Blood cancer is one of the most dreaded ailments of all. Being or taking care of a cancer patient can deeply impact your mental and emotional health. However, you should know that you are not alone in this difficult journey, and expert doctors from Narayana Health are there to treat the condition and help you navigate the situation. When every year about 1 lakh people get diagnosed with blood cancer in India, we have built a cancer fighting troop of our own.

Haemato Oncology is a medical specialty that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancer and other haematologic ailments. The human body produces three types of blood cells- red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets. A person may develop blood cancer when their bone marrow produces an excess of any of these blood cells. In certain conditions, while the amount of blood cells remain consistent with normal body function, the cells may develop abnormalities or mutations, resulting in blood cancer. This can prevent the blood from performing normal functions, such as transporting nutrition and oxygen, fighting diseases, and clotting wounds. Depending on the type of blood disease and the extent of the spread of cancer, a haematologist may suggest a cancer treatment with a bone marrow transplant (BMT).

Can Blood Diseases Be Treated Only with BMT?

Blood-related diseases, such as clotting, or thinning can be treated with medication and diet control. However, blood cancers require more aggressive treatments as they spread fast and can be fatal. Doctors at Narayana Health comprehensively assess your disease to prescribe a personalised treatment and care plan. Depending on the type and severity of cancer, a haemato-oncologist (blood cancer specialist) may suggest one of the following cancer treatments:

Chemotherapy
Targeted Therapy
Immunotherapy
Radiotherapy
Stem-Cell Transplants

Common Types of Blood Cancer

The most common types of blood cancer are:

1. Myeloma

Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, or white blood cells that are responsible for fighting diseases. It weakens the immune system, making you susceptible to infections that take longer than average time to cure. Our doctors recommend a combination of chemotherapy, steroids, and targeted cancer drugs to treat plasma cancer.

2. Lymphoma

Lymphoma is the cancer of lymph nodes. Our blood cancer specialists may conduct biopsies PET scans, or other imaging tests to confirm the disease. Lymphoma can be treated with chemotherapy, radiation, and biological therapies. However, in certain cases, you may require a stem cell transplant. Your haemato-oncologist is the best person to guide you about the best treatment plan.

3. Leukaemia

Leukaemia is the cancer of the bone marrow. Abnormal production of white blood cells causes this condition. Leukaemia restricts your body's ability to produce RBCs and platelets. Our experts recommend a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HPSCT), i.e. a bone marrow transplant in combination with targeted lymphatic therapies to effectively combat this disease. If the cancer is aggressive, they may advise chemotherapy and radiation to prevent fast-dividing cells from worsening the condition, till a suitable bone marrow is available for transplant.

In addition to the abovementioned types of blood cancer, Narayana Health adult haematologists also treat other forms of blood cancer, including Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), Histiocytosis, and Mastocytosis. We are also associated with medical research institutions to help you enlist in clinical trials for chronic and aggressive cancers.

Symptoms of Blood Cancer

Early detection can help cure diseases faster and with less aggressive treatments. While blood cancer is fatal, your doctor may prescribe oral and injectable medications-based treatment to prevent progression. That is possible only if the cancer is growing slowly and is detected at the initial stages. Hence, it is important that you are aware of its symptoms.

The common symptoms that may be an indication of blood cancer are:

Chest pain or coughing with shortness of breath
Unexplained weight loss
Unexplained bruising or bleeding
Lumps or swelling around lymph nodes
Excessive night sweats
Persistent or recurrent infections
Random joint pain
Abdominal discomfort
Continued fatigue
Paleness

ADULT HAEMATO-ONCOLOGY AND BMT