Symptoms of blood cancer

What are bone marrow and blood cancers? Healthy blood cells include a balance of different cell types. Most blood cancers, also called hematologic cancers, start in the bone marrow, which is where blood is produced. Blood cancers occur when abnormal blood cells start growing out of control, interrupting the function of normal blood cells, which fight off infection and produce new blood cells. This article will cover: • • • • • • Types of blood cancer The three main types of blood and bone marrow cancer are • • • • There are also less common forms of blood and bone marrow cancers, or associated disorders, including: • • • Amyloidosis: This rare disorder, characterized by the buildup of an abnormal protein called amyloid, is not a form of cancer. But it is closely associated with multiple myeloma. • • Aplastic anemia: This rare condition occurs when key stem cells are damaged and can only be treated with a bone marrow transplant. Blood cancer symptoms Some common bone marrow and blood cancer symptoms include: • 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 or groin Causes of blood cancer All blood cancers are caused by mutations in the genetic material—the DNA—of blood cells. Other risk factors vary based on the specific type of blood cancer. R...

Blood cancers, also called hematologic cancers, occur when blood cells grow abnormally, interfering with how normal blood cells function. Types of blood cancer vary based on the cells they affect as well as their incidence, method of diagnosis, and their prognosis. There are three main types of blood cancer: • People aged over 60 are at higher risk • Men are more likely to be diagnosed with MDS than women • Smoking increases risk • Chemotherapy for other forms of cancer can increase risk, and risk increases if chemo and radiation therapy are combined • Some genetic diseases • Exposure to radiation or benzene Prognosis A stem cell transplant is the only potential cure for MDS. Survival rates vary based on type of MDS, progression to AML, and other risk factors. The average survival rate for lower-risk patients who do not receive a bone marrow transplant is five years, while the five-year survival for high-risk patients is five months. • Chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL): Occurs when the bone marrow makes too much of a kind of white cell called eosinophils. • Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL): Causes an oversupply of certain kinds of white blood cells. • Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML): Causes the growth of abnormal types of white blood cells. • Essential thrombocythemia: Causes the overproduction of platelets which can lead to clogged blood vessels, heart attack, and stroke. • Polycythemia vera: Occurs when too many red blood cells are produced by the marrow. This is...

Overview Leukemia is cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. Many types of leukemia exist. Some forms of leukemia are more common in children. Other forms of leukemia occur mostly in adults. Leukemia usually involves the white blood cells. Your white blood cells are potent infection fighters — they normally grow and divide in an orderly way, as your body needs them. But in people with leukemia, the bone marrow produces an excessive amount of abnormal white blood cells, which don't function properly. Symptoms Leukemia symptoms vary, depending on the type of leukemia. Common leukemia signs and symptoms include: • Fever or chills • Persistent fatigue, weakness • Frequent or severe infections • Losing weight without trying • Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen • Easy bleeding or bruising • Recurrent nosebleeds • Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae) • Excessive sweating, especially at night • Bone pain or tenderness When to see a doctor Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any persistent signs or symptoms that worry you. Leukemia symptoms are often vague and not specific. You may overlook early leukemia symptoms because they may resemble symptoms of the flu and other common illnesses. Sometimes leukemia is discovered during blood tests for some other condition. Parts of the immune system The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system, which protects against infection and disease. The lymp...

Several kinds of cancer attack the cells that make up your blood. Their symptoms usually come on slowly, so you might not even notice them. And some people have no symptoms at all. But there are a few things to look for with the most common kinds of blood cancer. Leukemia Blood cells are made inside your bone marrow, and that’s where leukemia starts. It causes your body to make white blood cells that grow out of control and live longer than they’re supposed to. And unlike normal white blood cells, they don’t help your body fight infection. There are many different forms of leukemia. Some get worse quickly (acute). You’ll probably feel very sick very suddenly, like you’ve come down with the flu. Other forms can take years to cause symptoms (chronic). Your first clue may be abnormal results on a routine blood test. Most signs of leukemia happen because the cancer cells keep your healthy blood cells from growing and working normally. Anemia: This is when your body doesn’t make enough red blood cells, or the ones you have don’t do their jobs well. Signs of it include: • Feeling tired and weak • Shortness of breath • Dizziness • Pale skin • Chest pain Poor clotting: Platelets are the cells that make your blood clot. When your body doesn’t make enough of them, small cuts may bleed more than usual, or you might have a bloody nose often. You may also have: • Unusual bruising • Bleeding gums • Tiny red dots on your skin from broken blood vessels • Heavy periods • Bowel movements th...

