It's Blood Cancer Awareness Month; many blood cancers such as leukemia can be highly treatable if they're caught early

A blood sample is taken. (Photo by Dusan Petkovic, Getty Images Plus)

By Reshma Ramlal
University of Kentucky

Because many cancers in the blood can be highly treatable if caught early, there is an urgent need to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease.

Blood cancers include leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. They form in bone marrow, where blood is made, or in the lymphatic system that fights infections. Blood cancers affect both children and adults, and account for almost 10% of new cancer cases in the U.S. each year.

While the prognosis, or chance of recovery, depends on many factors including the type of blood cancer, survival rates have significantly improved. With modern treatment, patients with chronic myeloid leukemia can have close to normal life expectance. Elderly patients with acute leukemia, which was previously rapidly fatal, are now living one to three years from their diagnosis, and cellular therapy (involving a patient’s own cells or donor cells) is capable of offering a cure for some types of lymphomas and acute leukemias.

Symptoms: Because there is no screening test for early detection of blood cancers, people don’t typically know something is wrong until they develop symptoms. That’s why it’s especially important to learn to recognize the symptoms and be aware of any changes in your body.

People who have had prior chemotherapy or radiation or a prior toxic chemical exposure are at increased risk of developing blood cancers. Common blood cancer symptoms include:

• fever
• drenching night sweats
• persistent fatigue and weakness
• bone or joint pain
• unexplained weight loss
• swollen lymph nodes, liver and spleen
• easy bruising or bleeding

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, bring it to the attention of a health-care professional right away. It could save your life.

Treatment: Opttions vary by diagnosis as well as stage of the disease and include chemotherapy, targeted therapies, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, stem-cell transplant and blood transfusion.

The Hematology and Blood & Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program at UK HealthCare treats all blood-related diseases. Clinical trials and research studies underway at UK Markey Cancer Center can give blood-cancer patients additional treatment options and the best chance for survival.