Blood cancer can affect anyone, and its symptoms are often vague in the early stages, leading to tiredness, fever, or frequent infections. Many people tend to ignore these signs, mistaking them for everyday health issues, and suffer in silence. Hence, routine blood tests are important for everyone to understand their health status and prevent blood cancer.
As per Dr Vinod Patil, Haematologist, Consultant – Oncolife Cancer Centre, Satara, while these tests cannot confirm blood cancer on their own, they may indicate that something may be wrong, encouraging further investigation. Early detection means better treatment and higher chances of recovery.
Take these tests:
A Complete Blood Count (CBC) is commonly advised for patients, which helps to measure red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. So, very high or very low levels may suggest blood cancer. Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) helps to understand the level of inflammation in the body. A very high ESR can be a signal for doctors to check further.
A peripheral smear is also recommended for the patient. During this test, a drop of blood is examined under a microscope. It can reveal abnormal or immature blood cells, which may raise suspicion of leukaemia or other blood cancers.
A bone marrow biopsy can also be advised for the patient. So, these tests are affordable and easily available. While they cannot directly diagnose blood cancer, they act like an early warning system that helps doctors to take immediate steps, initiate treatment, and improve the survival rate of the patient.
Treatments for blood cancer
Treatment for blood cancer is not one-size-fits-all. Various factors, such as the type and subtype of cancer, genetic mutations, age, overall health, and the aggressiveness of the disease, are understood by the expert before deciding the line of treatment. So, the treatment includes bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy. The patient will have to follow the treatment guidelines given by the doctor.
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