Blood cancer awareness: Common types, signs and treatment options

Blood cancer affects the body’s ability to fight against infection. 

For rapidly growing forms, it will need to be treated immediately, but slower growing forms are typically monitored, and treatment is not necessary right away.

There are three main types of blood cancer, leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, all of which affect the body’s blood cells.

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Below is everything you need to know about different types of blood cancer — including how they affect the body and the signs of illness.

1. What is blood cancer?
2. What are the common symptoms associated with blood cancer?
3. What causes blood cancer?
4. Can blood cancer be cured?
5. What is the life expectancy of someone with blood cancer?

1. What is blood cancer?

Blood cancer typically starts in the bone marrow. This is where white blood cells are produced. 

White blood cells help the human body fight against infection.

For someone with blood cancer, there are abnormal blood cells present in the body that grow out of control and negatively impact the function of normal blood cells. This makes an individual more susceptible to infections.

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There are three main types of blood cancer: leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. 

Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow. The body creates too many abnormal white blood cells, which disrupts the body’s healthy blood cells.

Lymphoma affects the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system. 

It both removes extra fluids from the body and produces immune cells. The white blood cells that fight against infections are called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are affected in an individual with lymphoma because there are abnormal lymphocytes found in the body that can impair the body’s immune system.

Lastly, myeloma prevents the normal production of antibodies by affecting the body’s plasma cells.

2. What are the common symptoms associated with blood cancer?

There are several symptoms that can be present because of blood cancer.

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These include coughing or chest pain, frequent and unexplained infections, fever or chills, unexplained rash or bruising, itchy skin, loss of appetite or nausea, night sweats, weakness, shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss and lumps or swellings on the body.

3. What causes blood cancer?

The exact causes of blood cancer are unknown, although there are factors that could potentially increase the risk, including smoking, radiation exposure, family history and exposure to certain chemicals.

4. Can blood cancer be cured?

Luckily, there are treatments available for blood cancer, determined on a case by case basis. 

Treatment may not be necessary right away, as it depends on the severity of each case.

Common treatments for blood cancers are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapies, stem cell transplantation, surgery and immunotherapy. 

5. What is the life expectancy of someone with blood cancer?

Blood cancer is not necessarily fatal when found quickly and treated properly. 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society says that every three minutes a person in the United States is diagnosed with one of the three main types of blood cancer.

In terms of all types of cancers, leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are expected to make up 9.4% of the estimated 1,958,310 cancer cases that will be diagnosed in 2023, according to the source.

There are 1,629,474 people in the U.S. who are living with or in remission from blood cancers, according to the source.

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Thousands of Americans lose their lives to blood cancer each year, but compared to other forms of cancer, a significantly higher amount of people live with blood cancer than other forms.