Michael Bibi’s Brain Cancer Diagnosis: What Is CNS Lymphoma?

U.K. producer Michael Bibi‘s managers at Prime Culture announced earlier this week that the producer and Solid Grooves label head has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called CNS Lymphoma. They said that Bibi is currently undergoing treatment and will not be playing any live shows “for the foreseeable future.”

What is CNS Lymphoma?

According to Cancer.gov, primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is “a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lymph tissue of the brain and/or spinal cord.” The lymph system is part of the immune system, which is made up of lymph, lymph vessels, lymph nodes, the spleen, thymus, tonsils and bone marrow.

“Lymphocytes (carried in the lymph) travel in and out of the central nervous system (CNS). It is thought that some of these lymphocytes become malignant and cause lymphoma to form in the CNS,” according to the government agency. “Primary CNS lymphoma can start in the brain, spinal cord, the or meninges (the layers that form the outer covering of the brain).”

Signs of CNS Lymphoma can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, confusion, double vision, hearing loss or seizures, with tests of the eyes, brain and spinal cord used to diagnose the disorder. It is a rare disease, with around 1,500 new cases in the U.S. each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

After a diagnosis of CNS Lymphoma, tests are typically done to find out if the cancer has spread within the brain and spinal cord or to the eyes. According to Cancer.gov, typical treatments include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, steroid therapy, targeted therapy, high-dose chemo with stem cell transplant and immunotherapy, though surgery is not typically done to treat primary CNS. The historic prognosis of CNS Lymphoma has overall survival rate of 1.5 months when untreated and a five-year survival rate of 30% for people under 70.

“We are deeply sorry to share the bad news that a week ago Michael Bibi has been diagnosed with CNS Lymphoma, a rare cancer of the brain,” the statement from Bibi’s management read. “Michael is currently undergoing cancer treatment in hospital, supported by his close friends and family. While he is in treatment, he will be unavailable for any shows for the foreseeable future as he takes time away to recover.”

Bibi, 33, has been in the midst of the Solid Grooves residency at DC10 in Ibiza, with the popular DJ scratched from the upcoming scheduled show on Thursday (June 8); he was also scheduled to play upcoming festivals, including the U.K.’s Parklife and Glastonbury and EXIT Festival in Serbia.