Know Your Disease
Blood Cancer
Overview of Blood Cancer
As its name suggests, this cancer type affects the production and functionality of your blood cells. It starts in the bone marrow, which is an integral source of blood formation. Your bone marrow stem cells mature and develop into three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. In the case of cancer, the blood production process is disrupted due to the development of abnormal blood cells. According to the best blood cancer doctor in Kolkata, different blood cancer types include leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
What are the Types
- Leukemia – This cancer type is caused by the rapid production of abnormal blood cells in the bone marrow. These abnormal blood cells affect the ability of the bone marrow to produce RBCs and platelets.
- Lymphoma – It is a blood cancer type that affects the lymphatic system, which helps remove excess fluid from the body and produce immune cells. Lymphocytes are a type of WBC that fights infection. Abnormal lymphocytes form lymphoma cells, which grow uncontrollably in your lymph nodes and other tissues.
- Myeloma – This type of leukaemia affects plasma cells, the white blood cells responsible for the body’s production of antibodies against the disease. Myeloma affects the production of plasma cells resulting in a weakened immune system.
What are Its Symptoms
Blood cancer is a type of malignancy that affects the blood, bone marrow or lymphatic system. Some common symptoms of blood cancer, as listed by the best blood cancer surgeon in Kolkata, include:
- Weakness, fatigue and malaise
- Shortness of breath
- Minimal stress on the body causes bone fractures
- Excessive or easy bruising
- Bleeding
- Frequent infections along with fever
- Sweating at night• Frequent vomiting sensation
- Weight loss
- Anorexia
- Enlarged lymph node (gland)
- Lumps or disruption of the abdomen due to dilation of the abdominal organs
- Abdominal pain, bone pain and back pain
- Delirium and confusion
- Abnormal bleeding in the nose and incision of the pelvis, which will lead to a
decrease in platelets. - Headache
- Fine rashes or dark spots
- Decreased and difficulty urinating
Treatment
The main goal of blood cancer treatment is the complete eradication of cancer. There are several treatments for this disease by the blood cancer doctor near you. Some of them are as follows:
- Biological therapy to kill the cancerous cells
- Chemotherapy
- Bone marrow transplantation – This is usually the process of replacing damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells.