I Government Agencies Disorders of the Blood and Lymphatic Systems Disorders that affect the blood range from minor infections to serious malignancies. Early diagnosis and treatment can reverse many conditions and improve most others. The most common disorders are described below. Red Blood Cell Disorders Anemia, the most common red blood cell disorder, results from a deficit of red blood cells, which lowers the amount of hemoglobin, and thus oxygen, in the blood. Anemias range from those caused by vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which are easily treated, to incurable inherited disorders.
Cigarette smoking is a common cause.
Leukemia is a cancerous proliferation of white blood cells, which spreads through the body and interferes with its function. Although it is the leading cancer in young children, several types primarily affect adults. The most common leukemias, categorized by their course and the kind of white blood cells involved, are acute lymphocytic, chronic myelocytic, acute myelocytic, and chronic lymphocytic. A benign condition sometimes mistaken for acute leukemia is infectious mononucleosis, an abnormal increase in the lymphocyte count, associated with the Epstein-Barr virus. Lymphomas refer to tumors of the lymph tissues, which are usually cancerous.