ASH Clinical News March 2016 | Page 35

TRAINING and EDUCATION Patient Education UNDERSTANDING MANTLE CELL LYMPHOMA Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer. The two main forms of lymphoma are Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare B-cell NHL, comprising about 6 percent of all NHL cases in the United States. Read below for more about the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of MCL. This “Patient Education” tear sheet was produced in collaboration with the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) (www.lymphoma.org). What is Mantle Cell Lymphoma? Lymphoma occurs when cells of the immune system called lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, grow and multiply uncontrollably. The body has two main types of lymphocytes that can develop into lymphomas: B lymphocytes (B cells) and T lymphocytes (T cells). MCL is a rare B-cell NHL. The disease is called “mantle cell lymphoma” because the tumor cells originally come from the “mantle zone” of the lymph node. How is Mantle Cell Lymphoma Diagnosed? MCL is usually diagnosed as a late-stage disease that has spread to the v7G&