What is the Nordic Protocol? The very intense treatment Magda Szubanski will undergo to treat her stage 4 blood cancer - and why it's 'the best'
The Australian comedian broke news to her fans that she had been diagnosed with stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma - a rare and aggressive form of 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,' the 64-year-old actress said in a post on Instagram.
The Nordic protocol is a treatment regimen for Mantle Cell Lymphoma that works by shrinking tumours using a combination of drugs administered in five phases.
While it's unclear what Magda's treatment in Australia involves specifically, the regimen usually follows the same structure.
The Nordic regimen - which earned its name from clinical trials performed in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland - is also known as Maxi-CHOP and uses several high doses of intense drugs to kill cancer cells, stop their growth, help the immune system attack them and, ideally, assist patients in long-term remission.
So how does it work? Patients undergo intensive chemotherapy, alternating cycles of Maxi-CHOP and high-dose Cytarabine (another chemo drug) every 21 days, for a total of six rounds.
During the first five days of treatment, patients are required to take an oral medication called Prednisone - a white tablet that's a type of steroid used to reduce inflammation and also help fight cancer.
What is the Nordic protocol?
The Nordic protocol, also known as Maxi-CHOP, is a treatment regimen for Mantle Cell Lymphoma that works by shrinking tumours using a combination of drugs administered over five phases.
The treatment is said to use several high doses of intensive drugs to kill cancer cells, stop their growth, help the immune system attack them and achieve long-term remission.
What's in the treatments?
Rituximab - helps your immune system find and destroy cancer cells
Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine - kill fast-growing cancer cells in different ways
Prednisone - a steroid that reduces inflammation and also helps fight cancer
Cytarabine - another chemo drug that stops cancer cells from copying themselves
After a few rounds, healthy cells are collected from the blood for future transplantation.
The third phase involves stem cell purging, where an antibody drug called rituximab is administered that targets specific proteins on cancer cells, aiding the immune system in destroying them.
During high-dose therapy, patients undergo intensive chemotherapy to eradicate residual cancer cells, followed by the reinfusion of their purified stem cells to restore healthy bone marrow function.
If relapse occurs, patients may be administered another dose of rituximab to prevent cancer from coming back.
The average age of diagnosis for Mantle Cell Lymphoma is between 60 and 65 years, with the condition being two to three times more common in men than in women.
In a gut-wrenching post, the beloved comedian revealed she had been battling a rare and 'fast-moving' blood cancer.
'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,' she said.
'I'll be lying very low while my immune system takes a hammering, so if you see me out and about - don't hug me, kiss me, or breathe anywhere near me! Wave enthusiastically from a safe distance and know I love you madly.
'This is an obscure cancer and was only discovered incidentally via a breast screen where they found my lymph nodes were up.'
The TV personality said she had been feeling pretty unwell for a while, so she decided to get extra blood tests as a precaution - but ended up discovering her devastating diagnosis.
'So the take away is - get tested and listen to your body,' she urged her fans.
'For now, just know I'm in good hands, good spirits - but I reserve my yuman right to be a cranky old moll.
'Love you all, Mags.'
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