Liquid cancers are a category of malignancies that affect the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system. Unlike solid tumors, which form a localized mass, liquid cancers are diffuse, spreading throughout the body’s fluid systems. These cancers involve the uncontrolled growth of abnormal blood cells. This article explores the nature of liquid cancers, their common indicators, diagnostic procedures, and available treatment options.
Understanding Liquid Cancers
Liquid cancers, also known as hematologic malignancies, originate in the blood-forming tissues and the immune system. They affect the bone marrow, where blood cells are produced, the blood itself, and the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and nodes that helps fight infection. These cancers disrupt the normal production and function of healthy blood cells.
The main categories of liquid cancers are leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas. Leukemias begin in the bone marrow, involving the uncontrolled growth of abnormal white blood cells that crowd out healthy blood cell production. Lymphomas develop in the lymphatic system, including lymph nodes, the spleen, and other immune tissues, and involve abnormal lymphocytes. Myelomas, specifically multiple myeloma, are cancers of the plasma cells, a type of white blood cell found in the bone marrow that produces antibodies.
Recognizing the Signs
The symptoms of liquid cancers can be subtle and non-specific. Individuals might experience persistent fatigue, often due to a lack of healthy red blood cells. Unexplained fevers and night sweats are also reported.
Other indicators include unexplained weight loss. Easy bruising or bleeding may arise from a shortage of normal blood-clotting cells. Swollen lymph nodes, often painless lumps in the neck, armpit, or groin, can also be a sign, particularly in lymphomas. Recurrent infections may occur due to an insufficient number of healthy white blood cells.
How Liquid Cancers Are Identified
Diagnosing liquid cancers involves a series of tests to detect abnormal cells in the blood, bone marrow, or lymph nodes. A complete blood count (CBC) is a common initial blood test that measures red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, helping identify abnormal counts. Other blood chemistry tests, such as lactate dehydrogenase levels, can also provide diagnostic insights.
A bone marrow biopsy and aspiration are performed to examine cells within the bone marrow. This procedure collects a small sample of bone marrow liquid and tissue, typically from the hip bone, for microscopic analysis. For lymphomas, a lymph node biopsy may be necessary, removing part or all of an enlarged lymph node for examination. Imaging tests, such as CT scans, PET scans, or MRIs, are also used to assess the cancer’s extent and identify affected lymph nodes or organs, particularly for staging lymphomas.
Treatment Approaches
Treatment for liquid cancers is systemic, affecting the entire body, unlike localized treatments for solid tumors. Chemotherapy is a common approach, using powerful drugs administered orally, intravenously, or through injection to kill cancer cells or stop their growth. These drugs often target rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams, such as X-rays or protons, to damage and destroy cancer cells. It can be directed at specific areas where cancer cells have accumulated or administered to the whole body, particularly before a stem cell transplant. Targeted therapy involves drugs that specifically attack vulnerabilities in cancer cells, such as certain proteins or genes, while minimizing harm to healthy cells.
Immunotherapy harnesses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. This treatment uses various methods to help immune cells recognize and destroy cancer cells. One advanced form, Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, involves genetically modifying a patient’s own T-cells to specifically target and eliminate cancer cells. Stem cell transplantation, also known as bone marrow transplantation, replaces diseased bone marrow with healthy blood-forming stem cells. These healthy cells, which can come from the patient or a donor, regenerate new bone marrow and blood cells following high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy that destroys cancerous cells.