Blood cancer

Blood cancer, also known as leukemia, is a condition in which there is an uncontrolled growth and multiplication of blood cells in the bone marrow and lymph nodes. Although blood cancer can affect people in any age group, for various subtypes of blood cancers, there is a tendency to occur more commonly in a particular age group. For example, acute lymphocytic leukemia, a type of blood cancer, is common in children.

The exact cause of blood cancer has not been identified yet. It is believed to occur when the blood and bone marrow cells undergo genetic mutations. Blood cancer can be acute (onset is sudden and more severe) or chronic (develop slowly over a long time and less aggressive) based on the duration of symptoms or it can be lymphocytic or myelogenous based on the type of cells affected. 

Acute blood cancer may cause symptoms like chronic fatigue, recurrent infections, unintentional weight loss, etc. On the other hand, chronic blood cancer may not show any symptoms initially and symptoms may appear as the condition progresses.

Tests such as blood smear examination and bone marrow aspiration are some of the common diagnostic tests used to detect blood cancer. There are various treatment options available that can improve the life of the patient. Treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplant are known to help slow the progression of the disease.