Blood is made up of different types of cells like red blood cells (RBC’s), which carries oxygen, platelets which helps in blood clotting and white blood cells (WBC’s) that fight infections. These cells basically comes from stem cells, which have the potential to develop into any type of blood cell as they divide and mature. Problems in this process, known as ‘differentiation’, are at the root of all blood cancers. Different types of blood cancer depend on when and how these problems occur.
2. • Blood is made up of different types of cells like red blood cells (RBC’s), which carries
oxygen, platelets which helps in blood clotting and white blood cells (WBC’s) that fight
infections.
• These cells basically comes from stem cells, which have the potential to develop into any
type of blood cell as they divide and mature. Problems in this process, known as
‘differentiation’, are at the root of all blood cancers.
• Different types of blood cancer depend on when and how these problems occur.
• There are several cancer attacks on these blood cells. The symptoms of blood cancer come on
slowly. Therefore we cannot notice them.
• These problems may lead to your body producing large no. of immature blood cells that
are unable to perform their job properly.
• It can cause ‘clog up’ in bone marrow which prevents other blood cells from doing their
function too
3. Types of blood cancer
1. Leukemia: Blood cells are created inside bone marrow, and this is place where leukemia
starts. In this type of blood cancer WBC grow out of control and live longer than their normal
life and also they don’t help body to fight infection.
There are 4 main types of leukemia.
1. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). It starts with white blood cells called lymphocytes
present in bone marrow.
2. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It starts in myeloid cells, which normally grow into white
blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This type of leukemia lowers the number of
healthy blood cells. It grows quickly.
3. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It is most common type of leukemia in adults. It also
starts from lymphocytes in bone marrow, but it grows slowly.
4. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). It starts in myeloid cells, like AML. But the abnormal
cells grow slowly.
Leukemia keeps your healthy blood cells from growing and working normally.
4. 2. Lymphoma
Lymphoma occurs in the lymph system. It consists of lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus gland
3. Myeloma
Myeloma is the cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. Plasma cells also type of white
blood cell that makes antibodies.
5. Blood cancer symptoms
Fever, chills
Persistent fatigue, weakness
Loss of appetite, nausea
Unexplained weight loss
Night Sweats
Bone/joint pain
Abdominal discomfort
Headaches
Shortness of breath
Frequent infections
Itchy skin or skin rash
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, groin
For the treatment of blood cancer you must visit cancer specialist