Leukemia
Leukemias are cancers of white blood cells that occur in the blood and bone marrow. When leukemia develops, the bone marrow makes too many abnormal white blood cells, crowding out any existing healthy blood cells. Leukemias are categorized into two groups: acute (faster growing) and chronic (slower growing).
LEARN MORE ABOUT LEUKEMIA
Lymphoma
Lymphomas are blood cancers that develop in the immune system, more specifically in the lymphatic system- part of the body’s germ-fighting network and includes lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland and bone marrow. It’s not clear what causes lymphoma, but it begins when a disease-fighting white blood cell called a lymphocyte develops a genetic mutation.This mutation tells the lymphocyte cell to multiply rapidly, creating more and more mutated cells. The mutation also allows the mutated cells to go on living when normal cells would normally die. This results in a collection of too many diseased and infected lymphocytes in the lymph nodes, causing the lymph nodes to swell.
LEARN MORE ABOUT LYMPHOMA
Multiple Myeloma
Myeloma is a cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell that helps the body recognize and attack germs. An abnormal plasma cell, also called a myeloma cell, will multiply and divide creating more abnormal plasma cells. These myeloma cells collect in bone barrow and begin to damage the solid part of the bone. When myeloma cells affect several bones in the body, the disease is called multiple myeloma.
Multiple myeloma can cause other problems such as bone fractures and legions, damage to kidneys and other organs, suppression of the immune system and anemia. Symptoms of multiple myeloma can vary and may not be apparent in the early stages of the disease. When signs and symptoms do appear, they can include: bone pain, especially in the spine or chest; nausea; constipation; loss of appetite; mental fogginess or confusion; fatigue; frequent infections; unexplained weight loss; weakness or numbness in the legs; excessive thirst.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MULTIPLE MYELOMA