Blood Cancer

There are three main types of blood cancers:

• Leukemia , a type of cancer found in your blood and bone marrow, is caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells. The high number of abnormal white blood cells are not able to fight infection, and they impair the ability of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and platelets.

• Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which removes excess fluids from your body and produces immune cells. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that fights infection. Abnormal lymphocytes become lymphoma cells, which multiply and collect in your lymph nodes and other tissues. Over time, these cancerous cells impair your immune system.

• Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells. Plasma cells are white blood cells that produce disease- and infection-fighting antibodies in your body. Myeloma cells prevent the normal production of antibodies, leaving your body's immune system weakened and susceptible to infection.

Causes of Blood Cancer

• Age

• Sex

• Ethnicity

• Family history

• Radiation or chemical exposure

• Some health conditions and treatments.

Symptoms

People with blood cancer may experience a range of symptoms, including:

• Weight loss that's unexplained

• Bruising or bleeding that's unexplained

• Lumps or swellings

• Shortness of breath (breathlessness)

• Drenching night sweats

• Infections that are persistent, recurrent or severe

• Fever (37.5°C or above) that is unexplained

• Rash or itchy skin that's unexplained

• Pain in bones, joints or abdomen (stomach area)

• Tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest or sleep (fatigue)

• Paleness (pallor)

Lymphoma and leukaemia are curable – Cure rates depends on the type/stage and Risk stratification

• Most of blood cancers are treated by chemotherapy, target therapy, or immunotherapy

• Surgery plays a very small role

• The role of radiation therapy is there in few of blood cancers.