What is Blood Cancer
Blood cancer is an umbrella term for cancers that affect the blood, bone marrow and lymphatic system. There are three main groups of blood cancer: leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with a blood cancer. That's 70 people a day, or around 25,000 people a year.
Blood cancers develop when the normal processes that control blood cell production go wrong. These cancers can affect different types of blood cells and the systems that produce them, leading to a wide range of symptoms and treatment approaches.
Leukaemia
Leukaemia is a cancer that affects white blood cells, causing them to multiply in an uncontrolled way. These abnormal cells build up in the bone marrow and interfere with the production of normal blood cells.
Types of Leukaemia
Leukaemia can be classified as either acute or chronic, and also by the type of white blood cell affected:
- Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) - The most common acute leukaemia in adults, affecting around 3,100 people per year in the UK
- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) - More common in children, affecting around 650 people per year in the UK
- Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) - Develops slowly, affecting around 750 people per year in the UK
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) - The most common leukaemia overall, affecting around 3,200 people per year in the UK
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the body's immune system. The lymphatic system includes lymph nodes, the spleen, thymus gland, and bone marrow.
Types of Lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) - The most common type, affecting around 13,500 people per year in the UK. There are over 60 different subtypes of NHL.
- Hodgkin Lymphoma - Less common, affecting around 2,100 people per year in the UK. Generally has a better prognosis than NHL.
Myeloma
Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cell made in the bone marrow. Plasma cells are responsible for producing antibodies to fight infection.
In myeloma, abnormal plasma cells multiply uncontrollably and accumulate in the bone marrow. This can lead to bone damage, kidney problems, and a weakened immune system.
Around 4,800 people are diagnosed with myeloma each year in the UK. It is more common in people over 65 and slightly more common in men than women.
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of conditions where the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells. Instead, it produces abnormal cells that do not work properly.
MDS is sometimes referred to as a "pre-leukaemia" condition because it can develop into acute myeloid leukaemia in some cases. However, many people with MDS never develop leukaemia.
The bone marrow's inability to produce correct blood cells leads to:
- Low red blood cell counts (anaemia)
- Low white blood cell counts (increasing infection risk)
- Low platelet counts (increasing bleeding and bruising risk)
Treatment Options
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses powerful medicines to kill cancer cells or stop them from dividing. It can be given as tablets, injections, or through a drip into a vein. Chemotherapy is often given in cycles, with treatment periods followed by rest periods to allow the body to recover.
While chemotherapy is very effective at killing cancer cells, it can also affect healthy cells, leading to side effects such as fatigue, nausea, hair loss, and increased risk of infection.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses high-energy radiation to destroy cancer cells. It can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy. The radiation is carefully targeted at areas affected by cancer, such as lymph nodes or the spleen.
Radiotherapy may be used to:
- Treat areas of the body affected by lymphoma
- Reduce the size of tumours before surgery
- Relieve symptoms such as pain from bone damage
- Prepare the body for a stem cell transplant
Other Treatments
Depending on the specific type of blood cancer, other treatments may include:
- Stem cell or bone marrow transplants
- Targeted therapy drugs
- Immunotherapy
- Biological therapy
- Supportive care including blood transfusions