Blood cancers affect blood cells and bone marrow — the spongy tissue inside your bones where blood cells are made. These cancers change the way blood cells behave and how well they work.
You have three types of blood cells:
- White blood cells fight infection as part of your immune system.
- Red blood cells carry oxygen to your body's tissues and organs and bring carbon dioxide to your lungs so you can breathe it out.
- Platelets help your blood clot when you're injured.
There are three major types of blood cancer:
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
These cancers cause your bone marrow and lymphatic system to make blood cells that don't work as well as they should. These cancers affect different types of white blood cells and act in different ways.
Leukemia
People with leukemia make a lot of white blood cells that can't fight infections. Leukemia is divided into four types based on the kind of white blood cell it affects and whether it grows quickly (acute) or slowly (chronic).
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). This starts with white blood cells called lymphocytes in bone marrow. In people with ALL, the body makes too many lymphocytes that crowd out healthy white blood cells. ALL can advance quickly if it's not treated.
It's the most common type of childhood cancer. Children aged 3-5 are most likely to get it, but adults over age 75 can also get ALL.
You're more likely to get it if you:
- Have a brother or sister with ALL
- Were treated with chemotherapy or radiation for another type of cancer in the past
- Have been near a lot of radiation
- Have Down syndrome or another genetic disorder
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This starts in myeloid cells, which normally grow into white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. AML lowers the number of healthy blood cells in all three types. This form of leukemia grows quickly.
AML mainly affects people over age 65. It's more common in men than in women.
Your chances of getting it are higher if you:
- Have been treated with chemotherapy or radiation for cancer
- Have been around toxic chemicals such as benzene
- Smoke
- Have a blood disorder like myelodysplasia or polycythemia vera, or a genetic disorder like Down syndrome
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This is the most common type of leukemia in adults. Like ALL, it starts in lymphocytes in bone marrow, but it grows more slowly. Many people with CLL don't show any symptoms until years after the cancer starts.
CLL mainly affects people in their 70s or older. A family history of blood cancer can raise your odds of it, as can spending a lot of time around chemicals like weedkillers or insecticides.
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Like AML, this blood cancer starts in myeloid cells. But unlike AML, the abnormal cells in CML grow slowly. CML is slightly more common in men than in women. It usually affects adults, but kids can sometimes get it as well. You’re more likely to get it if you've been around high amounts of radiation.
Lymphoma
This is a cancer of the lymph system. This network of vessels includes your lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus gland. The vessels store and carry white blood cells to help your body fight infections.
Lymphomas start in white blood cells called lymphocytes. There are two main types of lymphoma:
- Hodgkin lymphoma starts in immune cells called B lymphocytes, or B cells. These cells make proteins called antibodies that fight off germs. People with Hodgkin lymphoma have large lymphocytes called Reed-Sternberg cells in their lymph nodes.
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma starts in B cells or in another type of immune cell called T cells. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common than Hodgkin lymphoma.
Both types are divided into a few subtypes. The subtypes are based on where in the body the cancer starts and how it behaves.
People who have weak immune systems are more likely to get lymphoma. Infection with the Epstein-Barr virus, HIV, or Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria can also raise your chances.
Lymphoma is most often diagnosed in people aged 15-35 and those over the age of 50.
Myeloma
This is a cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cells that make antibodies.
Myeloma cells spread through the bone marrow. They can damage your bones and crowd out healthy blood cells. These cells also make antibodies that can't fight off infections.
This cancer is often called multiple myeloma because it's found in many parts of your bone marrow.
Men over age 50 are most likely to get it, and African Americans have higher odds of getting it than other people.
Your chances are also higher if you:
- Have close relatives with myeloma
- Are obese
- Have spent a lot of time around radiation
Other Rare Types of Blood Cancers
Some rarer forms of blood cancer include:
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). This type of blood cancer happens when your bone marrow makes too many white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets. Here are some cancers that fall into this category:
- Polycythemia vera (PV). This is when your bone marrow makes too many red blood cells.
- Essential thrombocythemia (ET). Your bone marrow makes too many platelets This can cause clotting or bleeding.
- Primary myelofibrosis (PMF): In this, scar tissue forms in the bone marrow.
- Chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL). This is when your bone marrow makes too many eosinophils (a type of white blood cells), leading to tissue damage.
- Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL). This is the overproduction of a type of white blood cells called neutrophils.
Another group of rare blood cancers are called:
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). These are types of blood cancers that happen when your bone marrow makes abnormal blood cells.
- Myelodysplastic syndromes with single-lineage dysplasia. This cancer affects only one type of blood cell — either red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. The cells look abnormal and are low in number.
- Myelodysplastic syndromes with multilineage dysplasia. This type of blood cancer may affect two or three types of blood cells. These cells appear abnormal.
- Myelodysplastic syndromes with ring sideroblasts. If you have this type of blood cancer, one or more blood cell types may be low in number, and your existing red blood cells will have rings of excess iron.
- Myelodysplastic syndromes with isolated del(5q) chromosome abnormality. People with this type of cancer have low numbers of red blood cells, and the cells have a specific mutation in their DNA.
- Myelodysplastic syndromes with excess blasts. In this cancer, your red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets are low in number and abnormal. You may also have immature blood cells (blasts) in your blood and bone marrow.
- Myelodysplastic syndromes, unclassifiable. In this, one or more types of mature blood cells may be abnormal. These cells may also have DNA changes.
Takeaways
Blood cancers start in the bone marrow or lymph system and cause your body to make abnormal blood cells. That can affect your ability to fight infections, carry oxygen, or stop bleeding properly.
There are three main types of blood cancers. They include leukemia (which affects white blood cells in your bone marrow), lymphoma (which starts in the lymph system), and myeloma (which affects plasma cells —a type of white blood cell).
Your five-year survival rate depends on the type of blood cancer you have and whether it is caught early. The most curable blood cancer is Hodgkin lymphoma.
Blood Cancer FAQs
Which is the most serious of all blood cancers?
The most serious of all blood cancers is acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It grows fast and spreads rapidly. People who get this type of blood cancer have a low five-year survival rate.
Which type of blood cancer has the highest survival rate?
Hodgkin lymphoma is the most curable blood cancer. It has a five-year survival rate of 96% among people aged 50 or older.
Which blood cancer type can be fully cured?
If caught early, Hodgkin lymphoma is highly curable by up to 90%. Children aged 14 years or younger with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) also often have cure rates of about 90%.
