Blood Cancer

Most blood cancers, also called hematologic cancers, start in the bone marrow, which is where blood is produced. Blood cancers occur when abnormal blood cells start growing out of control, interrupting the function of normal blood cells, which fight off infection and produce new blood cells.

Types of blood cancer

• Leukemia
• Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Hodgkin lymphoma
• Multiple myeloma
• Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
• Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs)
• Amyloidosis
• Aplastic anemia

Blood cancer symptoms

Some common bone marrow and blood cancer symptoms include:

• Fever, chills
• Persistent fatigue, weakness
• Loss of appetite, nausea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Night sweats
• Bone/joint pain
• Abdominal discomfort
• Headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Frequent infections
• Itchy skin or skin rash
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms or groin

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How is blood cancer diagnosed?

• Biopsies
• Imaging scans
• Blood tests