Hematology
What is hematologic cancer?
Hematologic cancer is a type of cancer that originates in bone marrow or immune cells of the body. It includes:
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
Cancer types
- Leukemia: It is cancer of the tissues that form blood in the body, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system. There are many types of leukemia, some of which are more frequent in children and others in adults. It is a disease that usually affects white blood cells.
- Lymphoma: Also known as lymphatic cancer, it is characterized by an increase in cell numbers in lymph nodes, which are responsible for fighting infections and disease. This growth can occur in any part of the body.
- Myeloma: A type of cancer arising in plasma cells found in the bone marrow, which is an important part of the immune system. It results in the inability of the marrow to produce healthy cells and a slowing of stem cell maturation.
Symptoms of hematologic cancer vary across individuals and not everyone develops prior symptomatology.
Alarm signals include:
- Feeling always tired
- Weakness
- Dizziness or confusion
- Shortness of breath
- Pale skin
- Recurrent infections
- Bruises or red or purple spots on the skin
How is diagnosis made?
It begins with a suspicion, which can be verified by means of:
- Physical examination: The medical team looks for physical signs such as skin pallor, anemia and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, axilla or groin, as well as inflammation of the liver or spleen.
- Blood test: Using a blood test, the physician will be able to determine the presence of abnormal levels of white or red blood cells or platelets, as well as the presence of M proteins produced by myeloma cells.
- Bone marrow testing: The physician will draw a bone marrow sample that is examined to determine the presence of lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma cells. This will also help with the selection of treatment options in some cases.
- Imaging studies: The physician may recommend imaging studies to look for signs of lymphoma in other parts of the body. These can include computerized tomography, magnetic resonance or positron emission tomography (PET).
Cancer is treated in different ways depending on the type of cancer and whether it has spread or not. Treatment options include:
- Surgery
Surgery is used in some patients with hematologic cancer as part of the treatment. The type of surgical procedure will depend on the intention to treat and the clinical and/or pathological stage of the disease. It is also important to mention that a combination of different surgical procedures can be used.
- Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is the use of drugs to stimulate the patient’s immune system so that it can recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. This therapy can be used to treat some types of hematologic cancer.
- Chemotherapy
The aim is to shrink or eliminate the tumor using drugs administered as tablets or by the intravenous route. Chemotherapy treatment is indicated in some cases, depending on the stage of the disease or the patient’s clinical condition.
- Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses high-energy beams (or particles) that destroy or reduce cancer cells. It can be used in several situations, such as:
After surgery to lower the probability of the cancer reappearing in the same site or in adjacent lymph nodes.
After surgery in the case of a tumor lesion or if cancer was found in many lymph nodes, or if cancer is present in certain surgical margins, such as skin or muscle margins.
If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones or the brain.
- Hormone therapy
This type of therapy is indicated mostly in tumors with positive hormone (estrogen and progestogen) receptors. However, there are some cases in which their use is recommended considering the risk-benefit balance.