Blood cancer is a generalized term for malignancy which attacks the blood, bone marrow, or lymphatic system. There are three kinds of blood cancer: leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
Leukemia is malignancy of cells in the blood. Lymphoma refers to malignant tumors of the lymph system. Myeloma is malignancy of plasma cells. Plasma cells are the cells in bone marrow that produce antibodies. Collectively they are called Hematological malignancies.
Some of the common blood cancer symptoms:
* Weakness, Fatigue, Malaise and Breathlessness
* Minimal body strain results inbone fractures
* Excessive or easy bruising
* Bleeding gums or frequent nose bleeds
* Recurrent infections or fever
* Excessive sweating of body during night
* Weight loss
* Frequent vomiting sensations
* Anorexia
* Lymph node (gland) enlargement
* Lumps or abdominal distension due to enlarged abdominal organs
* Abdominal pain, Bone pain and Back pain
* Delirium and confusion
* Abnormal bleeding in gums nose and cuts, which will result in platelet redution
* Headaches with occurrence of visual difficulties
* Occurrence of fine rashes on dark spots
* Decreased urination and difficulty whil urinating
Some of the specific leukemia blood cancer symptoms are anemia, recurrent infections, bone and joint pain, abdominal distress and difficult in breathing or dyspnea.
In case of lymphomas blood cancer the symptoms depend on location of cancer, where it has spread, and the size of the tumor. It begins with swelling in the neck, underarm, or groin.
The first sign of multiple myeloma is bone pain due to bony distruction by plasma cells. Some of the prominent symptoms include bleeding gums, nose bleeds and easy bruising. Unexplained bone fractures, kidney failure, persistent infections and weight loss are other signs of the disease.
Incidences of Blood Cancer Types Each Year:
| S.No. | Blood Cancer Type | Percentage Per One Lack of Population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Leukemia | 12.2 | |
| 2. | Myeloma | 5.6 | |
| 3. | Lymphoma | 2.8 |
* Symptoms of blood cancer are confirmed using the Dignostic test – Biopsy.
* After every 4 minutes, an individual from America is diagnosed with blood cancer by such tests.
* Every 10 minutes, this disease takes the life of an individual.
* It means 146 people die every day because of this disease.
* Approximately 1,39,860 people are going to be diagnosed with all the three types of blood cancer in the year 2009.
* These people constitute 9.5% of the total number of new cancer cases ( 1,479, 350 ) diagnosed in the whole country.
* 53,240 people out of the 1,39,860 diagnosed, are estimated to lose their lives this year owing to this dreadful disease.
* The total cancer deaths estimated in the year 2009 are 5,62,340.
* Blood cancer deaths will comprise 9.5% of these deaths.
* Leukemia is the most common type of blood cancer in children affecting the age group of 0-19 years.
* It comprises 31% of cancers affecting the children in United States.
* 2,655 children within the mentioned age group, are estimated to be diagnosed with this disease in 2009.
* The symptoms of blood cancer remain latent and dangerously make the disese apparent in its last stages.
Does Cancer cause Blood Clots ?
Research studies conducted at the University of Aquila, Italy suggest that children suffering from Leukemia are at high risks of facing Thrombosis while they are provided the cancer treatment. Thrombosis is the technical name given to clotting of blood in the deep veins of the body. In the research, 1,752 children suffering from this dreadful disease were considered. In 5.2% of these children, the study found the complication of blood clotting. The researchers however were successful in finding out the therapies and medical procedures for addressing the risk of blood clotting.
