The blood is a vital fluid within the body that contains all sorts of cells that carry oxygen and help fight against infection. Sometimes, the blood cells can grow at a rapid rate and wreak havoc on the body. Fortunately, a few blood cancer diseases have specific treatment methods.
Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma refers to a blood cell cancer that specifically affects the plasma cells. These cells are necessary to make the proteins (antibodies) that fight infection in the body.
Specific multiple myeloma symptoms include back or bone pain, bleeding problems, frequent infections, fractures and shortness of breath. Multiple myeloma can also lead to fatigue. Notify a physician when you experience these symptoms.
MedlinePlus says that an overproduction of plasma cells actually interferes with the production of red or white blood cells and platelets.
Treating multiple myeloma involves chemotherapy, radiation and taking medications such as melophalan, decadron, bortezimib and lenalidomide. Unfortunately, there is no cure for multiple myeloma.
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
The Mayo Clinic says that 15,000 people are diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) within the United States each year. In fact, CLL is a type of cancer that affects the bone marrow and blood.
Symptoms of CLL include fatigue, fever, night sweats, weight loss and frequent infections. Other symptoms of CLL include painless but enlarged lymph nodes.
It is unclear what causes CLL. Risk factors for CLL include being over the age of 50, being male and being white. Other risk factors include having a family history of bone or blood marrow cancers and exposure to such chemicals as herbicides or insecticides.
Treatment for CLL involves taking chemotherapy medications to kill the cancer cells. Taking targeted therapy such as rituximab or alemtuzumab may be used to manage CLL. Bone marrow stem cell transplants are also indicated to add new blood cells.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Hodgkin's lymphoma is another type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a system necessary to fight infections. Specifically, it leads to elevated white blood cells.
The Mayo Clinic says that symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma include fevers, chills, fatigue, night sweats, itching and a poor appetite. Hodgkin's disease can also lead to trouble breathing, chest pain, coughing, unexplained weight loss and fatigue.
The cause of Hodgkin's lymphoma is unknown.
Treatment involves such chemotherapy regimens as ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine). Radiation and bone marrow or stem cell transplants are other ways to manage Hodgkin's lymphoma.
