Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: diagnosis and management

Treating mantle cell lymphoma

For stage 1 or stage 2 mantle cell lymphoma, you may be offered radiotherapy if the lymphoma is in 1 area of your body (localised).

Radiotherapy is not suitable for everyone. If it isn't right for you, and your mantle cell lymphoma (of any stage) is not causing symptoms, your care team may suggest a period of watch and wait before starting treatment.

For stage 3 or stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma that is causing symptoms, you should be offered chemotherapy with rituximab. Your care team should see how well you are before deciding what type of chemotherapy might work best for you. You may then be offered high‑dose chemotherapy, which helps to kill any cancer cells left in your body, followed by a stem cell transplant. This is called 'consolidation' treatment.

Another possible treatment is a drug called bortezomib – you may be offered bortezomib as a first treatment if high‑dose chemotherapy with a stem cell transplant is not suitable for you.

Some people are not well enough to have high‑dose chemotherapy. Ongoing regular treatment with rituximab may slow down any spread of the lymphoma and keep you well for longer. This is called 'rituximab maintenance' – ask your care team for more information.

If you are in remission after high‑dose chemotherapy, you may be offered rituximab maintenance to help stop the lymphoma from coming back.