Hematopoietic Cancer: Risk Factors and Treatment

What is Hematopoietic Cancer?

Spleen, Bone marrow, lymph nodes, and peripheral blood are part of the hematopoietic system. Hematopoietic cancer is a neoplasm arising from hematopoietic cells.  This neoplasm can spread to other organs, either by infiltration or metastasis.

Three main types of “hematopoietic cancers” (HCs):

The development of leukemia is called leukemogenesis, while that of myeloma is myelomagenesis, and that of lymphoma is a lymphomagenesis.

Let’s quickly skim through them to understand them slightly.

What is it? :

Leukemia is the cancer of white blood cells (WBCs) wherein massive outgrowth of immature WBCs occurs. As we know WBCs fight infections, its outgrowth makes it incapable of doing so. In the case of myeloma, plasma cells are affected and these are addressed as myeloma cells. Due to its abundance than the RBCs and WBCs, fatigue prevails. Abnormal antibodies are produced and it damages our own cells instead of the infectious agents. Lastly, lymphoma is the cancer of the lymphatic tissue that produces lymphocytes to fight infections. The main difference is that in leukemia the blood-forming cells get affected while in lymphoma the lymphocytes get affected.

Symptoms :
  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss
  • Shortness of breath
  • Frequent infections
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Bone pain
  • Nausea
  • Mental confusion

Risk factors:

The risk factors for leukemia are :

  • Exposure to radiations, chemicals like benzene
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Genetic disorder: Down syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome
  • Chemotherapy drugs

Now, what are the Precipitating factors of Myeloma? These include:

  • Age – mid-60s
  • Male
  • dark complexion
  • Family history
  • Obesity
  • Risk factors apart from family history is still not identified.

Treatment :

Hematopoietic cancer is indeed a life-threatening disease if not diagnosed and treated in the early stage. So test early and if positive, keep fighting and never lose hope.

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Leukemia: Cancer of the Blood Cells

Cancer Hospitals and Institutes in India

2 thoughts on “Hematopoietic Cancer: Risk Factors and Treatment”

    1. Please consult your hematologist or an oncologist at the earliest, as they would be able to assess the risks and complications associated with hematopoietic cancer.

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