Understanding Mantle Cell Lymphoma
- Australian comedian Magda Szubanski is now in remission after completing chemotherapy for stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma.
- Szubanski’s cancer was discovered “incidentally,” after a routine breast screening showed abnormalities in her lymph nodes. Her diagnosis motivated her to urge others to trust their instincts and seek medical attention when something doesn’t feel right.
- Mantle cell lymphoma is a rare, aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, affecting about 1 in 200,000 people annually. It often spreads quickly through the lymphatic system, making treatment challenging and typically involving chemotherapy, targeted therapy, stem cell transplants, or immunotherapy.
- Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma are the two main types of lymphoma, and their classification depends upon white blood cells and the presence (or absence) of Reed-Sternberg cells. They are both cancers of the lymphatic system, which includes lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, and other immune tissues.
- Lymphoma treatment largely depends on the nature of your specific diagnosis. For non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, their cancer is more likely to spread randomly and be discovered in different groups of lymph nodes in the body.
- Treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma often includes chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
Szubanski took to social media to share the news, writing alongside an Instagram video of herself, “Thank you! I’m alive! I love you. DON’T believe anything unless you see it HERE on my instagram feed or from a reputable news source. Sending all my love and strength to anyone going through health challenges.”
Read More“I also wanted to say a special, huge thank you to all of you for the love and support that you, it was just like a tsunami coming at me. And honestly, I swear to God, it helped me not only emotionally, I think it really helped me physically too. I felt so loved up and cared for. So eternal gratitude. Thank you so much for that.”
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Szubanski shared heartfelt thanks for her doctors and care team, noting that she is endlessly grateful for Australia’s exceptional medical professionals.
Before pointing out that she’s been experiencing some hair growth, she then jokingly said, “Seems I’m not dead … I better check with social media because that knows more about me than I do.”
She also informed her fans that she is “still immunocompromised.”
“Again, thank you. Big love to you all. And, just one other thing … please be careful. I can’t hug, I can’t do the hugging because the thing is, this is on behalf of me and all people going through cancer, when you’re going through the chemo, you’re completely, you know, immune annihilated,” Szubanski explained further.
“And then even in the maintenance phase, which is where I am now, you’re still immunocompromised. ”
Szubanski’s remission comes nearly one year after she went public with her diagnosis.
Expert Resources on Mantle Cell Lymphoma
- Exciting New Developments in Treatment For Mantle Cell Lymphoma
- Options When Mantle Cell Lymphoma Relapses
- What Is Mantle Cell Lymphoma?
- BTK Inhibitor Jaypirca is Now FDA-Approved & May Help Difficult-to-Treat Mantle Cell Lymphoma
- New Data: The Drug Ibrutinib May Help Some Younger Mantle Cell Lymphoma Patients Avoid A Stem Cell Transplant
In May 2025, she took to Instagram revealing “not great news.” She wrote, “I’ve been diagnosed with stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma—a rare and fast-moving blood cancer.
“It’s serious, but I’ve started one of the best treatments available (the Nordic protocol), and I’m lucky to be getting absolutely world-class care here in Melbourne.”
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She continued, “I won’t sugar-coat it: it’s rough. But I’m hopeful. I’m being lovingly cared for by friends and family, my medical team is brilliant, and I’ve never felt more held by the people around me.”
Szubanski also revealed that her cancer was discovered “incidentally,” after a routine breast screening showed abnormalities in her lymph nodes.
Her diagnosis motivated her to speak up and urge others to trust their instincts and seek medical attention when something doesn’t feel right.
Understanding the Types of Lymphomas
Hodgkin Lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are the two main types of lymphoma, and their classification depends on the type of white blood cells and the presence (or absence) of Reed-Sternberg cells.
They are both cancers of the lymphatic system, which includes lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, and other immune tissues. They’re symptoms can overlap, including swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss. However, the way they are treated may vary.
WATCH: Dr. Jason Westin explains symptoms associated with lymphoma
If doctors are unable to detect the Reed-Sternberg cell (a giant cell derived from B lymphocytes), then the lymphoma is categorized as Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. However, if Reed-Sternberg cells are present, the lymphoma is diagnosed as Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Lymphoma treatment largely depends on the nature of your specific diagnosis. For non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, their cancer is more likely to spread randomly and be discovered in different groups of lymph nodes in the body. Hodgkin lymphoma cancers, on the other hand, are more likely to grow consistently from one group of lymph nodes directly to another.
