Blood cancers are cancers of the blood and lymph systems. There are three categories of blood cancer: lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma. Blood cancers are quite prevalent. Every four minutes someone is America is diagnosed with blood cancer and someone dies from the disease every 10 minutes. Blood cancers account for approximately 9 percent of new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States and 9.5% of the cancer deaths.
Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer. It is estimated that there are over 723,000 lymphoma survivors in the United States (nearly 535,000 of which are non-Hodgkin), over 79,000 new cases (9,060 Hodgkin and 70,130 non-Hodgkin), and more than 20,000 deaths from lymphoma (1190 Hodgkin and 18,940 non-Hodgkin) annually.
Lymphoma is cancer of the lymph system and white blood cells known as lymphocytes, which fight infection and disease. There are two major types: Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and dozens of subtypes that range from indolent or slow growing to aggressive subtypes. With a better understanding of cancer at the molecular level, more forms have been identified. The Fourth Edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues describes sixty-one subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and six forms of Hodgkin lymphoma. Microarray technology has given scientists the ability to detect and quantify small molecules, such as proteins and antibodies, as well as DNA variations and expression levels. With the ability to identify these unique disease characteristics, scientists can develop sophisticated diagnostic tools and provide insight into the mechanisms behind the clinical course observed by physicians. In this respect, science has come a long way since lymphoma was first described in 1832 by pathologist Thomas Hodgkin. While many forms of cancer have been declining, the rate of incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma has nearly doubled since the 1970s.
The treatments, prognoses, and survival rates can vary significantly depending upon the type and stage. Every patient’s lymphoma is different as is his or her response to treatment and overall personal and health circumstances. Additionally, knowledge and treatments are constantly evolving. For these reasons, it is important that patients consult with their treating physicians with respect to all matters of their health including diagnosis, prognosis, treatment options, and clinical trials.
