Andrew Madoff Dies of Lymphoma

Andrew Madoff, son of Bernie Madoff, died of lymphoma on Wednesday and stress may have contributed toward his cancer.

Lymphoma is a broad term that covers all malignant tumors in the lymph nodes. Mr. Madoff had mantle cell lymphoma, which Jonathan Kolitz, MD, associate chief of hematologic oncology for the North Shore-LIJ Cancer Institute, says is sensitive to chemotherapy but can also recur.

“It’s very difficult to fully eradicate,” Dr. Kolitz says. “The best results have been using approaches that have involved stem cell transplantation.”

Mr. Madoff, in part, blamed the recurrence of his cancer on stress. Dr. Kolitz says there may be a link between someone’s emotional state and cancer cell growth.

“It’s not an easily provable hypothesis, but it’s certainly a possible one,” Dr. Kolitz says.

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