Blood Cancers

Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the early blood-forming tissues, such as bone marrow and the lymphatic system. 

Symptoms

Leukemia typically affects white blood cells that help your body fight infections. Several types of leukemia are classified by how quickly they progress. For instance, acute forms develop rapidly, while chronic forms progress slowly. Certain types of leukemia may be more common among different age groups.

Symptoms or signs of leukemia may vary. If you notice these symptoms, talk to your health care provider:

• Fever or chills
• Persistent fatigue and/or weakness
• Frequent or severe infections
• Losing weight unintentionally
• 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

Risk Factors

Several risk factors that might increase a person’s chance of developing leukemia include:

• Cigarette smoking and other types of combustible tobacco products such as cigars or pipes
• Radiation exposure
• Certain chemical exposures, e.g., benzene, formaldehyde
• Certain genetic factors
• Family history of leukemia

Prevention

To lower your risk of leukemia, consider these lifestyle changes:

• Don’t smoke or if you do, quit
• Avoid coming into contact with harmful chemicals
• Maintain a healthy weight through a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
• Be physically active

Screening

Although there is no routine screening test for leukemia, it’s important to talk to your doctor if you have symptoms or signs of the disease. Leukemia may be detected through certain lab tests or imaging.

• Leukemia is typically diagnosed by examining the results from a complete blood count (CBC) that measures red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
• If suspected, your health care provider might perform a physical exam, or order a chest X-ray to look for swollen lymph nodes and other signs of infection.
• Further testing that can be done to look for the presence of leukemia cells in samples from a spinal tap or bone marrow biopsy.

Lymphoma

Lymphoma refers to cancers that start in the lymphatic system (the tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry infection-fighting white blood cells). The two main kinds of lymphoma are:

1. Hodgkin lymphoma: spreads orderly from one group of lymph nodes to another.
2. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: spreads sporadically through the lymphatic system in a non-orderly way.

Symptoms

Both Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma typically present with symptoms that include swollen lymph nodes, especially in the area of the body where the lymphoma starts to grow. Talk with your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Tiredness
• Unexplained weight loss

Risk Factors

Certain populations are at higher risk of developing lymphoma, specifically:

• Young teens, young adults (ages 15 to 39), and older adults (75 years and older) are most at-risk for developing Hodgkin lymphoma.
• Men are more likely than women to develop lymphoma.
• White individuals are more likely to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Several risk factors that might increase a person’s chance of developing lymphoma include:

• Having a family history of lymphoma
• Having an autoimmune disease
• Being HIV positive

Prevention

To lower your risk of lymphoma, consider these lifestyle changes:

• Maintain a healthy weight through a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
• Be physically active
• Don’t smoke or if you do, quit
• Avoid activities that increase the chance of getting HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C infections
• Avoid unnecessary exposure to radiation

Screening

Early detection is possible for both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Several tests may be done during the diagnostic process to determine lymphoma staging.

• To diagnose lymphoma, health care providers typically start with a physical exam to look for signs of swollen lymph nodes.
• Additional testing can be ordered to detect the presence of lymphoma cells through a biopsy or blood test.
• Advanced imaging such as CT or MRI scans can show how advanced the cancer is and how well it is responding to treatment.

Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cell found in bone marrow. It produces abnormal plasma cells and accumulates in the bone marrow, interfering with the production of healthy blood cells. 

Symptoms

While symptoms of multiple myeloma can vary and may not be noticeable in the early stages, common symptoms include:

• Bone pain, especially in the spine, chest, or hips
• Nausea and loss of appetite
• Fatigue and weakness
• Frequent infections
• Weight loss
• Excessive thirst and frequent urination
• Kidney problems
• Numbness or weakness in the legs

Risk Factors

• Multiple myeloma is more common in men than women
• Having a family history of multiple myeloma
• Having a plasma cell disease, such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or solitary plasmacytoma
• Exposure to chemicals, especially for those who work in industries that interact with pesticides and fertilizers, petrochemicals, and wood dust or fuel oil products

Prevention

To lower your risk of multiple myeloma, consider these lifestyle changes:

• Avoid coming into contact with harmful chemicals
• Maintain a healthy weight through a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
• Be physically active
• Don’t smoke or if you do, quit

Screening

Multiple myeloma screening is not routinely performed, mainly because it is rare. However, if suspected, certain tests can be done.

• Blood tests can detect high amounts of protein in the blood, often the monoclonal protein (M-protein), which is a key indicator of multiple myeloma.
• Routine urine samples can detect the presence of myeloma protein (also known as Bence-Jones protein).
• If you have a family history of multiple myeloma, your provider might suggest X-ray imaging or a bone marrow biopsy to look for bone abnormalities linked to the disease.