Blood Cancer

Personalized care for blood cancer

Your blood contains several types of cells made in the bone marrow that play many essential roles in your body. For example, white blood cells help your body fight off infections. Blood cancer begins when abnormal blood cells start to grow out of control. These cancerous blood cells can affect your bone marrow, blood and lymphatic system.

Blood cancers are very complex, and there are several types. Each type of blood cancer has its own set of risk factors, symptoms, diagnostic tests and treatment options. On average, a person in the United States is diagnosed with one of these types of blood cancer every three minutes, according to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Whether you’re at risk for blood cancer, have already taken a blood test or are looking for a second opinion, we have the specialization you need. We have a team of experts where blood cancer is all they do, and they work closely with your local physician to personalize your care and ensure continuation of treatment.

Contact a patient navigator to connect with care for your specific blood cancer type.

Why Baylor Scott & White Health for blood cancer treatment

Through our large network of Texas cancer centers, we make access to innovative blood cancer treatments and dedicated services easier for you.

From holistic cancer support to advanced care like blood and marrow transplants, we have the tools you need to beat blood cancer. Baylor University Medical Center, part of Baylor Scott & White Health, has one of the nation's oldest blood and marrow transplant programs and is the first North Texas provider to offer adult commercial use of CAR T-cell therapy.

Because so many types of blood cancer exist, we personalize your care. You’ll have a team of multiple oncology experts to help diagnose and treat your specific blood cancer. We’ll explain your options and walk with you through every step of your blood cancer treatment and recovery.

Care from multiple specialists who focus solely on treating blood cancer
Dedicated cancer care centers across North and Central Texas
Innovative treatment options, including CAR T-cell therapy
Stem cell and blood and marrow transplant (BMT) programs
Pediatric blood cancer care through Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center – Temple
Access to a diverse portfolio of Phase I, II and III clinical trials and research studies aimed at advancing expanding screening, prevention, diagnostic, and treatment options for blood cancers
Patient navigators to help guide you through care
Numerous support programs
Survivorship program
Housing for out-of-town cancer patient families at Hope Lodge

Types of blood cancer

The type of blood cancer you have depends on the kind of blood cells affected. Cancer can start from abnormal changes in your marrow cells and affect several types of white blood cells and plasma cells. Some of the different types of blood cancers that we treat include:

Leukemia

Leukemia starts where blood cells are made in the bone marrow. It then spreads to your blood.

The most common types of leukemia blood cancer are:

Acute myeloid leukemia
Chronic myeloid leukemia
Acute lymphocytic leukemia
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Visit our leukemia page to learn about the different risk factors, symptoms and treatments associated with the types.

More about leukemia

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that develops from white blood cells called lymphocytes.

The two main types of lymphoma blood cancer are:

Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Visit our lymphoma pages to learn more about the risk factors, symptoms and treatments for these cancers.

More about lymphoma

Multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma begins in the bone marrow and affects your plasma cells. When these cells become abnormal and rapidly progress, it turns into cancer. Plasma cells are found in the bone marrow and the outer layer of the bones. Multiple myeloma is not a bone cancer but is cancer that affects bones.

Some factors may increase your risk of developing myeloma:

Older than 50 years
Being male
Radiation or exposure to certain chemicals
Obesity
African Americans are at twice the risk than other races
Presence of chronic immunodeficiency
Inflammatory conditions, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes

These risk factors could be present due to other illnesses not related to blood cancer, so see your doctor about your concerns.

Some patients have no symptoms in the early stages of myeloma, and the disease is not detected through routine blood work tests. When symptoms are present, bone pain and fatigue are most common.

Myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of diseases that affect the blood and marrow at varying degrees.

Primary (de novo) MDS occurs when random mutations accumulate in the stem cells with aging. If these mutations occur in specific genes and in particular locations, MDS results.

Secondary (treatment-related) MDS is less common than cases of primary MDS. It can occur in a small number of patients who received treatment (such as exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation), though the risk of developing it is low. Patients with rare, inherited bone marrow disorders—such as Fanconi anemia or dyskeratosis congenita—or aplastic anemia (a bone failure disorder) can also develop secondary MDS.

Some people have no symptoms, or their doctor may detect MDS from routine blood work before symptoms appear. Others may experience:

Fatigue
Dizziness
Pale skin
Shortness of breath
Bleeding
Easy bruising

These symptoms could be present due to other illnesses not related to blood cancer, so see your doctor about your concerns.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) develop from an abnormal mutation in the stem cell's bone marrow, leading to an overproduction of white cells, red cells and platelets.

Types of MPNs

Essential Thrombocythemia occurs when the bone marrow produces too many platelets, which can lead to a blood clot that forms in a blood vessel (thrombosis).

Myelofibrosis is a rare MPN disorder that occurs when abnormal blood cells and fibers build up in the bone marrow.

Polycythemia Vera occurs when too many red blood cells are made in the bone marrow. Often the white blood cells and platelets counts are elevated, too.

Personalized care for blood cancer

Why Baylor Scott & White Health for blood cancer treatment