Blood Cancer: A Growing Health Burden for India

5 Important Facts You Must Know About Blood Cancer in India

Cancers that affect the body’s immune system by occurring in the blood-forming tissues are known as Blood Cancers. Mainly, their three types are Lymphoma, Leukemia, and Multiple Myeloma.

Every year in India, more than a lakh people are diagnosed with blood cancer. Although there is no conclusive data to show the incidence of the disease, the increasing number of bone marrow transplants being performed in hospitals is alarming. With its growing burden in India, it is important to be cautious and aware of its basics. In this article, you will learn about some important facts that you must know about blood cancer.

Some causes of Blood Cancer are preventable.

Majorly, blood cancer is caused by the following, out of which most are preventable.

• Tobacco
  Using tobacco increases your risk of developing a number of cancers. The chemicals it contains causes gene mutations and can give rise to the growth of tumors in your body.
• Alcohol
  Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to the disruption of cell function and production in the bone marrow.
• Radiation exposure
  Exposure to harmful radiation significantly elevates your risk. This is why people who have received radiation therapy earlier become prone to the condition.
• Chemical exposure
  While working in manufacturing sites, you may get direct exposure to harmful chemicals and other substances. This can be limited to prevent blood cancer.
• Family history and age
  These two factors cannot be changed, hence, are stated together.

Blood Cancer shows multiple symptoms.

Symptoms of Blood Cancer may vary from one person to the next. However, some common signs that may suspect the presence of cancer cells in the bone marrow are:

• Persistent chest pain
• Fever with chills
• Frequent infections
• Weakness and fatigue
• Difficulty in breathing
• Loss of appetite
• Itchy skin or rashes
• Nausea and vomiting
• Night sweats
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Coughing

The diagnosis of blood cancer is recommended by a medical professional if the symptoms worsen with time. Significantly, most reactions go away once the treatment with cancer medicines starts.

India ranks 3rd highest in the incidence of Blood Cancer.

With its rising incidence and command over people’s lives, Blood Cancer has affected more than a million lives. To your surprise, India ranks the 3rd highest in the growing incidence of Blood Cancer. This can definitely be influenced positively by the appropriate prevention techniques and precautions.

If detected early, Blood Cancer can be treated.

Once your doctor detects Blood Cancer, he/she will determine other factors like severity, stage, blood cell count, and other factors that are useful in deciding the best treatment option. If the condition is diagnosed at an early stage with less severity, it can be controlled using a number of regimens and formulations like Azacitidine lyophilized among others. With a greater tolerance and ability to improve life expectancy, such drugs help easy blood cancer treatment.

Right treatment increases the patient’s quality of life.

The right treatment refers to the method of treating a disease that does not harm the daily routine of the patients. Besides that, the right therapy is reliable and effective even in rare variants of cancer. A clear example is L-Asparaginase, which is an approved clinical solution for ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia) that works by starving the cancer cells. Like this, there are a number of formulations developed to serve the patient’s needs and decrease the cancer mortality rate.

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Patients’ quality of life. If you are diagnosed with any type of cancer, you can consult your medical team regarding the nearest clinical trial where you can walk in as per its eligibility.

Besides these, your medical team may recommend Palliative Care that focuses only on treating the symptoms of the disease. Consult your oncologist for better guidance.