What happens in patients with blood cancer?
Blood cancer is a condition that affects the production as well as the normal functioning of blood cells.
In most cases, the process of normal blood cell development is disturbed because of an uncontrolled growth of abnormal blood cells. These abnormal or cancerous cells disrupt the normal functions of blood components such as preventing bleeding and defending infections. There are three major types of blood cancers. These include:
- Leukemia: This is caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells (WBCs), and is found in the blood and the bone marrow. The large number of abnormal WBCs are unable to defend infections.
- Lymphoma: This is a type of blood cancer that involves the lymphatic system. In this condition, excess fluid is removed from the body and immune cells are produced. Abnormal lymphocytes turn into lymphoma cells that multiply and get collected in the lymph nodes. Gradually, these cancer cells impair the immune system.
- Myeloma: This affects the plasma cells that are WBCs that produce antibodies against disease in the body. Myeloma cells disturb the normal development of antibodies and make the body susceptible to infection.
Source: https://www.cedars-sinai.edu/
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