Words to know: Mantle cell lymphoma
- Lymphocyte
- A type of white blood cell that helps fight infection.
- B cell
- A type of lymphocyte that makes antibodies. Mantle cell lymphoma starts in B cells.
- T cell
- A type of lymphocyte that attacks infected or abnormal cells.
- Lymph node
- A small, bean-shaped gland that filters fluid and holds immune cells.
- Mantle zone
- The outer ring of B cells around the center of a lymph node follicle.
- Cyclin D1
- A protein that pushes cells to divide. MCL cells make too much of it.
- t(11;14)
- A swap of material between chromosomes 11 and 14 found in almost all MCL.
- Ki-67
- A test that shows how fast lymphoma cells are dividing.
- TP53
- A gene that helps damaged cells die. A change in it means higher-risk MCL.
- Blastoid
- A form of MCL with larger, more abnormal cells that grows faster.
- MIPI
- A risk score for MCL based on age, daily activity level, LDH, and white blood cell count.
- LDH
- A protein in the blood that can be high when lymphoma is active.
- Bone marrow
- The soft tissue inside bones where blood cells are made.
- Chemoimmunotherapy
- Chemotherapy given together with an antibody drug such as rituximab.
- Cytarabine
- A chemotherapy drug used in intensive treatment for younger, fit people with MCL.
- BTK inhibitor
- A pill that blocks a signal MCL cells need to grow, such as acalabrutinib or zanubrutinib.
- Autologous stem cell transplant
- High-dose chemotherapy followed by your own stem cells to rebuild healthy bone marrow.
- Maintenance
- Ongoing treatment after the main treatment to help keep lymphoma away.
- Remission
- Signs of lymphoma are gone (complete) or smaller (partial).
- Relapse
- When lymphoma comes back after treatment.
- MRD (minimal residual disease)
- Very small numbers of lymphoma cells left after treatment, found only with very sensitive tests.
- CAR T-cell therapy
- A treatment that changes your own T cells in a lab so they can attack lymphoma.
- Tumor lysis syndrome
- A problem that happens when many cancer cells die quickly and release salts that can harm the kidneys.
- Cytokine release syndrome (CRS)
- A strong immune reaction that can cause fever and low blood pressure after CAR T or bispecific antibodies.
Last updated: 2026-10-27. Medically reviewed by Veli Bakalov, MD, medical oncologist (October 2026). General education from Step by Step, the patient portal of HemeOncBuddy.