtypes. Mantle cell lymphoma is a type of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma that affects the body's B lymphocytes. Mantle cell lymphoma usually occurs in the lymph nodes or tonsils, but the disease can progress and affect different other lymphatic tissues and organs (spleen, thymus). Mantle cell lymphoma is characterized by an overproduction of replica B lymphocytes at the level of the lymphatic system. Although these cells may resemble normal cells, they can't fulfill their actual role inside the body.
Mantle cell lymphoma is a very rare form of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, accounting for less than 6 percent of cases of lymphatic disease in the United States. Mantle cell lymphoma predominantly affects men, although it can also occur in women. The disease is rarely seen in children and young adults, and has the highest incidence in people with ages over 50.
Mantle cell lymphoma has an unpredictable evolution, and it can alternate between periods of remission and periods of relapse. For most patients with this form of lymphoma, the progression of the disease is slow and the generated symptoms are experienced at mild or moderate intensity. By contrast, some patients can experience a rapid evolution of the disease, which can lead to serious complications. Although mantle cell lymphoma originates at the level of the lymph nodes (mantle zone), the disease can spread to many different regions of the body. In time, mantle cell lymphoma can affect the brain, the spinal cord, the liver and the organs of the lymphatic system (tonsils, spleen, thymus).
The main causes of mantle cell lymphoma are genetic dysfunctions. The disease occurs due to translocation of chromosomes 11 and 14. Parts of the genetic material that belongs to chromosome 11 are transferred to chromosome 14, or parts of the genetic material of chromosome 14 are transferred to chromosome 11. This switch determines the overproduction of a protein called cyclin D1, which further causes multiplication of dysfunctional B lymphocytes at an abnormally fast rate.
In many cases, medical treatments and therapies available today can overcome mantle cell lymphoma if the disease is discovered in time. At early stages of development, medical treatments can control the progression of the disease, preventing the occurrence of complications.
Most patients diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma don't respond well to traditional chemotherapy, experiencing a relapse soon after this form of therapy. Combination treatments with rituxan and CHOP-R seem to be the most effective means of overcoming mantle cell lymphoma in present. If they are prescribed in the early stages of the disease, combination treatments can delay the periods of relapse and in some cases, they can even overcome mantle cell lymphoma completely.
Mantle cell lymphoma is a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma type of cancer and it represents affection of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system, as part of the immune system, helps fighting against infections or foreign particles. The lymph drains through lymph vessels, a network of tubular channels, into the bloodstream and accumulates in lymphocytes. The lymphocytes or the white blood cells are divided in two groups: the B cells or the B lymphocytes and the T cells or lymphocytes, and can be located not only in the lymph nodes, but in the lymphoid tissue too.
B lymphocytes search the organism for infections or foreign bodies. When something wrong is found B cells transform into plasma cells and secrete antibodies to neutralize the infection. This is the moment when T cells get to do their job. Once neutralized by the B cells the infection or foreign body is destroyed by the T lymphocytes.
While moving through the lymphatic system, the lymph is filtered by the lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are located in various regions in our body such as neck, armpit, chest and groin and even abdomen, and have the mission to destroy antigens.
From the two categories of lymphoma that we know, mantle cell lymphoma is a non-Hodgkin's disease, being a result of weakness from the immunity system. By dividing, slowly or rapidly, the malignant cells form a numerous population that enlarges the lymph nodes. Mantle cell lymphomas symptoms are different from a case to another, and are strictly related to the stage of disease, sex and age of the patient.
MCL is a B cell lymphoma that develops in the zone of the lymph nodes and it is a form of non-Hodgkin's disease caused by the malignant B lymphocytes.
Mantle cell lymphoma is considered as being a two stage disease. In cases when lymphomas divide slowly the diagnosis is low grade disease, but in cases when the malignant cells divide rapidly the diagnosis is set as high grade lymphoma, in urgent need of proper treatment. Because of this classification of the mantle cell lymphoma, specialists have doubts about where to situate this lymphoma, along with indolent or aggressive diseases.
Mantle cell lymphoma affects especially men that are over 50. Fewer than 33% of the patients are women.
MCL symptoms are pretty much alike to the other lymphomas symptoms. The immune system is getting weaker and from this time towards, problems occur. In early stage the enlargement of lymph nodes is one of the most common symptoms just like anemia and in final stages neurological problems appear.
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