Blood cancer impacts blood cells and the bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside bones, the source of blood production.
This type of cancer alters the behaviour and functioning of blood cells, causing them to multiply rapidly and disrupt daily activities.
There are four main types of blood cells:
- White Blood Cells: These cells play an important role in fighting infections and are an integral part of the immune system.
- Red Blood Cells: They carry oxygen to tissues and organs. Red blood cells also transport carbon dioxide to the lungs, where it is exhaled.
- Platelets: These cells aid in blood clotting, which is crucial for healing when injured.
Types of Blood Cancer
There are mainly three types of blood cancer, further divided into subtypes. They are as follows:
- Leukemia: People with Leukemia make many WBCs that cannot fight infections. Leukaemia has four major subtypes, which are:
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- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL): TRTs in WBCs called Lymphocytes. ALL is a condition where massive lymphocytes form a crowd, which causes a lack of healthy cells. This is more common in children.
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML): It starts in myeloid cells, which grow into WBCs, RBCs, and platelets. AML lowers the number of healthy blood cells.
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): Like ALL, CLL also starts in lymphocytes but is slow. It mainly affects older people, but many don’t show symptoms until years after cancer has started.
- Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML): Like AML, this cancer also starts in myeloid cells, but the abnormal cells grow slowly. It is slightly more common in men than women.
- Lymphoma: This lymph system cancer includes lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus gland. There are two types of lymphomas:
- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – Starts in B Lymphocytes, aka B Cells. These cells make proteins called antibodies that are responsible for fighting off germs.
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – Starts in T cell or B cell.
- Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, a type of WBC that makes antibodies. This can damage the bones and crowd out healthy cells. It also produces antibodies that are unable to fight the infections.
Causes of Blood Cancer
- Blood cancer can be caused by various factors, including:
- Smoking
- Exposure to radiation or chemicals
- Family history of Leukemia
- Genetic disorders like Down Syndrome
Symptoms of Blood Cancer
Blood cancer can manifest through a variety of symptoms, such as:
- Persistent fatigue
- Unintended weight loss
- Anemia
- Night sweats
- Headaches
- Fevers and chills
- Nausea
- Joint pain
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Frequent infections
Prevention of Blood Cancer
To reduce the risk of blood cancer, it’s advisable to:
- Avoid radiation exposure.
- Steer clear of chemicals like pesticides and benzene.
- Quit smoking.
- Maintain a healthy diet.
- Stay physically active.
Diagnosis of Blood Cancer
Blood cancer can be diagnosed through several tests and procedures, including:
- Complete Blood Count (CBC): This test measures various blood cell types, such as RBCs, WBCs, and platelets. It helps doctors identify any abnormalities in the blood cells or their concentration.
- Bone Marrow Biopsy: This procedure involves taking bone marrow samples to determine if cancer affects the bone marrow. It helps assess the stage, severity, and specific type of blood cancer.
- Lymph Node Biopsy: This biopsy examines lymph nodes, providing vital information about the blood cancer type, stage, and spread within the body.
- Spinal Tap: In this procedure, cerebrospinal fluid is extracted from the lower back and examined under a microscope to detect any signs of cancer spreading to the spinal cord.
- Karyotype Test: This test maps the 46 chromosomes of a cell, identifying changes in their shape, size, number, and arrangement. It helps in detecting abnormalities in blood cell structure.
Treatment of Blood Cancer
Blood cancer can be treated through various methods, including:
- Chemotherapy: Chemical drug therapy aims to detoxify and destroy abnormally and rapidly growing cells in the body, restricting cancerous cells from spreading further.
- Radiotherapy: This method uses high-energy radiation to damage the DNA in cancer cells, restricting their growth and reproduction.
- Targeted Therapy: These therapies target specific molecules that help cancer grow and spread across the body, focusing on genes, proteins, and blood vessels.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is relatively new for fighting blood cancer. It strengthens the immune system to fight against cancer cells.
- Stem Cell Transplantation: This procedure involves infusing healthy blood-forming stem cells into the body to make new blood cells and restore health.
