Blood cancer is a condition in which the blood cells are abnormal, leading to the formation of more abnormal cells, overwhelming the normal ones and their functions.
Overview
Blood cancer is a condition in which the blood cells are abnormal, leading to the formation of more abnormal cells, overwhelming the normal ones and their functions. Blood cancer affects the blood-forming sites, like the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Blood cancer can be due to some DNA change in the cells, leading to their abnormal functioning and uncontrolled division in the body. Blood cells are produced from bone marrow, or we can say the site of cell production. These cells are stem cells and change into different types of cells that are present in the blood and are responsible for various types of functions. There are various symptoms of the condition, and luckily, some effective treatments are available now for the treatment of blood cancer.
Blood Cancer
Blood cancer occurs due to an abnormality in the function of the cells and is produced in an uncontrolled manner. There are types of cells in the blood that are responsible for various types of functions. Cell production starts from the bone marrow by producing stem cells, which then differentiate into various types of cells like RBCs, WBCs, and platelets. Each type of blood cell has a different function. Red blood cells are used to carry oxygen, white blood cells are used for immune response, and platelets are responsible for clotting purposes. Blood cancer damages the differentiation of cells into types, and due to overproduction overwhelms the normal cells. This affects the functioning of blood and also increases the chances of reaching other parts of the body. Blood cancer can be a fatal condition if not detected early, and treatment is started to treat and limit the spread.
Types of Blood Cancer
There are mainly 3 types of blood cancers, and each type has subtypes with different causes and treatment options.
Here is the list of types of blood cancers:
- Leukemia: This is one of the most common types of blood cancer and starts in the bone marrow. The cells may leak into the blood and can spread to other parts of the body. This cancer is common in the US and is also a common form of childhood cancer.
- Lymphoma: Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system and starts with the lymph nodes or white blood cells of the body. This kind of cancer forms the cancers in lymph nodes, and the most common types of lymphoma are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Myeloma: This type of cancer starts in the bone marrow and affects white blood cells, also called plasma cells. Another common subtype of myeloma is multiple myeloma.
Other types of blood cancers:
- Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
Symptoms of Blood Cancer
Some of the common symptoms include:
- Fatigue: A person going through blood cancer may feel fatigued without doing anything. There can also be an unexplained, lazy, and lethargic attitude towards work or regular work.
- Frequent infections: A person going through blood cancer may have frequent infections from the surroundings. Any change in the environment can lead to the infection of the person, and all these infections make him very weak and unable to cope with the changing environment.
- Shortness of breath: A person may feel shortness of breath because of a smaller number of functional red blood cells in the blood.
- Swollen lymph node: Blood cancers are related to swollen lymph nodes and the related conditions in the lymph nodes.
Other symptoms include:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Enlarged spleen
- Joint pain
- Persistent fever
- Night sweats
- Bone pain
- Unexplained bleeding
- Wounds not healing properly or early etc.
Causes of Blood Cancer
Blood cancer does not have any specific reason or cause that can be identified and treated. However, there may be various direct or indirect causes that can lead to the formation of blood cancer. Blood cancer occurs when the genetic information gives wrong instructions for the division of cells, which can occur due to a mutation in the cells. This leads to the overcrowding of undifferentiated cells produced from bone marrow and compromises the functions of the normal cells. This leads to the symptoms of blood cancer. Various risk factors can lead to this condition and these risk factors include:
- Family history
- Genetics
- Exposure to chemicals
- Age of the person
- Sex of an individual
- Certain medical conditions etc.
Treatment for Blood Cancer
There are various types of treatments available for blood cancer, with each treatment having a different procedure and protocol. Common treatments used to treat blood cancer include:
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the most common nonsurgical procedure that uses some type of chemicals to destroy the blood cancer cells. The chemical works in such a way that it only destroys cancer cells and has less effect on normal cells. It can also work by slowing the production of cancer cells.
- Radiation Therapy: This process uses certain types of radiation that can destroy the blood cancer cells and cause no harm to normal cells. Radiation therapy is also used with various other treatments for the effective treatment of the condition.
- Immunotherapy: This therapy helps to enhance the immune system so that it can fight blood cancer on its own.
- Targeted therapy: There are various types of targeted therapies which is used to target cancer cells and weaken the production of cancer cells.
- Autologous stem cell transplant: Healthcare providers will take out your healthy stem cells, and after the procedure is done, the cancer cells are destroyed. The stem cells are given back to the person.
- Allogeneic Stem cell transplant: In this type of treatment, damaged bone marrow is replaced with healthy bone marrow cells to overcome the disease.
Tests for Blood Cancer
There are various types of tests used for the detection of blood cancer, and these include:
Conclusion
Blood cancer is the uncontrolled division of cells, leading to the formation of dysfunctional cells in the blood. These cells substitute for the function of good ones, leading to blood cancer symptoms. Blood cancer affects the blood-forming sites, like the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Blood cancer can be due to some DNA change in the cells, leading to their abnormal functioning and uncontrolled division in the body. Blood cells are produced from bone marrow or we can say the site of cell production. These cells are stem cells and change into different types of cells that are present in the blood and are responsible for various types of functions. Blood cancer does not have any specific reason or cause that can be identified and treated.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What are the 3 main types of blood cancer?
The 3 main types of blood cancer include leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
What are the symptoms of blood cancer?
The symptoms of blood cancer include shortness of breath, fatigue, infections, etc.
What are the different treatments for blood cancer?
Different treatments for blood cancer are radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy etc.
What are the risk factors of blood cancer?
Risk factors for blood cancer are smoking, mutation, exposure to certain chemicals etc.
Can blood cancer spread to other parts of the body?
Yes, some types of blood cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
Can we control blood cancer?
Yes, we can control blood cancer with specific treatment.
Which treatment is best for blood cancer?
The best treatment for blood cancer depends on the type and stage of the blood cancer.
Where to go for PET CT for blood cancer in Delhi?
You can visit Ganesh Diagnostic Center for PET CT blood cancer in Delhi.
