Blood is an important component of the body that regulates its functioning from head to toe.
Any disruption in the blood formation affects several functions-

• • Impairs immunity and the lymphatic system
• • Inhibit oxygen transport
• • Causes Bone marrow damage
• • Inhibit the transport of nutrients and fat

What is Blood Cancer?

It is a chronic condition in which extra blood cells are formed. Bone marrow makes the blood, and bone marrow dysfunction leads to the formation of faulty blood cells.

The Types of Blood Cancer

• • Leukemia – It is a cancer that occurs in the white blood cells, producing excess amounts from the bone marrow.
• • Lymphocytic cancer – It is a cancer that forms in the lymphocytes, a type of WBC. It is also called lymphatic system cancer, affecting the lymph nodes.
• • Plasma cell cancer – It is a cancer in which excess antibodies are produced in the blood due to the overproduction of plasma cells.

The Symptoms of Blood Cancer

• • Weakness
• • Shortness of breath
• • Swollen lymph nodes
• • Painful joints and bones
• • Fever
• • Enlarged liver and spleen
• • Unusual bleeding
• • Sweating

Who is at Risk of Blood Cancer?

• • Age – growing age increases the risk of blood cancer.
• • Sex – men exhibit more cases of blood cancer.
• • Smoking – tobacco and its substitutes contain cancerous elements.
• • Harmful chemicals – the use of dyes, colors, or exposure to other industrial chemicals and gases alleviates the risk.
• • Family history – family history of blood cancer.
• • Disorders of the metabolism – obesity, diabetes, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
• • Cancer treatments – exposure to radiation therapy or chemotherapy may increase the risk of blood cancer.
• • Auto-immune condition – inherited genetic disorders like Gaucher disease, Fanconi Anemia.

How to Detect Blood Cancer?

• • Blood test – complete blood count
• • Imaging – CT scans and MRI
• • Bone Marrow Biopsy

Which Types of Blood Cancer Are Highly Curable?

Hodgkin’s lymphoma – Highly responsive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, with an 80 percent remission and cure.

Childhood ALL – It is an acute condition and highly treatable, offering permanent remission and long–term survival.

Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL) – It is a slow-growing cancer of lymphocytes; it is treatable and offers long-term survival.

The Treatment Options for Blood Cancer

• • Chemotherapy
• • Radiation therapy
• • Immunotherapy
• • Targeted therapy
• • Stem-cell transplant

Chemotherapy – The Common Treatment for Blood Cancer

Systemic chemotherapy – The anticancer drugs are administered through the systemic route and the drug reaches all parts of the body. The anticancer drugs are given through IV, IM, or intrathecal route.

The main functions of chemotherapy in blood cancer management-

• • Kill cancer cells – The cytotoxic drugs are used to directly kill the cancer cells.
• • Stops disease progression – The anticancer drug controls or inhibits cancer cell proliferation, thus stopping disease progression.
• • Enhancing the effect of other therapies – when used in combination with radiation therapy or stem cell therapy, offers a synergistic inhibition of cancer cell proliferation.
• • Palliative care – For the last stage of blood cancer, it is used in advanced cases to relieve cancer pain and other symptoms.

Chemotherapy for Blood Cancer is Given in 3 Phases

• • Induction phase – It is an intense therapy to kill cancer cells and control cancer cell proliferation. It lasts for 4 weeks.
• • Consolidation phase – It is the chemotherapy treatment to prevent cancer cell proliferation.
• • Maintenance phase – To prevent relapse of cancer. It is given for 2 or more years.

Anticancer Medicine Used for Blood Cancer

• • Cytarabine – Cytarzer
• • Daunorubicin – Daunozer
• • Doxorubicin – Dorucin
• • Methotrexate – Trexazer
• • Imatinib – Imatikast
• • Dasatinib – Dasakast
• • Ibrutinib – Ibrukast

Leadership in Pharmaceutical Distribution and Export

Gandhi Medicos, as the leading distributor for anticancer drugs, exports the widest range of oncology care medicines worldwide.

• • WHO-GMP certified medicines.
• • Affordable range of generic medicines
• • 300+ generic drugs
• • 200+ ethical medicines
• • Timely delivery