According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, every three minutes someone is expected to be diagnosed with a form of blood cancer in the US. It was estimated that new cases of leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma would account for almost 10 percent of all new cancer diagnoses in 2024. Furthermore, there may be up to 1.7 million Americans living with or in remission from leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), or myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Despite this, many people don’t know the symptoms of blood cancer, so they can talk to their doctors quickly.
10 Signs of Blood Cancer
1. Unexplained Weight Loss
This symptom is defined as unintentional weight loss when no changes have been made to your diet or exercise routine. Eventually, you may lose weight regardless of what you eat, and the numbers may exceed what doctors would consider to be normal. Weight loss occurs because cancerous cells can change your appetite while increasing how much energy your body burns daily. The result is that you lose muscle and fat.
2. Inexplicable Bruising or Bleeding
Having blood cancer usually means that you have a low level of platelets, which you need to help your blood clot. As a result, you may bleed from your nose or gums, and cuts may take longer to stop bleeding. You may have heavy periods or notice blood in your urine and stool. In rare cases, you may bleed into your brain–causing a headache and weakness. Finally, you may see small blood spots under the skin that usually start on the legs.
3. Strange Lumps or Swellings
Blood cancer can cause abnormal white blood cells to build up in your lymph glands, resulting in lumps or swellings throughout the body. While it’s typical for these lumps to appear on your neck, groin, or armpit, they can also develop inside the body. When this happens, they may press on organs like the lungs, which can lead to pain and breathlessness. Sometimes, the lumps or swellings are painless, but some people describe a slight ache.
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4. Trouble Breathing
A low level of red blood cells can lead to anemia. If this happens, you may experience breathlessness even when sedentary, an irregular heartbeat, or feeling lightheaded regularly.
5. Night Sweats
Though doctors aren’t sure what causes the problem, some people with lymphoma and leukemia can have terrible night sweats. These incidents can be bad enough for them to change their nightwear and bedding.
6. Severe or Frequent Infections
White blood cells are essential to fighting infections. However, blood cancer can lower your level of white blood cells, so you can’t handle infections as well. You might notice that you get infections more easily, have mouth sores that won’t go away, or have persistent flu-like symptoms like chills, coughing, or a sore throat.
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7. Regular Fevers
This symptom is also related to your low white blood cells. Even if you don’t have any other signs of an illness, a fever may persist. You should always be concerned if you have a consistent temperature of 38°C or above.
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8. Itchy Skin or Unexplained Rashes
Skin rashes can be caused by a low level of platelets, but doctors still aren’t sure why some people who have blood cancer have itchy skin. You may notice small red or dark spots on your skin that don’t go away when you press on them. If you’re dealing with lymphoma, the itchiness can be severe and may be accompanied by a burning sensation.
9. Chronic Fatigue
If you’re tired all the time, this may be caused by the anemia that comes with blood cancer. This level of fatigue never goes away, regardless of how much you sleep. You may also have headaches.
10. Joint Pain
Depending on which type of blood cancer you’re dealing with, you can have pain in your joints, bones, or abdomen. It can happen because of damage to your bones as well as the buildup of abnormal cells in the stomach. Apart from the bone or joint pain, you may feel fuller more easily because of the bloating in the stomach. The bloating may also cause some discomfort on your left side.
Why They Can Be Easy to Miss
Unless you know what you’re looking for, the symptoms of blood cancer can be easily dismissed. They may be vague and can be attributed to other issues that aren’t as serious. Worse yet, they can seem completely unrelated to the disease you’re dealing with. For example, someone who has night sweats and fatigue might think they’re simply heading into menopause, so not sleeping well is expected. If you’re prone to allergies, you also might not be surprised about having itchy skin or rashes sometimes.
Additionally, there are times when the symptoms aren’t apparent in the beginning. Though swellings and lumps can occur, they’re not always on the outside. You’re unlikely to notice that something is happening inside your body until the lumps become large enough to start pressing on your organs. Even then, you might not attribute the issue to a blood cancer.
The important takeaway is that you shouldn’t treat any changes in your health as normal. You should always bring symptoms to your doctor’s attention so they can be discussed. Sometimes, they can allay your fears. In other cases, they can get you started on the road to a diagnosis so you can get treated quickly.
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Why Black Americans Need to Pay Attention
When it comes to blood cancer, Black people need to focus most on multiple myeloma. Reports show that this disease is most likely to affect Black Americans. In 2022 alone, it was estimated that Black people would make up almost 8,000 of the new cases and over 2,500 deaths due to multiple myeloma. Black Americans account for about 20 percent of new diagnoses, and when compared to white people, they are twice as likely to develop the disease.
The numbers get even more frightening for Black Americans who are under 50 years of age. If you’re male, your risk of developing multiple myeloma increases to 2.6 times that of a white man. For Black women, the risk balloons to 3.3 times that of a white woman. While the numbers have been holding steady for men since 2022, they continue to increase for women by approximately two percent per year.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, studies continue to show that Black Americans face disparities in being diagnosed and treated for blood cancer. Though they are likely not to trust the medical community, it’s still true that Black people don’t receive the same level of care as other ethnicities. They generally receive fewer life-saving transplants, fewer consultations about palliative care, less access to clinical trials, and less inpatient chemotherapy. On the other hand, they’re more likely to access emergency care, which resulted in blood transfusions and stays in the hospital.
With this in mind, it’s important to know not only which symptoms to look for, but also your options for treatment. This information allows you to have better conversations with your doctor. If you don’t feel like your doctor is listening to you, it’s better to find a replacement than to give up on a diagnosis altogether.
How Blood Cancers are Diagnosed
Doctors generally diagnose blood cancer by discussing your symptoms, doing a thorough physical exam, and assessing the results of several tests. These tests can include a complete blood count, blood chemistry, imaging tests, and a bone marrow biopsy.
Once you’ve been diagnosed and your doctor knows which kind of blood cancer you’re dealing with, they can recommend a course of treatment. The options can include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Stem cell transplants may also be an integral part of helping your body to produce healthy bone marrow cells after you’ve undergone other treatment programs like chemotherapy.
Blood cancer can impact the lives of millions of Americans at any given time. Black people, in particular, have a higher risk of developing multiple myeloma but face barriers to proper treatment. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms that are listed here, it’s best to talk to your doctor so you can know what you’re dealing with.
