Blood Cancer Resources Page in Partnership with MD Anderson

LEUKEMIA

While there are several types of leukemia, they all start with problems in the creation of blood cells. The body produces millions of blood cells on a daily basis. Most of these blood cells develop in the bone marrow, the spongy interior of the bone that contains immature stem cells.

In a healthy person, these immature stem cells develop through several stages and eventually mature into one of the following cell types:

• White blood cells, which are part of the immune system. There are several types of white blood cells, including granulocytes (most commonly neutrophils) and mononuclear cells (B cells, T cells, NK cells, and monocytes). These cells perform different functions to help your body fight off diseases and infections.
• Red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body
• Platelets, which help the blood clot

Leukemia occurs when the DNA (the genetic instructions that control cell activity) of the stem cells mutates at some point in their development. The cell becomes abnormal and then multiplies uncontrollably. These cancerous cells don’t do their job well and they crowd out healthy cells in the bone marrow and in the bloodstream. This leaves the patient prone to infection, at increased risk for bleeding, weak, and sometimes short of breath.

For more detailed information on types of  Leukemia, visit:  https://www.mdanderson.org/cancer-types/leukemia.html

Other resources:  https://www.lls.org/leukemia

LYMPHOMA

Lymphoma is a general term for cancers that develop in the lymphatic system (the tissues and organs that produce, store and carry white blood cells).

Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of lymphoma that develops in the white blood cells.
Lymphomas that do not start in white blood cells are called non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

For more detail on Lymphoma, please click here:

https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/diagnosis-treatment/cancer-types.html#L

Other resources:  https://www.lls.org/lymphoma

MYELOMA 

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cell. Normal plasma cells are a type of white blood cell that helps make up your immune system. They are located within the bone marrow – the spongy interior of bones that produces blood cells. When your body is fighting an infection, plasma cells produce antibodies (proteins) which attack viruses and bacteria.

If a plasma cell becomes cancerous, it multiplies rapidly. This is multiple myeloma. The malignant plasma cells may crowd out normal blood-forming cells within the bone marrow, reducing the production of healthy blood cells. Additionally, rather than producing infection-fighting antibodies, the cancer cells begin to produce an abnormal antibody called a monoclonal protein (m protein) or paraproteins. In the urine, they are called Bence Jones proteins. These proteins do not fight against infection.

 For more detail on Myeloma, please click here: https://www.mdanderson.org/cancer-types/multiple-myeloma.html

Other resources:  https://www.lls.org/myeloma/myeloma-overview

General Blood Cancers

Basic Blood Cancer Facts, courtesy of LLS

New Cases

• Approximately every 3 minutes, one person in the US is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
• An estimated combined total of 186,400 people in the US are expected to be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2021.
• New cases of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are expected to account for 9.8 percent of the estimated 1,898,160 new cancer cases that will be diagnosed in the US in 2021.

Prevalence

• Prevalence is the estimated number of people alive on a certain date in a population who previously had a diagnosis of the disease. An estimated 1,519,907 people in the United States (US) are living with or in remission from leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

 For more facts and stats, visit:

https://www.lls.org/facts-and-statistics

List of Resources to Find Out More about Blood Cancer and Related Topics