Kauvery Hospital Chennai, a unit of Kauvery Group of Hospitals in Tamil Nadu, emphasises, on the occasion of World Blood Cancer Day, May 28, 2022, the need for timely diagnosis and treatment. The team recently treated two patients who were diagnosed with lymphoma and multiple myeloma respectively.
A 54-year-old man presented with symptoms of swellings in his neck and axilla (armpits), along with unexplained fever, loss of weight and appetite. After blood tests, biopsy and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan, he was diagnosed to have Hodgkin’s Lymphoma - a cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a part of the immune system that fights infections.
“Generally, a swelling can occur in any part of the body and is mostly due to an infection, and is treated with antibiotics. But when the antibiotics do not help and the swelling is persistent, then it needs to be evaluated without delay. Swellings in the neck or underarms can be lymphomas and should be addressed immediately. These swellings are painless and can increase in number as the cancer progresses. This individual had nodes in the neck which is a major symptom of Lymphoma. He was given chemotherapy, to which he responded well, and he was also administered radiation. He has now recovered completely,” said Dr Preethi A, Consultant- Medical Oncology, Kauvery Hospital. Chennai.
While this was a patient with a very obvious symptom at presentation, the second patient was a 73-year-old woman who presented with fracture of her right femur. Basic blood tests indicated that she had low haemoglobin and was further investigated to find the cause. “Investigations indicated the diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma, a type of blood cancer. This type of blood cancer affects the blood cell count, haemoglobin levels and also causes degradation of the bones which become brittle and weak, and a small fall or injury may cause fracture, which was the case in this woman. She was administered chemotherapy for sixteen weeks and is currently in remission from myeloma. She is undergoing maintenance therapy (a medicine given to ensure there is no recurrence of cancer),” said Dr Arshad Raja, Consultant- Haemotology and Haemato Oncology.
Blood cancers are of two types- acute and chronic. The former presents within a short period of time and has severe course when compared to the latter. Every year, 8 lakh people are diagnosed with blood cancer in India, which accounts for 8% of total cancers in the country. The symptoms are mostly common for blood cancers, however, some may present with just another bone injury or a fever, or even just a low haemoglobin or platelet count.