- In Mexico it is classified as a rare disease and around 350 cases are registered annually.
- It mainly affects men between the ages of 60 and 70.
- When it is identified early enough, it does not require immediate generalized medical treatment.
Due to the lack of knowledge, both of the medical community and of the patients, the mantle cell lymphoma. Due to the above, it is detected in advanced stages when it has already affected various organs. For this reason, the challenge is to identify it in time so that it can be treated and improve both the expectation and quality of life of patients.
In this regard, Dr. Elia Apodaca, a specialist in Internal Medicine and Hematology, indicates that the most common sites affected by this tumor are the lymph nodes, spleen, peripheral blood, and bone marrow. Cancer cells can also be found in the gastrointestinal tract and cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
The mantle cell lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system that arises from cells that originate in the “mantle zone,” that is, the outer ring of small lymphocytes that surround the center of a lymph node.
It should be noted that if it is detected early enough, it does not require immediate generalized medical treatment. In these cases, close monitoring is considered an appropriate strategy but short-course chemotherapy followed by maintenance radiotherapy is also considered appropriate.
Here lies the importance of timely detection and that patients identify early signs such as a family history of cancer or lymphoma. Also the growth of lymph nodes that are not related to infection and that are strikingly not painful, in addition to the presence of night sweats, fever and unexplained weight loss.
Incidence in Mexico
Older adults are the population most affected by the mantle cell lymphoma. It is a rare type of cancer that registers around 350 cases a year in Mexico according to Globocan and the 2018 Pérez-Zúñiga study.
It tends to affect men to a greater extent than women and the average age of its detection is between 60 and 70 years, says Dr. Arturo Vázquez Leduc, medical director of Asofarma of Mexico.
“This non-Hodgkin cancer comes from immune cells called B lymphocytes. In most cases, cancer cells have an acquired mutation that causes the aggressive behavior of this disease.”
How is the diagnosis made?
The diagnosis is usually made after the removes a portion of the ganglion. Biopsies may also be obtained from other parts of the body. The tissue sample is then sent to the pathologist, who will determine the type of cancer and how far it has progressed.
Dr. Apodaca points out that there are different treatment options for mantle cell lymphomadepending on certain factors such as age, the general condition of the patient and the levels of lymphocytes and lactic dehydrogenase, a protein that helps produce energy so that the cells of our body can function properly.
Treatment options for this disease include therapies that inhibit the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) signaling pathway, which blocks the process of cell growth and multiplication. This can slow or stop the growth of cancer cells and lead to early death.
Also read:
This is the most extensive study on lymphomas published in Mexico
World Lymphoma Day: Most patients mistake symptoms for flu
Lymphoma is already the eighth leading cause of cancer death in Mexico
