Blood cancer, a term that applies to cancers that affect the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system, makes up 10 percent of all cancer diagnoses in the United States annually. Keep reading to learn about the three types of blood cancer: leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, along with blood cancer treatments.
Leukemia
Leukemia is a type of cancer found in your blood and bone marrow, and it is a result of the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells. Leukemia can impair the production of healthy white blood cells that serve to fight infections.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a network that transports lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that fights infection. With lymphoma, these lymphocytes begin to change, multiply and damage your immune system.
Myeloma
Myeloma is a type of cancer involving plasma cells, which are white blood cells that produce antibodies. Antibodies are blood proteins that defend our bodies against external invaders, such as viruses and bacteria. These myeloma cells impair the production of antibodies, weakening the body's immune system.
Blood Cancer Treatments
Not all blood cancers are treated equally, and even those diagnosed with the same blood cancer may not receive the same treatments. Doctors take into account many factors when prescribing treatments, such as the amount of white blood cells in your body, your symptoms, whether or not you've been diagnosed with a blood cancer before, and more. Some of these treatments include chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, the most common blood cancer treatment, involves drugs or chemicals that interfere with and terminate the growth of cancer cells. Because the drugs must be strong enough to kill these cells, chemotherapy can take a toll on the patient's body, and symptoms include hair loss, fatigue, and nausea.
Radiation therapy (Radiotherapy or Irradiation)
Radiotherapy involves damaging the genetic material, DNA, within cells, hindering them from growing and multiplying. Although the radiotherapy is directed at cancerous cells, it may damage nearby healthy cells, which could be detrimental to one's health. However, due to advancements in radiotherapy, this risk has significantly decreased.
Blood cancers can affect everyone, regardless of race or age. Perhaps, you or a loved one has been diagnosed with lymphoma, leukemia, or myeloma in the past. Fortunately, cancer treatments and technology is advancing, and the cancer death rate in the United States has been declining.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and thank you for reading!
Written by: Ashlee Liu
References:
“Blood Cancers.” Hematology.Org, www.hematology.org/education/patients/blood-cancers. Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.
“Types of Treatment | Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.” Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, www.lls.org/treatment/types-of-treatment. Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.
Yale Medicine Staff. “Blood Cancers: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.” Yale Medicine, 28 Oct. 2019, www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/blood-cancers.
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