Blood Cancers

Blood cancers are a group of cancers that form in the body’s blood and bone marrow cells. Cancers such as leukemia occur when blood cells reproduce abnormally, negatively affecting healthy blood cells. This is caused by a genetic change in the cell’s DNA. While some risk factors for blood cancers have been identified, its causes are not fully understood.

In 2026, more than 192,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with a form of blood cancer.

Each type of blood cancer is different and may cause unique symptoms in each patient, although some common symptoms are shared across all types.

Some of the most common symptoms of blood cancer may include weight loss, fatigue, chills and/or fever, shortness of breath or increased coughing, frequent infections, changes to the texture or color of the skin, lumps developing under the skin, frequent bruising or bleeding, night sweats, decreased appetite, abdominal swelling, dizziness and/or confusion.

If a patient is suspected of having blood cancer, his or her health care team will use diagnostic tools to confirm or rule out cancer. These may include blood tests, genetic tests and imaging, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scan.

After blood cancer has been diagnosed, staging will be determined. Because blood cancers don’t form solid tumors like other cancers, they have their own staging systems, which are dependent on the cancer type.

Staging will help doctors determine a treatment plan for each patient.

The most common types of blood cancer are leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Some types of blood cancer may also affect children. Leukemia usually develops in bone marrow or white blood cells, while lymphoma develops from cells in the lymphatic system called lymphocytes, which are part of the immune system. Multiple myeloma develops from plasma cells in bone marrow, which are also used to fight infection.

There are also several rare types of blood cancers and blood diseases.

The treatment options for blood cancer are dependent on the type of cancer and may include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, stem cell transplant, immunotherapy, clinical trials and more.

As new innovations in blood cancer treatment develop, survival rates continue to improve. Each patient is unique, and their medical team may provide tailored recommendations and information on treatment plans, side effects and survival rates.

City of Hope patients benefit from the new blood cancer therapies are being consistently developed at our locations. That means our patients may have access to treatments that may not yet be available elsewhere.

City of Hope^® provides support via a comprehensive, integrative approach to care, including supportive care services that help patients manage the physical and emotional side effects of cancer before, during and after treatment.

Each patient’s journey is distinct, with treatments and support tailored to the needs and goals of the individual, while also offering the most up-to-date treatments for each type and stage of blood cancer.