Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatments of Blood Cancer

Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatments of Blood Cancer

Blood cancer is very dangerous for our health, we need to find out its symptoms on time and start the treatments as soon as possible if we find symptoms in our health routine we should contact the doctor and inform that what happens. after consulting the doctor and get positive we should not delay we should start treatments of blood cancer.

WHAT IS BLOOD CANCER?

Blood cancer is the type of cancer that originates from the bone marrow as bone marrow is the integral source of blood production. blood cancer affects the production and function of a patient’s blood cell.

There are two type BLOOD CANCER:

1. LEUKAEMIA :
   Leukemia is the cancer of the white blood cells caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells because of which they cannot fight infections rightly. Leukemia can occur in both adults as well as children.
2. MYELOMA :
   Myeloma is the cancer of plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cell also known as our body’s defense mechanism. In this type of cancer, the body’s ability to fight infections is inhibited leading to frequent illness. Myeloma can develop in any location where there is blood plasma.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Since the symptoms of Blood Cancer can be confused by flu or other common illnesses so these may often be ignored or overlooked. The symptoms differ from patient to patient as these depend on certain factors including the type of blood cancer, the stage of cancer, the progression (acute or chronic).

A few common signs of blood cancer may include the following:

• Anemia
• Fever or infections
• Swelling of Lymph nodes
• Unexplained weight loss
• Pain in the bone
• Swelling of liver or spleen
• Night sweats

RISK FACTOR AND CAUSES OF BLOOD CANCER

There are no exact known causes for developing cancer, but studies prove that some factors may increase the chances a person can have cancer in his/her life. Risk factors can be different for different types of cancer, but there are a few common risk factors for all types of cancer. A few are listed below:

Chemical exposure:

Exposure to chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, heavy factory smoke and chemicals, etc. can also cause blood cancer.

Radiation exposure:

Exposure to radiation can also cause Blood cancer. The higher the dose of radiation, the more the risk of developing blood cancer.

Smoking:

Smoking is said to be one of the major risk factors for causing blood cancer because tobacco is likely to damage or change the DNA of blood cells that causes abnormal growth causing blood cancer. It can also reduce the body’s immunity, making the body more prone to illness.

Diet for treatment of blood cancer:

Today, more than 50% of the world’s population do not follow a nutritious diet, a few foods, however, increase the risk of cancer. They are as follows:

• Processed meat
• Microwave popcorn
• Aerated drinks
• Diet food and beverages
• Refined flour
• Refined sugars
• Dirty fruits and vegetables
• Farmed salmon
• Hydrogenated oils

Diagnostic Tests for Blood Cancer

The most common tests used to diagnose blood cancer available at Oncoplus Hospital are:

Complete blood count

This blood test measures the concentration of various types of blood cells-red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet cell count, in the given sample. This test determines abnormalities in the blood cells or their concentration in blood. Bone marrow biopsy may help in confirming this diagnosis.

Bone marrow biopsy/aspiration

Removal of bone marrow sample for testing is called bone marrow biopsy or aspiration, the difference being the follows:

• Bone marrow aspiration: to extract a liquid bone marrow sample.
• Bone marrow biopsy: Removing a small amount of bone marrow tissue.

This test determines if the cancer is affecting the bone marrow, the type of blood cancer, and the stage of cancer. The main purpose of this test is to confirm blood cancer as well as bone marrow disorders if any also detect any DNA abnormalities in the sample.

Lymph Node Biopsy

Blood cancer affects the blood cells that successively means the immune system fully gets affected. The lymphatic system is responsible for human immunity. It includes tonsils, spleen, and lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are present in hundreds of the body, which contain white blood cells to fight infections.
In lymph node biopsy, a small cut is made and the node is taken, and the cut is closed by stitches. This test provides information about blood cancer, type, and stage.

Spinal tap

It is also referred to as lumbar puncture. A fine needle is inserted in the space between the bones in the lower back and cerebrospinal fluid is extracted from the spine. This fluid is examined under a microscope to assess the progress of blood cancer, whether it has spread to the spinal cord.

Flow cytometry

This check determines the blood and bone marrow cells to research an amendment within the white blood cell count that might cause cancer.

An instrument known as a flow cytometer is used to measure the number and percentage of cells and their characteristics.

Karyotype test

This check maps the forty-six human chromosomes of a cell to see the changes within the chromosomes and their arrangement.

The appearance of This checks for abnormalities within the size, shape, range, and arrangement of the blood cells or bone marrow cells.

Different Blood Cancer Stages and Metastasis

The stage indicates the extent of cancer progression. The stage of cancer helps the specialist to define the correct treatment option for blood cancer.  Staging of blood cancer is classified based on blood cell counts and accumulation of these cells within other organs like the spleen, liver, etc. Stages are assessed after a proper evaluation of the patient.
Book an appointment with the Cancer Doctors in Delhi for Blood Cancer Treatment

Treatments of Blood cancer Options

The treatment of blood cancer depends on several factors including the type and stage of cancer, age of the patient, and the organs involved by cancer.
The most crucial treatment options available for blood cancer at Oncoplus are explained below:

1. Chemotherapy Treatment

Chemotherapy destroys the rapidly growing cells in the body using chemical drug therapy. It is one of the most reliable and effective treatments to cure blood cancer.

Book an appointment with an Oncologist at Oncoplus.

Chemotherapy Procedure: How it is done?

In Chemotherapy, chemical/drugs/medicines are injected into veins or the larger muscle, which then travel along the bloodstream to reach the cancer cells. These drugs stop the cancerous cells from spreading further in the body. Chemotherapy is conducted in stages allowing the patient to handle the side effects of treatment, however, these are generally short-termed and medication is prescribed after every session of therapy.

Side effects of Chemotherapy in blood cancer treatment:

Few organs including the Heart, Lier, Brain, Testicles, Ovaries, kidneys are affected due to chemotherapy. Other common side effects of chemotherapy include:

• Appetite changes
• Hair loss
• Nausea and vomiting
• Anemia
• Fatigue
• Constipation

The oncologist and team at Oncoplus takes care of the tolerance levels of the Patient before proceeding with the treatment.

2. Radiation Therapy for Blood Cancer Treatment

Radiation therapy damages the DNA in the cancerous cells using high-energy radiation, which further restricts their growth and reproduction.

Side effects of radiotherapy in treatment of blood cancer:

• Hair loss
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Skin problems
• Sore throat
• Heartburn

Since radiations are of high energy so it is advised to have a nutritious diet after radiotherapy also regular exercises contribute to the benefits of the patient’s health after radiotherapy.

3. Stem Cell Transplantation for Blood Cancer treatment

Since other treatment methods destroy the cancerous cells so patient’s body needs more new cells to maintain the normal functioning of the body.  Stem cells are the cells of the bone marrow that develop further to produce new blood cells.

4. Blood Targeted Therapy for Blood Cancer treatment

This type of therapy targets the specific molecules that help cancer to grow and spread across the body. The main agenda of this therapy is to target the genes, proteins, and supporting blood vessels. This therapy is done alone or in combination with chemotherapy.

Side effects of Blood targeted therapy are :

• Increasing blood pressure
• Skin problems
• Gastrointestinal perforation
• Problems with blood clotting and wound healing

Book an appointment with the Best Cancer Specialist at Oncoplus Hospital.