Hematological malignancies, AKA blood cancers, are a unique class of cancers that are much different from what people typically think of cancer, specifically in terms of presentation and treatment. Acute leukemia, chronic leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma are just a few types of hematologic malignancies. These types of cancers can be treated in the community, but more often require a referral to a specialized oncology clinic, such as the one we have at Baptist - the Malignant Hematology and Transplant Clinic.
But I don’t feel like I have cancer?
Most often, blood cancers are diagnosed incidentally after having an infection that will not resolve or found on routine blood work. Often patients will mention vague symptoms such as gradual weight loss, fatigue, or just feeling unwell. One of the hardest things about these cancers is that patients do not often feel as sick as they really are, which is difficult for the patient and family to fully understand. These cancers by definition are throughout the body, they do not “spread” such as other solid tumors. Therefore, staging is based on the characteristics of the cancer, not where the cells have spread to.
What does treatment look like?
Treatment may include pills that you take at home, lower intensity treatment at the outpatient clinic, higher intensity treatment in the hospital, or cellular therapy/stem cell transplant. Most likely, your treatment will be a combination of the above. Most treatments are not given for a set number of cycles. Often treatment continues until remission is achieved and then you may start on a maintenance treatment. Some therapies may even be lifelong. Your quality of life should always be considered when determining a treatment plan.
Live life to the fullest
Most hematological malignancies can be thought of as chronic illnesses, with periods of remission and progression. Managing a chronic illness can be difficult, but it is possible with the help of your care team. We are here to ensure that you have the best quality of life possible. I recently went on a hiking tour in the mountains and one of the other hikers had Aplastic Anemia. Allowing for some rest breaks, she was able to complete the hike. She had needed to slow down initially after her diagnosis, but her disease was under good control and she was able to get back to doing the things that she loved with her family.
Blood cancers make up a small portion of total cancers diagnosed per year, but there are plenty of resources dedicated to these cancers. Caring for someone with a blood cancer warrants specialized knowledge and a multidisciplinary care team. Our patients are so special and it is a privilege to care for them! Being diagnosed with something that not many people know much about can be a lonely feeling, but we are here for you and your family.
