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Bone marrow cancer affects the red blood forming tissue in the center of bones. Find out more about it here.

Bone marrow is the spongy, soft tissue contained inside most bones. This tissue is made up of immature cells, which are known as stem cells, which develop into various types of blood cells such as: red blood cells, which help in carrying oxygen throughout the body; white blood cells, which are part of the immune system and therefore help in fighting infection; and platelets, which help in clotting blood. As red blood cell production requires iron, the body usually stores a large portion of its supply of iron in the bone marrow. Bone marrow cancer occurs when the cells that form blood become cancerous.

What are the Various Kinds of Bone Marrow Cancer?

Usually bone marrow cancer occurs due to cancer spreading to the bone from some other organ, when it is referred to as secondary bone cancer. On examination under the microscope, these cancers bear a resemblance to the original tissue they came from, such as the lung, breast, prostate, and so on.

Primary bone marrow cancers, on the other hand, are the type that occurs in the bone marrow cells that form blood, and these are:

Multiple Myeloma: This is a type of bone marrow cancer that affects the plasma cells, which are a kind of white blood cells that occur in the bone marrow. The disease occurs due to the plasma cells growing abnormally. Normally, plasma cells produce antibodies. So, when these malignant or abnormal plasma cells divide and multiply rapidly, without order or control, as is the case in cancerous cells, it results in the production of huge amounts of abnormal antibodies, which accumulate in the blood as well as the urine. With the growth of the plasma cell tumor, the surrounding bone is also destroyed. These effects result in an impaired immune system, damage to the kidneys, and pain in the bones. The disease is referred to as multiple myeloma since it can affect multiple sites of the body where bone marrow occurs.

Leukemia: This disease occurs when the bone marrow produces white blood cells that are abnormal. Leukemia is a term that defines 4 different types of diseases: Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, or ALL; Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, or AML; Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, or CLL; and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, or CML.

Acute myelogenous leukemia and acute lymphocytic are both made up of blast cells, referred to as myeloblasts or lymphoblasts. The term ‘acute’ is indicative of the disease progressing rapidly, in the absence of treatment. Chronic leukemia either does not have any blast cells or they are few in number, and it progresses comparatively slowly.

Lymphoma: This usually affects the lymphatic system, but sometimes can begin in the bone marrow. For example, Hodgkin lymphoma, which usually affects the lymph nodes, but can also affect the bone marrow.

What are the Symptoms of Bone Marrow Cancer?

Although the initial signs of bone marrow cancer can differ from one person to another, some of the common symptoms are fever, loss of weight, loss of appetite, and fatigue. The problem is that these initial signs of bone marrow cancer can be so subtle and erratic tat the affected person usually delays seeing a doctor until the cancer has spread to other parts. Another problem is that these symptoms can indicate something else apart from cancer. Hence, only a trained physician will be able to diagnose accurately whether these symptoms are indicative of bone marrow cancer.

Some of the other bone marrow cancer symptoms are: pain; a hard lump on the affected bone; tenderness, stiffness, or swelling in the bone, usually near or inside a joint; frequent fractures for no reason; anemia, or low red blood cells; a lowering in the resistance to infections; dizziness, shortness of breath, and general weakness.

What is the Treatment for Bone Marrow Cancer?

There are a number of treatments available for bone marrow cancer such as surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplants. Many hospitals also offer other complementary therapies along with the conventional treatments such as naturopathic medicine; nutrition therapy; mind and body medicine; and spiritual counseling.

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By Rita Putatunda

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