Blood Cancer is the name of fear for most people all over the world because of many reasons. Most people are not completely aware of all types of blood cancer and many others listen to various kinds of stories related to cancer which create a sense of fear in them. The need is to become aware of this disease before making any false story. No doubt it is a serious disorder but it can be cured and can be eradicated. Many people are living normal lives after recovering from cancer. Today we are going to discuss with our readers about cancer from different aspects. This article will give you comprehensive guidance about this most dangerous disease of medical science.
An Overview
Cancer is a genetic disorder of the gene controlling the number of cell divisions in the body. Sometimes mutation occurs in such genes of the body and division of the cell does not stop even after making the required cells, so abnormal cells start forming. Cells continue to divide making abnormal cells that may attack other body tissues resulting in the disease spreading throughout the body. In such cases, tumors start forming in any part of the body. In short, we can define cancer as the formation of abnormal cells in the body resulting from tumors in the body due to malfunctioning of the genes that control cell division and regulate the cell cycle process.
Are Blood Cancers Serious?Â
Blood cancer is a very serious disorder although its cure is possible but is considered the most difficult treatment and takes a long time for complete recovery from the disease. It has been recorded that more than 40000 thousand people are reported as Leukemia victims every year. This number is increasing with time. According to a careful estimation over 250,000 people are suffering from this disease. Treatment of blood cancer requires continuous patience over the years even after complete recovery from this disease. Doctors suggest patients a regular check-up for the rest of their lives. It is advised not to take the disease of blood cancer casual. According to research, the death rate from blood cancer is 3% which is quite hopeful as compared to the other diseases but the need is to address the issue without any delay. Â
Survival Rates for Blood Cancer Patients
Survival from cancer is possible and it is directly based upon careful estimation of patients’ healthcare providers. The recovery rate for all three types of blood cancer is different. Most important thing is at which stage of blood cancer it is reported and how it is treated. People who are facing such a situation should not lose hope and should keep their morale high because complete recovery is possible and people who defeat blood cancer spend their lives like other healthy people around them.
Types of Blood CancerÂ
One question that comes to mind is cancer of a single type? The answer to this question is no, many different kinds of cancer have been observed and categorized by the researchers. Blood is a soft connective tissue in the body that consists of blood plasma and blood cells. Human blood consists of three different types of blood cells such as RBCs, WBCs, and platelets. As far as types of Leukemia are under discussion there are the following types of blood cancers.
- Leukaemia
- LymphomaÂ
- Myeloma
Along with these types of blood cancer, there are other types that are less common including MPNs and MDS blood cancers. All these types of blood cancer are caused by mutation due to different reasons. The disease of blood cancer has been observed in all age groups including children, adults, and old age people. Blood cancer can affect both males and females irrespective of gender. Here we are describing a brief introduction for each category of blood cancer.
Leukaemia: Leukemia develops in the bone marrow where abnormal white blood cells start forming continuously. These abnormal white blood cells destroy the ability of bone marrow cells to produce normal red blood cells and platelets.Â
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is another type of blood cancer. The origin of this kind of blood cancer has been observed in the lymphatic system of the body and is called lymphocyte blood cancer.
Hodgkin Lymphoma: This is one of the least known types of blood cancer. Hodgkin lymphoma as its name shows affects the lymphatic system of the body and produces abnormal cancerous cells in the body where tumors are formed. This is a serious condition which may be fatal if left untreated. Unnecessary delay in the treatment may result in irreparable loss so it is advised if someone observes any unusual change in any part of the body immediately consult with the doctor. This is the only way by which life can be saved.
Less Common Forms of Blood Cancer
Many different types of blood cancers have different severity and symptoms. We have discussed with you the most commonly observed types of blood cancers in the above-mentioned paragraphs along with them some other types are typically less common but important to learn about them.
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS): This is a less commonly observed type of blood cancer that starts due to damage to blood-producing cells in the bone marrow cells. Although it is quite rare it is a very serious condition which is confirmed by multiple tests suggested by doctors before categorizing the type of blood cancer.
Amyloidosis: This is a blood disorder that is not very common among the population. It is characterized by the production of an abnormal protein, amyloid. This abnormal protein causes blood cancer.Â
Walden Strom Macroglobulinemia: Another important type of less commonly observed blood cancer is a rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It starts in B cells due to some unknown reason.
Bone Marrow and Blood Cancer
Blood cancer is also called hematologic cancer because it starts developing from the spongy part of the bone, bone marrow. Blood cells are formed in the bone marrow of the flat bones. Any mutation to the genes of the bone cells controlling the cell cycle may result in blood cancer. Once a blood cancer starts producing abnormal cells it affects the functioning of other normal cells. Immune systems fight against these abnormal cells and tumors start forming.
