Blood Cancer: Types, Symptoms, Treatment & Survival Rate, Lymphoma, Leukemia

Our blood cells can become affected by blood cancer. In the UK, more than 40,000 people receive a blood cancer diagnosis each year, and more than 250,000 people are presently coping with the disease.

What is Blood Cancer?

A broad category of cancers that might damage your blood, bone marrow, or lymphatic system is referred to as blood cancer. When something goes wrong during the production of your blood cells, it occurs. Blood cancer is brought on by modifications (mutations) in blood cells' DNA. Your blood cells can become affected by blood cancer. Some of the most prevalent types of blood cancer include leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Additional types include MPNs and MDS.

Types of Blood Cancers

Three main types of blood cancers are:

• Leukaemia: It is a specific kind of cancer that develops in the bone marrow and blood, and it is brought on by the rapid creation of aberrant white blood cells. Because there are so many aberrant white blood cells, the bone marrow cannot make enough red blood cells or platelets to fight infection.

• Lymphoma: It is a specific kind of blood cancer that impacts the lymphatic system, which eliminates extra fluid from the body and generates immune cells. White blood cells called lymphocytes fight infection. The lymphoma cells that develop from abnormal lymphocytes grow and accumulate in your lymph nodes and other tissues. These malignant cells weaken your immune system over time.

• Myeloma: The cancer is a plasma cell cancer. White blood cells, called plasma cells, help your body create antibodies that fight infections and disease. Myeloma cells stop the body from producing antibodies normally, weakening your immune system and making you more vulnerable to infection.

Overview

Our blood, which makes up roughly 8% of your average body weight, has a significant impact on how your body works. All of your organs receive oxygen, nutrition, hormones, and antibodies from your blood as it travels through your vascular system. Plasma is the fluid that carries cells, waste, and nutrients, among other things, and blood cells make up about equal amounts of blood (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets).

Usually, an abnormal and excessive proliferation of white blood cells is the cause of cancer in the blood. About 10% of all malignancies that are diagnosed each year in the United States are blood cancers. Leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma are among the blood malignancies that affect more males than women. About 25% of all paediatric malignancies are caused by childhood leukaemia.

Active surveillance without cancer-directed therapy to conventional cancer treatments like immunotherapies, chemotherapies, and targeted medicines are all options for treating blood malignancies. The fact that there are now over 100 different forms of blood malignancies makes a proper diagnosis crucial before choosing a course of therapy, according to Dr Huntington.

Risk Factors of Blood Cancers

Although it is thought that a mix of hereditary and environmental factors contribute to the development of blood cancers, the risk factors for blood cancer are not entirely known. Smokers, radiation or chemically exposed individuals are more likely to acquire certain forms of blood cancers. Additional risk factors for lymphomas and leukaemias include infections with the Epstein-Barr virus, HIV, and human T-cell lymphoma/leukaemia virus.

How is Blood Cancer Diagnosed?

Leukaemia: The results of a complete blood count (CBC) test, which measures the ratio of white blood cells to red blood cells and platelets, will be given to your doctor.

Lymphoma: A biopsy, which involves removing a small piece of tissue to be inspected under a microscope, will be required by your doctor. To look for swollen lymph nodes, your doctor may occasionally additionally request an X-ray, CT, or PET scan.

Myeloma: To identify the chemicals or proteins created as a result of myeloma development, your doctor may conduct a complete blood count (CBC) or other blood or urine tests. Bone marrow biopsy, X-rays, MRIs, PET scans, and CT scans can occasionally be used to determine the existence and degree of myeloma spread.

Treatments for Blood Cancer

Many variables will affect the course of treatment. Your age, the type of blood cancer you have, how quickly it is spreading, and whether or not it has spread to other parts of your body are a few of these factors.

Numerous types of blood malignancies are now very curable since blood cancer treatments have significantly improved over the past few decades. The following are typical treatments:

• Chemotherapy: To kill and stop the growth of cancer cells, anticancer medications are injected into the body (or occasionally taken as pills).

• Radiation therapy: High-energy rays are used in this type of cancer treatment to destroy cancer cells.

• Targeted therapies: Drugs are used in this type of cancer treatment to specifically attack cancerous blood cells while sparing healthy ones. The most typical kind of treatment for leukaemia is targeted therapy.

• Stem cell transplantation: After receiving treatment to eliminate cancerous blood cells, your body can be infused with healthy stem cells to assist in resuming the creation of healthy blood.

• Cancer Surgery: Some lymphomas can be treated with this procedure, which entails removing the afflicted lymph nodes.

• Immunotherapy: With this therapy, the immune system is triggered to target and destroy cancer cells.

Facts about Blood Cancers

• In the United States, one person is given a leukaemia, lymphoma, or myeloma diagnosis every three minutes.

