Blood Cancer: Difference between Leukemia, Lymphoma and Multiple-Myeloma
Blood cancer otherwise known as hematologic malignancies is the uncontrolled growth of an abnormal type of blood cells that are cancerous. These prevent your blood from performing most of its functions such as fighting against infections or preventing serious bleeding. There are three main types of blood cancers – Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma. All these three types have their own features and let’s see the difference between them.
Additional Read : What is the survival rate of blood cancer?
Leukemia
Location: Starts in the bone marrow and travels through the bloodstream
Impact: Cannot fight infections, cannot produce red blood cells and platelets
Symptoms: Easy bleeding, bruising or nose bleeds, enlarged liver or spleen, frequent infections, tiny red spots on your skin called petechiae, pale skin.
Treatment: Chemotherapy and the surgery to remove lymph nodes
Lymphoma
Location: Affects the lymphatic system – lymph nodes, the spleen, lymph tissues or in neighbouring organ
Impact: The immune system is affected
Symptoms: Fevers, night sweats shortness of breath, cough, itchy skin
Treatment: Requires aggressive treatments
Myeloma
Location: Starts in the bone marrow and affects plasma cells
Impact: Eats away bone and damages kidney
Symptoms: Bone pain especially in your chest or spine,
Confusion, Constipation, Extreme thirst, Fatigue, Nausea, No appetite, weakness or numbness, weight loss
Treatment: Targeted therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or stem cell transplant
Location: Starts in the bone marrow and travels through the bloodstream
Impact: Cannot fight infections, cannot produce red blood cells and platelets
Symptoms: Easy bleeding, bruising or nose bleeds, enlarged liver or spleen, frequent infections, tiny red spots on your skin called petechiae, pale skin.
Treatment: Chemotherapy and the surgery to remove lymph nodes
Lymphoma
Location: Affects the lymphatic system – lymph nodes, the spleen, lymph tissues or in neighbouring organ
Impact: The immune system is affected
Symptoms: Fevers, night sweats shortness of breath, cough, itchy skin
Treatment: Requires aggressive treatments
Myeloma
Location: Starts in the bone marrow and affects plasma cells
Impact: Eats away bone and damages kidney
Symptoms: Bone pain especially in your chest or spine,
Confusion, Constipation, Extreme thirst, Fatigue, Nausea, No appetite, weakness or numbness, weight loss
Treatment: Targeted therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or stem cell transplant
Once you get these symptoms, it is ideal to fix an appointment with the doctors in Blood Cancer Hospital in India. All the leading hospitals in India provide excellent treatment for blood cancer. The exact causes of blood cancers are still not revealed. However, it is considered that aging, family history, weak immune system, and certain infections cause blood cancers. The blood cancer can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, doing exercises, eating healthy foods – more vegetables and less meat and limit alcohol.
Once you are through with your treatment, you have to do follow-ups to check for any signs of relapse and treatment complications and ensure that you get the right treatment as and when you need.
However, cancer treatments in India cannot be generalized. As each one is unique, so are their diseases. So when you consult your doctor, he will design a course of treatment that is unique for you.
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