Causes of Blood Cancer
Researchers have found the most common reason for blood cancer is due to mutations and changes that occur in the genetic makeup of a person because of mutations. Researchers agree with this concept but still, no one exactly knows why such mutations occur. DNA is the boss that decides everything happening in the cell. When DNA is instructed to make cells there is no command to stop the formation of the new cells. After this happens, normal blood cells become lost somewhere in a large crowd of abnormal cells. Eventually, the number of normal cells decreases and these fewer normal cells aren’t enough to perform their tasks properly.
There are different hypotheses regarding the causes of leukemia.
Some researchers claim that there are environmental as well as genetic factors that result in this kind of blood cancer. It has been observed that when both these factors collectively influence DNA trigger cancerous mutations in genetic makeup.
Some other researchers believed that shifting of some genes from one chromosome to another chromosomes also results in changes in genetic makeup. It is thought that such transfer of genes affects other sets of genes on chromosomes and so disturbs the normal functioning of the genes on chromosomes.
Another group of researchers claims that ionizing radiation can break DNA strands and bring changes that may start forming abnormal cancerous cells in the body. Exposure to Different types of chemical compounds may also result in DNA mutation and can cause blood cancer. It is supposed that chemicals influence the body and may react with other chemical compounds present in the cells and may bring changes in the chemical nature of the genetic makeup. All these compounds which may result in cancer are termed carcinogens.
Another group of researchers emphasizes that bacterial and viral infections greatly affect DNA and may result in cancerous mutations.
Symptoms of Blood Cancer
Symptoms of blood cancer may differ from person to person depending upon the types of the tumor but some common symptoms must be consulted with the doctor for proper diagnosis. Some of the common symptoms of this disease are as follows:
- Sudden weight loss
- Bump on the body at any placeÂ
- Coughing up blood
- Short of breath
If any of these symptoms appear in the body, the patient should consult with the doctor because the treatment of blood cancer requires time, and treatment delay may be fatal in most cases.
Along with some common symptoms that suspect that a tumor appeared in any part of the body might be a cancerous tumor, different symptoms vary from person to person and such symptoms are based on the type of blood cancer. Constant fatigue, persistent fever, sudden sweating during the night, unusual bleeding, sudden weight loss, bubbling lymph nodes, and frequent infections are some common symptoms that need to be consulted with the physician. Many types of blood cancers have the same symptoms as many other diseases.
Diagnosis and Tests
The history of the patient is very important to know many important facts that prove quite handy in the process of treatment. Healthcare providers often ask many questions that help in the diagnosis of the type of cancer. A physical examination is also necessary. For proper and exact diagnosis doctors suggest some lab tests too of the blood sample. These samples are sent to the authentic labs to further confirm the disease. For the exact confirmation, the doctor may suggest the following tests:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Blood chemistry testÂ
- Computed tomography (CT) scanÂ
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
- Positron emission tomography (PET) scanÂ
- Bone marrow biopsies
- Blood cell examination
Treatment and Management
All types of cancers are not treated with a single treatment option. The best available options are the most required credibility for the treatment of cancer. Several factors such as age, gender, and health condition of the patient influence the method of treatment. Your healthcare provider considers all these factors while deciding on your blood cancer treatment. Some of such treatment methods for blood cancer are jotted below:
- Targeted therapy for blood cancer.
- Radiation therapy.
- Chemotherapy.
- Immunotherapy.
- Allogeneic stem cell transplant.
- Autologous stem cell transplant.
- CAR T-Cell therapy.
Side Effects of Blood Cancer Therapy
Although the treatment of blood cancer is an indispensable phenomenon, cancer therapies are associated with different side effects. Doctors usually recommend a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy for blood cancer treatment, you must ask about the side effects before starting any of these. Let’s have a look at the potential side effects of blood cancer treatment!
Immunotherapy Side Effects:A sharp drop in thyroid levels, diarrhea, and skin rashes are the most common side effects linked with immunotherapy. Its long-term exposure can lead to heart disease. According to a medical survey report, a very small number of patients get these side effects.Â
CAR T-Cell Therapy Side Effects: Certain neurological problems and e-release syndrome (CRS) are the two most common side effects associated with this type of treatment option. CRS is a type of flu that affects your nervous system and causes symptoms such as seizures, tremors, or balance problems that directly affect your daily activities badly.Â
Targeted Therapy Side Effects: Stroke, heart problems, diarrhea, and elevated liver enzymes and are the risk factors linked with targeted therapy. S long-term use.
Conclusion
New and highly developed treatment methods have made it possible to live with blood cancer more than ever before. According to an estimate, more than 2 million people in the country are living with blood cancer. Thanks to the modern technology that is making progress in the medical field to make our lives easier even with such fatal types of diseases. Although blood cancer is a serious condition, you can manage its symptoms with different therapies and treatment options that your healthcare provider will recommend. You should talk to your doctor for the exact evaluation of the type of blood cancer you have which will make it easier to decide the best treatment for you.
