Q. What are the symptoms of blood cancer?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
Blood cancer, also known as hematological malignancy, is a type of cancer that affects the production and function of blood cells in the body. Symptoms of blood cancer vary depending on which type of blood cell is affected.
Common symptoms include fatigue or easy bruising/bleeding due to low levels of red or white blood cells. Other signs can include: swollen lymph nodes, persistent fever with no other explanation, bone pain, night sweats and weight loss with no other cause.
In some cases people may have an enlarged spleen or liver due to a build-up of abnormal cells; this can result in lumps under the skin’s surface around these organs as well as making them feel tender when touched. Some individuals might experience difficulty breathing due to lung involvement from their underlying condition which could be caused by an accumulation of fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion).
Frequent infections are another warning sign because this could be related to a weakened immune system caused by low levels either highwhite blood cell levels and/or inadequate functioning clonal B-cells or T-cells. Itching stemming from elevated bile acid levels (cholestasis) is also sometimes seen in individuals who have been diagnosed with certain types of leukemia like chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Ultimately prompt diagnosis from your doctor will allow for more tailored treatment plans specific to you so make sure you keep an eye out for any potential warning signs mentioned above!