Hematologic Malignancy
Also known as: blood cancer
A cancer that arises in the blood, bone marrow or lymphatic system.
Definition
Hematologic malignancies (also called "blood cancers") are cancers that arise in the blood, bone marrow or lymphatic system rather than forming a solid tumour in an organ. The three broad families are the leukemias (cancers of white blood cells), the lymphomas (cancers of lymph nodes and lymphatic tissue) and multiple myeloma (a cancer of plasma cells).
Diagnosis usually combines a CBC, blood film, flow cytometry, imaging and a bone-marrow biopsy. Treatment options range from chemotherapy and targeted therapy to immunotherapy and stem-cell transplantation.
See also
- Leukemia — A cancer of the white blood cells that begins in the bone marrow.
- Lymphoma — A cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the body's immune defence.
- Multiple Myeloma — A cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that can cause bone pain, anemia and kidney problems.
- Bone Marrow Biopsy — A procedure that samples the spongy tissue inside a bone to look for blood-cell disorders.
- Stem Cell Transplant — Replacing diseased or damaged bone marrow with healthy blood-forming stem cells.
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Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rehan Abdullah
Dr. Rehan Abdullah is a dual-trained clinical and radiation oncologist with over a decade of experience treating both solid tumours and hematologic malignancies. He serves as Consultant Oncologist at INMOL Hospital and sees patients at Farooq Hospital and Healthnox Medical Center, Lahore. Read full profile →
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