Blood cancers occur when abnormal blood cells grow out of control, interfering with the function of normal blood cells which fight off infection and produce new blood cells. Most blood cancers also called hematologic malignancies start in the bone marrow where blood cells are produced. Blood Cancer or haematological malignancy is a group of disorders which include acute and chronic leukaemias, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myeloproliferative neoplasms and myelodysplastic syndrome.
In a conversation with Jagran English, Dr. Mohit Saxena - Consultant, Medical Oncology, Manipal Hospital, Gurugram explained the major symptoms of blood cancer that one should not ignore.
Blood Cancer Symptoms
- Unexplained bleeding from gums, nose or blood in urine or faeces
- Easy bruising
- Skin rashes appear as clusters of tiny red spots (petechiae) or larger purplish blotches (purpura)
- Unexplained Weight loss
- Lumps or swellings in the neck, armpit, groin or another part of the body
- Easy fatiguability or tiredness
- Breathlessness on exertions
- Drenching night sweats
- Persistent, Recurrent or Severe Infections
- Unexplained, Persistent or Recurrent Fever (100.4°F or above)
- Itchy skin
- Pain in your bones, joints or abdomen (stomach area)
- Paleness of skin
Reason For Symptoms Of Blood Cancer
Bleeding, easy bruising, petechiae and purpura are caused by low platelets.
Fatiguability, exertional breathlessness, paleness, caused by anaemia or low haemoglobin.
Fever and infections are caused by low levels of white blood cells or dysfunctional white blood cells.
Lumps and Swelling are caused by abnormal white blood cells building up in your lymph glands.
Abdomen pain or abnormal blood cells building up in your spleen.
Blood cancer is a serious illness. Its symptoms should not be neglected and one should consult health care personnel without delay on the development of these symptoms for early diagnosis and successful treatment.
Another doctor, Dr Dinesh Pendharkar MD, PhD FASCO, Director Sarvodaya Cancer Institute, Director Cell and Gene Therapy, Bone Marrow Transplantation, Sarvodaya Hospital, Faridabad explained about chronic lymphocytic leukaemia which is also a type of blood cancer.
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a type of blood cancer among adults in the Western world. In people aged over 60 years, it constitutes 25 to 30% of blood cancer. In India, with the ageing of the population, the incidence of CLL is increasing. It is already one of the most common blood cancers in the north of India. Generally, it is a slow-growing disease called indolent, chronic disease and has
the slow course of progression and good prognosis.
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The common signs of the disease include fatigue, a sense of weakness, rare weight loss, very mild fever and common enlargement in the size of lymph nodes all over the body which can be felt by the individual himself. Deficiency in the blood called anemia is also commonly seen. Patients tend to get infections like cough and cold pneumonia.