A form of blood cancer that develops in white blood cells called lymphocytes which are part of the immune system that fight off diseases.  There are two types of lymphoma, non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin.

Hodgkin: usually begins in a type of B cell that is found in the bone marrow.

Non-Hodgkin: most common form of lymphoma that tends to develop in older adults.

Treatment for Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma

Radiation therapy: if the lymphoma appears to be in only one lymph node, radiation therapy is recommended and sometimes in concurrence with chemotherapy in order to prevent relapse.

Chemotherapy: for lymphomas that are advanced and aggressive chemotherapy is recommended to kill the fast dividing lymphoma cells.

Stem cell transplant: this treatment can often cure cancer that has returned or allow you to live a long time without cancer.

Multiple Myeloma

A form of blood cancer that starts in plasma cells which is part of the immune system.  The abnormal plasma cells, called Myeloma cells, build up in the bone marrow and form tumors in bones all through the body.

Treatment for Myeloma

Chemotherapy: is used to kill Myeloma cells, also used to control or stop growth of the cells.

Immune-modifying drugs:  drugs used to help the immune system fight the cancerous plasma cells and keep them from multiplying.

Leukemia

Leukemia is a group of cancers that originate in leukocytes, the white blood cells that form in the spongy inner parts of bones, called bone marrow. Leukemia builds large numbers of abnormal white blood cells (leukemia cells and leukemic blast cells) in the blood and bone marrow. Leukemia can be divided into different categories based on which kind of white blood cell is involved and whether it is developing very quickly(acute) or slowly over time(chronic). There are 4 types of leukemia, Acute Lymphocytic leukemia(ALL), Acute Myeloid leukemia(AML), Chronic Lymphocytic leukemia(CLL), Chronic Myeloid leukemia(CML). Therefore,  treatment may vary for each type of leukemia.

Treatment for Leukemia

Stem cell transplants: have been a breakthrough in the treatment of hematological cancers, providing longevity and quality of life improvements to patients, and in some cases curing them. For Acute Lymphocytic leukemia(ALL), Acute Myeloid leukemia(AML) stem cell transplant is the standard approach for treating these types of cancers.

Chemotherapy: is used to destroy as many leukemia cells as possible and bring blood counts to normal, it is also used to reduce the chance of the cancer from reoccurring.

Radiation therapy: is sometimes used to treat Leukemia that has spread to brain and spinal fluid.

Diagnosis for blood cancer

• Blood tests: can show whether the amounts of various components of blood are within normal ranges, in cases of patients with leukemia may have low numbers of red blood cells, which causes anemia; platelet levels may be low, leading to bleeding and bruising; and white blood cell levels may be diminished, which can lead to frequent infections.
• Bone marrow aspirations: these tests help determine the number of immature cells in your bone marrow, and can reveal other features of leukemia cells as well. Bone marrow samples determine how many blood cells you have and if there are any cancer cells or scar tissue in your bone marrow.
• Lumbar puncture: if diseased cells in the bone marrow are found then a lumbar puncture is performed in order to see if leukemia cells are in the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
• Imaging tests: including chest x-rays, ultrasound, CT scans, MRI, and PET scans to determine whether leukemia cells have affected the bones or organs such as the kidneys, the brain, or the lymph node.

Paolo Hospital Cancer Center offers treatment options to those suffering from many forms of cancer, including but not limited to gender-specific cancers such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, and also hematological cancers. Our team of cancer specialists, hematology specialists, and general practitioners are all trained to the very highest standards, and provide safe and effective treatment.