Blood Cancer
Treatments /Blood Cancer
What is the Blood Cancer
Blood cancer affects the production and function of your blood cells. Most blood cancers originate in the bone marrow, where stem cells mature into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Normal blood cells fight infection, carry oxygen throughout your body, and control bleeding. Blood cancer occurs when the process of blood cell production is disrupted. In this condition, abnormal blood cells overwhelm the normal blood cells, leading to a cascade of medical issues. Advances in treatment are allowing more people to live longer with blood cancer, as healthcare providers continue to develop new therapies.
What are the three types of blood cancer?
There are three main types of blood cancer, each encompassing several subtypes:
Leukemia: This is the most common blood cancer in the United States and is particularly prevalent among children and teenagers. Over the past 40 years, the five-year survival rate has quadrupled. Leukemia types include acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Lymphoma: This type of cancer affects the lymphatic system, which includes the bone marrow. The survival rate for lymphoma has doubled over the past four decades. Subtypes of lymphoma include Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, follicular lymphoma, B-cell lymphoma, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Multiple Myeloma: Multiple Myeloma originates in the bone marrow and affects plasma cells. Multiple myeloma is the most common subtype. More than half of people diagnosed with myeloma survive at least five years after diagnosis. Other myeloma types include plasmacytoma and amyloidosis.
What are blood cancer symptoms?
Symptoms of blood cancer can vary depending on the specific type, but there are some common signs shared among them:
- Fatigue: Overwhelming tiredness that interferes with daily activities, often accompanied by weakness.
- Persistent Fever: A fever indicates your body is fighting off an infection or responding to abnormal cancer cells.
- Drenching Night Sweats: Sudden, excessive sweating during sleep, leading to soaked bedding and clothing and disrupting rest.
- Unusual Bleeding or Bruising: Bleeding that doesn’t stop easily and bruises that take longer than usual to heal.
- Unexpected Weight Loss: Losing 10 pounds or more over six to twelve months without a clear cause.
- Frequent Infections: Recurrent infections may signal a weakened immune system.
- Swollen Lymph Nodes, Enlarged Liver, or Spleen: These can be signs of leukemia or lymphoma.
- Bone Pain: Myeloma and leukemia may cause bone pain or tender spots on bones.
How do healthcare providers treat blood cancers?
Treatment for blood cancer is not uniform and depends on various factors such as age, overall health, the specific type of blood cancer, and potential side effects of treatment. Some common treatments include:
Chemotherapy: This treatment involves using different types of drugs to kill cancer cells, either slowing down disease progression or eliminating cancer altogether. Different drug combinations are used based on the type of blood cancer.
Radiation Therapy: Healthcare providers may use radiation to target abnormal cells in conditions like leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. By damaging the DNA of these cells, radiation prevents them from reproducing. Sometimes, it’s combined with other treatments to alleviate symptoms.
Immunotherapy: This approach harnesses the body’s immune system to combat cancer. It may involve boosting immune cell production or enhancing existing immune cells’ ability to locate and destroy cancer cells.
Targeted Therapy: This treatment focuses on specific genetic changes or mutations responsible for the development of cancerous cells.
CAR T-cell Therapy: T-cells, a type of white blood cell, are modified in this therapy to enhance their cancer-fighting capabilities. It’s used for certain types of leukemia, multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma when other treatments fail.
Autologous Stem Cell Transplant: Before administering high-dose chemotherapy, healthcare providers collect and store bone marrow stem cells from the patient. After chemotherapy, these cells are reintroduced to the body to avoid chemotherapy’s side effects.
Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant: When damaged bone marrow needs replacement, healthy bone marrow from a suitable donor is used to replace it. While effective, this procedure carries significant risks.