Blood is a connective tissue that consists of various components (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets, and cryoprecipitate AHF) and takes the responsibility to transport various nutrients, cells, and antibodies to different parts of the body. Blood cancer is a medical condition that occurs when some abnormalities are reproduced in blood cells, lymph nodes, or bone marrow, and it eventually affects the regular functionality of the body. According to the report published in IndianExpress, blood cancer accounts for 8% of all new cancer cases that are diagnosed in India. According to Dr. Rishi Sharma, a reputed blood cancer specialist in India, blood cancer is curable if one gets it treated at an early stage. But due to lack of awareness, people often ignore early symptoms, which is why September is dedicated as blood cancer awareness month.
Types of blood cancer
- Leukemia: Cancer that develops in the bone marrow and usually develops in white blood cells. It can further be classified as myeloid or lymphocytic based on the cell of origin.
- Lymphoma: It develops in the lymphatic system and can be classified as B-lymphocytes and T-lymphocytes. As an effect, it weakens immunity.
- Myeloma: This cancer develops in plasma cells (mature lymphocytes) and affects immunity, blood, and bones.
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): A group of blood cancers that can affect the production of normal blood cells in the bone marrow.
- Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)- It originates from bone marrow & affects the proportion of blood.
- Amyloidosis- A blood disorder that disrupts the normal functioning of tissues.
- Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM)- It develops when there is excessive production of a specific type of antibody (LGM).
- Aplastic anemia – Non- cancerous blood disorder which leads to insufficient production of blood cells in the bone marrow.
- Childhood blood cancers – Blood cancers are usually observed in childhood.
Causes of blood cancer
The specific cause of hematologic cancer is unknown in some cases, but some risk factors may cause this deadly disease. These are:
Genetics: Some genetic disorders like Down’s Syndrome.
Unhealthy lifestyle & habits: Chewing tobacco and smoking can increase the risk of several types of cancers, including blood cancer.
Family history: The chances of cancer hike drastically if direct blood relatives have been diagnosed with cancer in the past.
Weak Immunity: Weak immune system is seen as a cause as well as the effect of blood cancer.
Exposure to harmful chemicals and radiation: Regular exposure to industrial chemicals like benzene or ionizing & non-ionizing forms of radiation (without medical supervision).
Result of previous cancer treatments: sometimes, treatment of non-hematologic cancer can lead to the development of blood cancer.
Old age: The susceptibility to blood cancer increases with age.
Symptoms of hematologic cancer
The symptoms of blood cancer depend on its type, but some common systems that one must not ignore are:
- Chest pain
- Excessive coughing, difficulty in breathing, or shortness of breath
- Frequent occurrence of fever
- Observing a sudden loss of appetite
- Nausea & vomiting
- Excessive sweating at nights
- Experiencing tiredness or weakness all the time
- Development of painless lymph nodes in the regions like neck, armpits, or groin
- Headache & dizziness
- Infections
- Unexplained itching, rashes, or bruising
- Bone or joint pain
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of blood cancer will involve a series of tests like:
- Blood test (sometimes with the sample of the bone marrow)
- Urine & stool test
- X-ray, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, and fiber-optic endoscopy to detect the location and size of the tumor
- Biopsy
Treatment procedure
The treatment procedure depends on the stage and type of cancer. Hence you should consult an expert as soon as possible. Some of the treatments methods to manage blood cancer are:
Stem cell transplantation: Bone marrow transplant to replace damaged stem cells along with high doses of chemotherapy and radiations
Radiation therapy: Using high-energy beams of radiation to kill cancerous cells
Immunotherapy: Kill the cancerous cells by working on the strength of the immune system.
Targeted therapy: Using medications to kill specific types of cells.
Chemotherapy: Injecting several drugs into the body.
If you are looking for a trusted blood cancer specialist in India, then you can book your appointment with Dr. Rishi Sharma. He is an experienced oncologist with core proficiency in immunotherapy which can heal cancer naturally. Other than this method, other methods can expose the patient to radiation and drugs which may affect other parts of the body.
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