Blood is made up of different types of cells like red blood cells (RBC’s), which carries oxygen, platelets which helps in blood clotting and white blood cells (WBC’s) that fight infections. These cells basically comes from stem cells, which have the potential to develop into any type of blood cell as they divide and mature. Problems in this process, known as ‘differentiation’, are at the root of all blood cancers. Different types of blood cancer depend on when and how these problems occur.

There are several cancer attacks on these blood cells. The symptoms of blood cancer come on slowly. Therefore we cannot notice them. These problems may lead to your body producing large no. of immature blood cells that are unable to perform their job properly. It can cause ‘clog up’ in bone marrow which prevents other blood cells from doing their function too.

Types of blood cancer

Leukemia: Blood cells are created inside bone marrow, and this is place where leukemia starts. In this type of blood cancer WBC grow out of control and live longer than their normal life and also they don’t help body to fight infection.

There are 4 main types of leukemia.

1.                  Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). It starts with white blood cells called lymphocytes present in bone marrow.

2.                  Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It starts in myeloid cells, which normally grow into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This type of leukemia lowers the number of healthy blood cells. It grows quickly.

3.                  Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It is most common type of leukemia in adults. It also starts from lymphocytes in bone marrow, but it grows slowly. 

4.                  Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). It starts in myeloid cells, like AML. But the abnormal cells grow slowly.

Leukemia keeps your healthy blood cells from growing and working normally.

Lymphoma

Lymphoma occurs in the lymph system. It consists of lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus gland

Myeloma

Myeloma is the cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. Plasma cells also type of white blood cell that makes antibodies.

Blood cancer symptoms

• Fever, chills
• Persistent fatigue, weakness
• Loss of appetite, nausea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Night Sweats
• Bone/joint pain
• Abdominal discomfort
• Headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Frequent infections
• Itchy skin or skin rash
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, groin

For the treatment of blood cancer you must visit cancer specialist.