Blood cancer is caused by the DNA changes in the body’s blood cells. The condition usually commences in the lymphatic system, a significant part of the body’s immune system, or the bone marrow, where the blood is produced. When WBCs start reproducing abnormally fast, they intervene with the functioning of healthy blood cells. In America, blood cancer accounts for approximately 10 percent of all cancers diagnosed and is more prevalent in men than women.
Blood cancer symptoms
When the blood circulates, it supplies hormones, nutrients, oxygen, and antibodies to the organs. It also eliminates waste toxins. However, when you develop cancer, it hampers the blood’s functioning, resulting in different ailments. Blood cancer symptoms depend on its type. Typically it won’t show any differentiating symptoms in the early stages. But, there may be some alarming signs eventually, and it is advisable to bring them to your doctor’s attention.
Slow healing
You must not ignore wounds that take a long time to heal. Platelets are responsible for wound healing and blood clotting; in leukemia, people experience frequent bruising and bleeding because of low platelet levels.
Reduced immunity
In people with blood cancer, immunity levels drop significantly because of the reduced disease-fighting blood cells and poor lymphatic drainage, resulting in frequent infections.
Rectal bleeding
Seeing a blood discharge during defecation can also be a sign of blood cancer.
Skin changes
People with blood cancer get frequent bleeding, rashes, and bruises. Consequently, the skin color may look different on dissimilar skin tones.
Frequent sickness
Since the white blood and plasma cell levels are low in people with blood cancer, their body does not generate enough antibodies to guard against infections. Hence, they frequently get sick and remain sick for longer than usual.
Pallor
Usually, people with blood cancer look unusually pale as they have a lower number of red blood cells in their system.
Changes in urinary habits
People with blood cancer may experience blood in the urine or a burning sensation while peeing.
Swelling and lumps
There might be an unusual mass or swelling in the lymph nodes, such as testicles, tonsils, or armpits.
Other symptoms of blood cancer are fatigue, breathlessness, frequent or low-grade fever, bone tenderness or pain, abdominal pain, night sweats, chronic mild to moderate neck pain, pain in joints and bones, nausea or loss of appetite, and heavy periods.
Blood cancer causes
Almost all blood cancers are caused by mutations in the genetic material – DNA of the blood cells. But other causes or risk factors may depend on the specific kind of blood cancer.
Acute myeloid leukemia
Risk factors for acute myeloid leukemia, which is the most prevalent leukemia in adults, are a prior history of cancer treatment, history of other blood cancers, exposure to radiation, gender, exposure to industrial chemicals, and age.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Risk factors for Hodgkin’s lymphoma are gender, a compromised immune system, a family history of this cancer, advancing age, and a history of Epstein-Barr virus infection that causes mononucleosis.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Risk factors for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are a compromised immune system, chemotherapy history, exposure to some industrial chemicals, insecticides, or herbicides, radiation exposure, history of autoimmune disorders like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, and radiation exposure.
Multiple myeloma
Risk factors for multiple myeloma are gender, age, and ethnicity.
Blood cancer treatment
There is no one specific treatment for cases of blood cancer. While some types respond to a certain treatment, others show significant side effects with the same therapy. Hence, your doctors consider your overall health, age, specific treatment side effects, and the blood cancer type before formulating the treatment plan to keep blood cancer symptoms in check. Some common treatments include:
Radiation therapy helps treat myeloma, lymphoma, or leukemia. Radiation kills the abnormal cell and prevents reproduction.
Chemotherapy is a primary treatment that helps slow the disease’s progression, kills the cancer cells, or helps eliminate cancer.
Targeted therapy targets the genetic mutations or changes that convert healthy cells into abnormal ones.
Immunotherapy employs your immune system to combat cancer by helping your existing immune cells to locate and kill cancer cells or assisting the body in yielding more immune cells.
Other treatments for blood cancer
Allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Sometimes, the damaged bone marrow needs to be replaced with healthy bone marrow. It is a risky procedure and is opted for only after multiple tests are administered to ensure its suitability.
Autologous stem cell transplantation
Doctors may collect or store stem cells before injecting high chemo doses. After chemotherapy, they will replace the guarded stem cells to avoid side effects from chemo.
CAR T-cell therapy
This treatment can be used for multiple myeloma, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or other non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Doctors recommend this procedure only when other treatments fail.
