What an interesting topic? I had no idea that there was such a thing! My friend Sandy and I were talking about the matter in her car and I had absolutely no idea that there was such a thing as blood cancer in my entire life! I heard of breast cancer, no blood cancer! So, I did a little research and this is what came up:
Someone in the US is diagnosed with blood cancer every three minutes! WOW!
And despite the progress made in treatments, more than 1/3 of blood cancer patients still do not survive 5 years after their diagnosis.
WHAT IS BLOOD CANCER? Blood cancer is an umbrella term for malignancies of the blood, bone marrow or lymph nodes that affect normal blood cell production or function. As these diseased blood cells proliferate, they cause life – threatening damage to the immune and circulatory systems.
Leukemia:
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Found in your blood and bone marrow.
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Caused by the rapid production of abnormal white blood cells.
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Results in inability to fight infections and impaired ability of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells and platelets.
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310, 000 living with or in a remission from Leukemia in the US.
Lymphoma:
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Found in your white blood cells.
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Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that fight infection.
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Abnormal lymphocytes become lymphoma cells, which multiply and collect in your lymph nodes and other tissues. Over time, these cancerous cells impair your immune system.
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731, 000 living with or in remission from Lymphoma in the US.
Multiple Myeloma:
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Targets your plasma cells.
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Plasma cells are white blood cells that produce disease – and – infection – fighting antibodies.
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Myeloma cells prevent the normal production of antibodies, leaving your body’s immune system weakened and susceptible to infection.
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88,500 living with or in remission Myeloma in the US.
Five Blood Cancer Facts You Should Know:
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Since early 1960s, the survival rates for many blood cancer patients have doubled, tripled or even quadrupled.
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Stem cell transplantation was first used as a treatment for leukemia patients.
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LLS partners with leading technology companies to more quickly develop the next round of potential blood cancer therapies.
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Nearly 40% of new cancer therapies approved by the FDA from 2000 – 2003 were first approved for blood cancer patients.
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LLS has helped advance laws in more than ½ the states to ensure coverage and payment parity for cancer medication, regardless of how or where administered.
How Can I Help?:
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia and lymphoma. Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.
Donate: Gifts to the LLS (www.lls.org) are tax – deductible to the full extent of the Internal Revenue Code.
Participate: Join a LLS Light the Night Walk, be part of a research study, donate blood or bone marrow, and spread the word!