WATCH: The type of lymphoma you have matters.
B-Cell vs. T-Cell Lymphoma
Doctors classify non-Hodgkin lymphoma based on the type of lymphocytes affected:
- B-cell lymphomas account for nearly 85% of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases. These cancers originate in cells responsible for producing antibodies that identify and fight infections.
- T-cell lymphomas, making up 15% of cases, arise in T-cells, which directly attack harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses.
Identifying whether the lymphoma is B-cell or T-cell helps guide treatment options tailored to the disease’s behavior and progression.
Types of B-Cell Lymphoma
- Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
- Follicular lymphoma
- Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) / Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
- Mantle cell lymphoma [the type Szubanski is in remission from]
- Marginal zone lymphomas
- Burkitt lymphoma
Types of T-Cell Lymphoma
- T-lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia
- Peripheral T-cell lymphomas
- Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
- Aggressive vs. Indolent (slow-growing) Lymphomas
One of the key distinctions doctors make when diagnosing non-Hodgkin lymphoma is how rapidly the cancer grows and spreads.
Indolent (slow-growing) lymphomas tend to develop over time and may not require immediate aggressive treatment. Meanwhile, aggressive lymphomas spread quickly and need intensive treatment to prevent further progression.
Dr. Jennifer Crombie, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, tells us that understanding whether the lymphoma is indolent or aggressive is essential, as they require very different treatment approaches.
Mantle Cell Lymphoma: A Rare Type of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) is a collection of lymphomas that share some common features. About 5-6% of all lymphomas are mantle cell lymphomas (MCLs).
MCL starts within the outer rim or the so-called mantle zone of a lymph node. Unfortunately, it is one of the more aggressive NHL. It is, however, a rare disease, affecting only 1 in 200,000 individuals per year. Men in their 60s and 70s are most at risk.
Dr. Elise Chong explains what mantle cell lymphoma is and how treatment is determined.
MCL tends to be diagnosed at later stages, when it is widespread within the lymphatic system and involves other organs, such as the spleen and the bone marrow. It tends to progress more quickly than other lymphomas.
These factors make it a challenge to treat. Oftentimes, it can be resistant to traditional treatments, which further exacerbates the challenge. Newer, more effective treatment strategies for MCL are, thus, the need of the hour.
Traditional Treatments For Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Treatments for MCL typically consist of some combination of the following:
- High-Dose Chemotherapy: These are toxic medications that can eliminate fast-growing cells. However, since they target all cells indiscriminately, they cause significant side effects, including unrelenting nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
- Targeted therapy: These therapies exploit unique features of cancer cells and use drugs that target these features. BTK inhibitors, such as ibrutinib and duvelisib, are drugs that block the tyrosine kinase enzyme, which plays an instrumental role in the development of lymphomas.
- Autologous Stem Cell transplant (ASCT): This procedure harvests patients’ healthy blood stem cells before obliterating their diseased cells with chemotherapy. The harvested cells are then introduced back into patients’ bodies.
- Immunotherapy: This treatment uses a patient’s own immune system to fight the cancers within their bodies.
- Monoclonal Antibodies: These are laboratory-generated proteins engineered to attach to specific targets on cancer cells. This process can mark these cancer cells for destruction by the body’s own immune system. They can also prevent molecules that enhance cancer growth from attaching to the cancer cells.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you are dealing with a lymphoma diagnosis, it’s important to ask your doctor a series of questions so you will have an idea of what your next steps will look like. To help you during this difficult time, SurvivorNet has some questions to kickstart your conversation with your physician.
- What type of lymphoma do I have?
- What does my pathology report say about my diagnosis?
- Should I get a second opinion before I explore possible treatment options?
- Based on my diagnosis, what do you anticipate my treatment path?
- What common side effects should I expect when I begin treatment?
- Will I be able to continue working and performing normal daily activities during treatment?
- Where can I get help working with the insurance company regarding treatment costs?
- Who do you recommend I get mental health help from during my treatment?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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