Leukaemias and
lymphomas Leukaemias and lymphomas are cancers which
affect the cells which are part of the fluids circulating around the body.
Leukaemias affect certain blood cells, particularly the white cells, or "leukocytes" which help fight off infections and disease.
And lymphomas are cancers of the lymphatic system, a network of vessels which form part of the body''s immune system, and carry other infection-fighting cells called "lymphocytes", as well as draining dead cells away from the tissues.
There are several different types of leukaemia, classed mainly according to the way the cancer develops, and the variety of white blood cells they affect.
There are two principal kinds of
Lymphoma - Hodgkin''s and non-Hodgkin''s - the latter is more common, and also slightly harder to treat.
Professor Peter Johnson, an expert in lymphomas from the University of Southampton, who carries out work for Cancer Research UK is hopeful that new chemotherapy and radiotherapy techniques will help improve survival rates in lymphoma.
He said: "The sorts of treatment we are investigating in the future centre around how we can stir the body''s immune system into recognising that the lymphoma is there.
"This we think is a very promising form of new treatment."
Symptoms
There are different symptoms for leukaemias and lymphomas Symptoms of
leukaemias include:
Anaemia - patient unusually pale, weak and tired
Frequent infections, fevers, chills, or flu-like symptoms
Easy bruising or bleeding
Night sweats
Bone or joint pain
Weight loss
Swollen
Lymph nodes, tender to the touch
Leukaemia cells can also affect the testicles, causing swelling, or affect the spinal column and cause headaches, seizures and vomiting.
The different types of leukaemia develop in different ways. Acute leukaemias progress rapidly, whereas in chronic leukaemia, symptoms take longer to develop and the decline is far less swift.
Some of the symptoms of
lymphomas can be very similar to those of leukaemia.
The main difference is a painless rather than tender swelling of the lymph nodes, particularly in the neck, under the arms or around the groin.
Hodgkin''s and non-Hodgkin''s patients also often suffer night sweats, unexplained fevers, fatigue and weight loss. There can also be itchy skin or red patches.
The first thing a doctor will do to investigate suspicions of leukaemia or lymphoma is carry out a physical examination.
The lymph
nodes in the neck, under the arms and in the groin will be "palpated", or felt. It can be slightly uncomfortable, but not painful.
A doctor can also feel for unusual swellings in the liver, which can happen if lymphoma spreads to that organ.
Blood tests, known as "full blood counts" will also give a strong clue as to both the presence of disease - and what type it is.
The numbers of various types of cell, mature and immature, are physically counted to make sure there are the right number.
Another key test is the x-ray or CT scan, which can look for swellings in the lymph nodes, liver, lungs and spleen.
In the case of leukaemia, this may take the form of taking a sample of bone marrow, normally from the hip with a needle. Sometimes a sample of bone is taken for analysis.
If this confirms the presence of leukaemia cells, a lumbar puncture, which involves inserting a needle through the back into the lower spine takes more fluid for analysis.
For lymphoma, a biopsy of lymph nodes, normally from the neck and underarm area is taken to check for disease.
All this information will help doctors work out how aggressive the cancer is, and how far it has already spread.
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