Types of Blood Cancers

September 21, 2023

3 min read

Blood cancers, or hematologic cancers, start in the bone marrow, where blood is produced. The bone marrow comprises stem cells, which, when matured, develop into three types of blood cells: white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.

Blood cancer occurs when the production of normal blood cells is hampered because of the uncontrolled growth of abnormal blood cells. The cancerous blood cells disrupt the blood from performing functions like blood clotting and fighting infections.

The month of September is dedicated to Blood Cancer Awareness.

Blood Cancer Risks

Blood cancers can be caused because of mutations in the DNA. Certain environmental factors can increase the risk of contracting the disease.

Smoking, radiation exposure, certain chemicals in insecticides and weedkillers, and infections like HIV and Epstein-Barr can increase blood cancer risk.

Blood Cancer Symptoms

The common symptoms of blood cancer may include:

Fever and chills
Fatigue and weakness
Bones and joint pain
Weight loss

Types of Blood Cancers

There are three major types of blood cancers. They are:

Leukemia

It is a blood cancer that occurs when the body produces too many abnormal white blood cells that interfere with the production of platelets and red blood cells.

Leukemia can be of four types depending on the kind of white blood cells it affects and whether it grows slowly (chronic) or aggressively (acute).

The types of leukemia are:

Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)

The cancer starts in the lymphocytes or the white blood cells present in the bone marrow. The disease causes aggressive growth of abnormal white blood cells that crowd out the healthier ones.

The most common type of childhood cancer, ALL, primarily affects children aged between 3 to 5 years. It is also seen in adults after age 75 years.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)

Like ALL, the cancer starts in lymphocytes in the bone marrow. Unlike ALL, it progresses slowly and does not show symptoms until years.CLL is common in people 70 years of age or older.

Those with a previous history of blood cancers or exposure to chemicals like weedkillers and insecticides are more at risk of getting the disease.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

The cancer starts in the myeloid cells that later develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.AML grows aggressively, limiting the count of healthy blood cells in all three types.

The disease is common in people over 65 years of age and is seen more in men than women.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)

Like AML, CML appears in the myeloid cells but is slow to progress. People with high radiation exposure may get it.

Lymphoma

It is a cancer of the lymphatic system that includes the lymph nodes, thymus gland, and the spleen. Occurring in the lymphocytes, lymphoma is of two types:

Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

The cancer starts in B-lymphocyte cells or B-cells that make antibodies to fight off infections. People suffering from Hodgekin’s lymphoma have lymph nodes with large lymphocytes known as Reed-Sternberg cells.

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

The most common form of lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, starts in the B-cells or T-cells in the lymphatic system.

It is mostly in people with a weakened immune system or those who had previous infections with HIV, H-pylori, or Epstein-Barr disease. The disease is most common in people aged 15 to 35 and over 50 years.

Myeloma

Also called multiple myeloma, as it is found in various parts of the bone marrow, the blood cancer starts in the plasma cells, a type of white blood cells in the bone marrow. African Americans and men over 50 are more at risk of getting the disease.

Some of the lesser-known blood cancers are:

MDS or Myelodysplastic syndromes: A rare cancer that occurs from blood-forming cells in the bone marrow.

MPNs or Myeloproliferative neoplasms: A rare blood cancer that occurs when the body produces excess numbers of red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells.

Amyloidosis: Although not a cancer, the rare disorder is closely associated with myeloma. It occurs because of an abnormal buildup of a protein called amyloid.

WN or Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia: A rare type of non-Hodgekin lymphoma occurring in the B-cells.

Aplastic anemia: A rare disorder that happens when a critical stem cell is damaged. The disease can only be treated through a bone marrow transplant.

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