Blood disorder specialist treat and diagnose blood disorders, from anemia to leukemia. Regardless of whether a patient has a cancerous or noncancerous blood disorder, consulting one of these specialists can lead to better health outcomes. A specialist will work to find an effective treatment that prevents the disorder from progressing, as well as work to resolve and prevent it from recurring.
There are dozens of blood disorders, some of them cancerous. Certain blood disorder specialists, also known as hematology-oncologists, focus on treating cancerous conditions. However, they may also treat patients with noncancerous blood disorders, like anemia. Their goal is to manage symptoms, clear them up where possible, and prevent them from flaring up or returning. Where cancer is concerned, these specialists aim to help patients enter lasting remission.
Blood cancer specialists receive additional training on how to treat and manage these relatively uncommon conditions. In total, they will have completed at least nine years of medical school, including three years of residency training and another four years of specialty training. This training and hands-on experience equip them to tailor treatment to each patient, their medical history, and their symptoms.
According to the American Society of Hematology, the most common blood disorders are anemia, blood clots, hemophilia (a bleeding disorder), and blood cancers. There is a large variety between these types of disorders, which is another reason why it is important to consult a blood disorder specialist.
Take anemia, a condition marked by a lack of healthy red blood cells. It is one of the most common blood disorders, but its treatment ranges from taking iron supplements to receiving blood transfusions. This is because there are many subtypes, such as anemia due to vitamin B12 or iron deficiency and sickle cell anemia. Treatment is similarly varied for blood cancers, although there are only three main types: myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma.
Blood cancers start in the bone marrow. Unlike with other cancers, surgery is not usually a major part of treatment for myeloma and leukemia. (For instance, breast cancer originates in the breasts, and its treatment typically involves surgically removing the tumor there.) A blood disorder specialist will tailor common, effective cancer treatments to the patient’s specific type and stage of blood cancer. As per Yale Medicine, the most common of these hematology treatments are as follows:
Chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs to kill blood cancer cells. It can also work by stopping blood cancer cells from multiplying. (A common example is hydroxyurea, which focuses on white blood cells in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.) Either way, chemo drugs can be administered intravenously (IV), injected via a shot in the arm or leg, or taken orally in pill form, among other options.
Radiation therapy eliminates cancer cells with high-energy beams, often similar to those used in X-rays. It can also help to shrink lymph nodes, such as in patients with lymphoma, and manage bone pain. This type of blood cancer treatment is painless, and each session lasts only about 30 minutes. However, to effectively treat blood cancer, it will typically be paired with another type of treatment, such as chemotherapy.
This is a type of cancer treatment in which a blood disorder specialist will use various drugs to kill blood cancer cells but leave healthy cells untouched. This is a departure from chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which target both healthy and cancer cells but have more of an effect on the latter. Targeted therapy is a commonly recommended approach for patients with leukemia.
Similar to targeted therapy, immunotherapy only targets cancer cells, leaving healthy cells alone. However, it achieves this through activating the immune system. Immunotherapy is often used as a secondary treatment after chemotherapy has failed to help a patient enter remission.
A blood disorder specialist may recommend stem cell transplantation to stimulate the production of new, healthy blood cells. Therefore, this is more of a follow-up treatment after the cancer cells have been eliminated.
As a blood cancer treatment, surgery is generally only performed to remove lymph nodes from patients with lymphoma. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be recommended afterward to ensure that any remaining cancer cells are eliminated. As mentioned, surgery rarely plays a role in diagnosing and treating leukemia and myeloma.
If you have been diagnosed with a blood disorder, there are a variety of treatments available. Our team at Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center will work to find the right one to help you manage your symptoms. Contact us today to consult a blood disorder specialist.
Request an appointment here: https://lindenbergcancer.com or call Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center at (856) 475-0876 for an appointment in our Marlton office.
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