Blood cancer is a deadly disease which occurs when abnormal blood cells start being produced in the bone marrow and they start interfering with the basic functions of the blood. It is also known as hematologic cancer by fighting off new blood cells causing infection. When your body starts showing the symptoms of blood cancers, it begins resting any blood functions and causes severe health concerns. However, it often leads to several health complications that would make the blood flow ineffective. There are only limited treatments available for blood cancer due to its limited research and the diagnosis is the only step that you should be taking to determine the best available options for the treatment.

Blood cancer types 

Anyone who is diagnosed with blood cancer is often seen in a vulnerable state which can be upsetting for them but there are some precautionary measures that you can take while diagnosing blood cancers. Listed below are the types of blood cancers which are considered dangerous and life-threatening. So, we need to understand the point of concern here by examining different types of blood cancers:-

1. Leukaemia is a blood cancer that occurs in the blood and bone marrow when the body starts creating too many abnormal WBC (White Blood Cells) and begins interfering with the production of red blood cells carried out by the bone marrow. However, it also produces an abnormal amount of platelets which is a clear sign of blood abnormalities. This is particularly seen as a point of concern for many cancer patients.

2. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is a blood cancer type that develops from the cells called lymphocytes in the lymphatic system in the body. The basic job of these white cells is to fight the body’s infections and prevent them from spreading to other body parts. However, this surely weakens your immune system and exposes your body to severe health illnesses. Therefore, you should be concerned about this one.

3. Hodgkin Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that occurs in the lymphatic system through the white cells known as lymphocytes. However, it is basically characterized by the abnormal presence of the Reed-Sternberg cell which is a lymphocyte cell. This is truly a point of concern where everyone seems to be afraid of developing an untreatable disease but with proper diagnosis, you can easily start moving towards the progress with the right treatment.

4. Multiple myeloma refers to a type of blood cancer which occurs in the blood plasma cells also known as white blood cells. These cells have been made in the bone marrow which plays a crucial role in fighting off infection and preventing further illnesses. But as soon as this defence system goes down our body is exposed to several health problems making it a vulnerable target. Therefore, it’s really important to make sure that your body is being monitored properly with proper medications.

5. Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a rare form of blood cancer which causes damage to blood-forming cells in the bone marrow causing severe problems. As the bone marrow starts to deplete with the ageing period, it begins impacting the blood cell functions and finally making it more dangerous over time. Therefore, this is a type of blood cancer that makes your body weak by not letting the blood cells do their primary functions and even affecting the bone marrow.

How does blood cancer occur?

Blood cancer is a genetic mutation in the blood cells’ DNA which can easily coexist in the body. However, there are several other causes of blood cancer depending upon the type of cancer and at which stage it is. This is very important for screening purposes to know about the cancer stage and its impact on the internal organs. Therefore, we are going to explore each and every cause of blood cancers:-

1. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a common type of blood cancer and is often caused by bad lifestyle choices. Listed below are some of the common causes which are highlighted by doctors to make people aware of their bad lifestyle choices and their consequences.

• Ageing period
• Being exposed to industrial chemicals
• Smoking
• Exposure to radiation

2. Hodgkin lymphoma is often described as a common blood cancer due to the aging pattern which often gets someone older of their age. Therefore, some of the highlighted reasons have been given below.

• Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection which causes infectious mononucleosis (mono)
• Ageing period
• Attacked immune system

3. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is often keen towards pointing out the risk factors of compromised blood cells which often leads to abnormalities in the blood cells’ functions. Some causes have been described below.

• Being exposed to several industrial chemicals e.g. herbicides and insecticides.
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Autoimmune diseases e.g. rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

4. Multiple myeloma can be exposed to a series of discomforting illnesses due to blood cancers. This could simply be a multiple state of functioning causing serious health problems. Listed below are some causes.

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Aging state
• Risk of being a heart patient

Blood cancer symptoms 

Blood and bone marrow cancer symptoms have been discussed below along with other secondary symptoms which are often ignored due to their commonality. So, here is a list of symptoms that you should be looking for blood cancer:-

• High fever or night chills in a frequent manner which might not seem normal due to their intensity as medications are not as effective as they should.
• Fatigue and weakness which might be common these days due to the hectic schedule but be no fool because having no energy to walk properly is an alarming sign.

• Many people experience loss of appetite or nausea can be strictly due to calorie deficit but there is always something extreme of something. So, keep your appetite in check for general health.

• Unexplained weight loss can be due to multiple reasons but if it’s happening too fast then it’s a point of concern and you should get diagnosed properly.

• Bone or joint pain is quite common due to Vitamin D3 deficiency and the lack of absorption of calcium from food but if the joints start popping frequently then you should see the doctor and get a blood test quickly.

Blood cancer treatments 

When we are looking forward the blood cancer treatments then there are multiple tests done to find out the cancer stage, where it has spread, the invasive behaviour and how long till the cancer ends. These are some genuine questions which need to be asked properly before getting any cancer treatments. Some of the best treatments have been given below:-

1. Stem cell transplantation is a cancer cell replacement process where the healthy blood-forming cells stem infused with the body. However, these stem cells have been collected from the bone marrow. This is probably the safest cancer treatment.

2. Chemotherapy is a process through which anti-cancer drugs help to block the growth of cancer cells in the body. However, this treatment is often seen taking a toll on the body as the patient becomes weak and vulnerable as the anti-cancer drugs start showing their effects.

3. Radiation therapy uses a range of radiation to destroy the cancer cells which might cause pain or discomfort in the body. It is given before the stem cell transplantation therapy to eliminate any invasive cancer cells from the body.

Bottom Line 

Blood and bone marrow cancers have been seen as life-threatening diseases which require extreme treatments to showcase some potential survival rates of cancer patients. But make no mistake, because these cancer treatments will definitely make you weak and vulnerable. It would be good enough to start a new life on your terms.

About The Author

Dr Abimdola Amen, PhD, AFHEA

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