• • A type of cancer that starts in the bone marrow, where blood is produced • • Symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, weakness, weight loss, bone and joint pain, anemia • • Treatments include chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell transplant, surgery, immunotherapy • • Involves hematology program, Yale cancer center, pediatric hematology & oncology Your blood, which accounts for about 8 percent of your normal body weight, plays an important role in how your body functions. As your blood circulates throughout your vascular system, it supplies all of your organs with oxygen, nutrients, hormones and antibodies. Blood is made of an almost equal mix of plasma (the liquid that transports cells, waste and nutrients, among other things) and blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets). When cancer occurs in the blood, it’s usually the result of an abnormal and excessive reproduction of white blood cells. Blood cancers account for about 10 percent of all diagnosed cancers in the U.S. each year. Blood cancers (including leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma) are more common in men than women. Childhood leukemia accounts for about 25 percent of all cancers in children. “Some blood cancers may cause symptoms such as severe fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, or lymph node swelling,” says Treatments for blood cancers also vary, ranging from active surveillance without cancer-directed therapy to standard cancer treatments including immunotherapies, chemotherapies and targeted...

Overview What is blood cancer? Blood cancer affects how your body produces blood cells and how well those cells work. Most blood cancers start in your bone marrow, the soft, sponge-like material in the center of your bones. Your bone marrow makes stem cells that mature and become red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Normal blood cells fight infection, carry oxygen throughout your body and control bleeding. Blood cancer happens when something disrupts how your body makes blood cells. If you have blood cancer, abnormal blood cells overwhelm normal blood cells, creating a ripple effect of medical conditions. More people are living longer with blood cancer, as healthcare providers find new ways to treat it. Are blood cancers serious? Blood cancers are serious illnesses, but other cancer types are more deadly. Blood cancers represent about 10% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States each year, and an estimated 3% of all cancer-related deaths. National Cancer Institute data show a steady decline in blood cancer deaths. What are survival rates for blood cancer? Survival rates are estimates based on averages. Your healthcare provider may share five-year survival rates as a way of explaining how your blood cancer may affect your health five years after diagnosis. Survival rates are different for each of the three blood cancer types, but many people who have blood cancer can expect to survive as long as most other people. What are the three types of blood cancer? ...

Blood cancers affect blood cells and bone marrow -- the spongy tissue inside your bones where blood cells are made. These cancers change the way blood cells behave and how well they work. You have three types of blood cells: • White blood cells fight infection as part of your immune system. • Red blood cells carry oxygen to your body's tissues and organs and bring carbon dioxide to your lungs so you can breathe it out. • Platelets help your blood clot when you're injured. There are three major types of blood cancer: • Leukemia • Lymphoma • Myeloma These cancers cause your bone marrow and lymphatic system to make blood cells that don't work as well as they should. They all affect different types of white blood cells, and they act in different ways. Leukemia People who have leukemia make a lot of white blood cells that can't fight infections. Leukemia is divided into four types based on the kind of white blood cell it affects and whether it grows quickly (acute) or slowly (chronic). Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). This starts with white blood cells called lymphocytes in bone marrow. People with ALL make too many lymphocytes that crowd out healthy white blood cells. ALL can advance quickly if it's not treated. It’s the most common type of childhood cancer. Children ages 3 to 5 are most likely to get it, but adults over age 75 can get ALL, too. You're more likely to get it if you: • Have a brother or sister with ALL • Were treated with chemotherapy or radiation for another t...

Signs and symptoms are ways the body lets you know that you have an injury, illness, or disease. • A sign , such as fever or bleeding, can be seen or measured by someone else. • A symptom , such as pain or fatigue,is felt or noticed by the person who has it. Signs and symptoms of cancer depend on where the cancer is, how big it is, and how much it affects nearby organs or tissues. If a cancer has spread ( metastasized), signs or symptoms may appear in different parts of the body. How does cancer cause signs and symptoms? A cancer can grow into,or begin to push on nearby organs, blood vessels, and nerves. This pressure causes some of the signs and symptoms of cancer. A cancer may also cause symptoms like fever, extreme tiredness ( fatigue), or weight loss. This may be because cancer cells use up much of the body’s energy supply. Or the cancer could release substances that change the way the body makes energy. Cancer can also cause the immune system to react in ways that produce these signs and symptoms. What are some general signs and symptoms of cancer? Most signs and symptoms are not caused by cancer but can be caused by other things.If you have any signs and symptoms that don't go away or get worse, you should see a doctor to find out what’s causing them. If cancer is not the cause, a doctor can help figure out what the cause is and treat it, if needed. For instance, lymph nodes are part of the body’s immune system and help capture harmful substances in the body. Normal ...