• In the US, 186,400 individuals are anticipated to receive a diagnosis of leukaemia, lymphoma, or myeloma in 2021.

• The anticipated 1,898,160 new cancer cases that will be diagnosed in the US in 2021 will include 9.8% of new cases of leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

Death Rate

• A person with blood cancer passes away in the US every 9 minutes on average. More than six people each hour, or over 158 persons per day, are represented by this statistic.

• In the US, an estimated 57,750 people will pass away from leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma in 2021.

• Based on the predicted number of 608,570 cancer deaths in 2021, these disorders are anticipated to cause 9.5% of cancer-related deaths.

Symptoms in Different Skin Tones

Bruises: Typically, patches begin as red and gradually turn another colour and become darker. They frequently feel soft. Bruises on black and brown skin may be hard to spot at first, but as they get worse, they become darker than the surrounding skin.

Rashes: Frequently manifest as bigger blotches or groups of small spots (petechiae) (purpura). They may seem purple or darker than the surrounding skin on black and brown skin. They usually seem red or purple on lighter skin. The petechiae and purpura don't fade if you press on them.

Paleness (pallor): Pallor is frequently more obvious right away on light skin. People with black or dark skin may seem greyish and have paler-than-normal palms. Pallor in their lips, gums, tongue or nail beds may also be noticed. Pallor is visible in all skin tones by lowering the bottom eyelid. If the inside is pale pink or white instead of the usual dark pink or red, it is a sign of pallor.

What are the Early Signs of Blood Cancer?

One of the most important components of our body is involved in blood cancer. Blood circulates throughout our body, supplying the organs with oxygen, nutrition, hormones, and antibodies while also removing waste products and pollutants. When cancer develops in the blood, it impairs its functionality and causes a wide range of diseases. Depending on the type, blood cancers present various symptoms.

In its early stages, blood cancer typically exhibits no distinctive symptoms. However, the following warning signs and symptoms are concerning, so you should discuss them with your doctor:

• Slow healing: Do not ignore a wound that is taking longer than usual to heal, and call your doctor. Due to low platelet levels, which are essential for blood clotting and wound healing, people with leukaemia frequently bleed and get bruised.

• Quickly gets sick: Low amounts of white blood cells and plasma cells, which create antibodies and defend humans from several illnesses, are found in blood cancer patients. Consequently, a person with blood cancer is sick more often and is sick for longer than usual.

• Diminished immunity: Due to decreased disease-fighting blood cells and poor lymphatic drainage, the individual with blood cancer has a weakened immune system and is susceptible to infection.

• Lumps and swelling: One may experience swelling or an odd mass in the lymph nodes, including the tonsils, testicles, or armpits.

• Rectal bleeding: When urinating, bloody discharge may be observed.

• Change in urinary habits: Blood in the urine or a burning sensation are two symptoms of blood cancer (hematuria).

• Skin changes: Blood cancer patients may experience bleeding, rashes, and bruising. On people with different skin tones, these symptoms may seem differently coloured.

• Pallor: Due to an inadequate supply of red blood cells in their bodies, people with blood malignancies may seem extremely pale.

Blood Cancer Prevention

The majority of blood cancers still cannot be prevented, despite extensive research. Although there are no known absolute risk factors for this malignancy, lowering the known ones is crucial. Additionally, carrying out some of these easy tasks will strengthen your immunity and help to somewhat lower the risk.

• Avoid Exposure to Radiations: Avoid high radiation doses as much as you can because during several treatment procedures, patients are frequently exposed to high-intensity radiation, increasing their risk of dying from blood cancer.

• Avoid Exposure to Chemicals: Avoid exposure to certain dangerous chemicals, such as pesticides, as this may raise your risk of developing blood cancer. If your line of work requires you to be around hazardous substances, you must take the necessary precautions. The likelihood of this malignancy can also rise with benzene exposure.

• Avoid Smoking or Tobacco in Every Form: The use of tobacco products, such as cigarettes, should be entirely avoided as it poses a significant risk for several diseases, including cancer.

• Regular Exercise: The body needs exercise on a regular basis to stay healthy. There are fewer chances of developing blood cancer if you exercise for 30 minutes each day, but there is currently no proof to back this up.

• Eat Healthily: Consuming nutritious diet aids in the prevention of diseases. The risk of blood cancer is somewhat decreased by increasing the consumption of fresh produce that is high in fibre and minerals.

Background

• Today, more than 1.3 million Americans either have blood cancer or are in remission from it.

• The majority of paediatric malignancies, or 28% of all cancers in children, are leukaemias. In the United States, there will be 178,520 new instances of leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma diagnosed in 2020, with 56,840 deaths anticipated as a result of the diagnosis.

• Given how many individuals these malignancies continue to afflict, it's critical to comprehend the illness and what we can do to increase our chances of surviving it.