At Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, we do so much more than just treat cancer. We also treat patients with blood disorders, breast health conditions, pulmonary disease and sleep disorders. Hematology is a subspecialty of internal medicine to treat patients with or without cancer or blood cancer. Learn more about our hematology treatments, as well as the blood disorders we can help manage.
What Is Hematology?
Hematology, the study of the blood, works to discover and treat any problems that affect a patient’s red and white blood cells, blood vessels, platelets, bone marrow, spleen, lymph nodes, or the proteins needed for clotting and bleeding. If you’ve been diagnosed with a serious blood disorder, your doctor will refer you to a hematologist, a specialist knowledgeable on how to treat patients with these blood disorders. Hematology treatments can be given to patients with cancer and non-cancer conditions.
Similar to an oncologist, your hematologist will work to formulate a diagnosis, as well as create a specific treatment plan. Your blood cells can tell a doctor a lot about your overall health. When inspected underneath a microscope, blood cells can reveal your full medical history.
Understanding Common Blood Disorders
Hematology treatments can be used to treat and manage various blood disorders. Here’s some information about the most common types of blood diseases.
Anemia
One of the most common blood disorders is anemia. It occurs when your body lacks the proper amount of red blood cells. This blood disorder can also occur if your red blood cells cannot perform their job properly. Red blood cells are so important because they carry hemoglobin to the tissues inside your body. This protein, which is high in iron, helps your body maintain a healthy temperature and makes sure your organs are getting enough oxygen.
When a patient suffers from anemia, the limited amount of oxygen can result in the following symptoms: weakness or dizziness, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, headache, cold hands or feet, and chest pain.
Many things can increase a person’s risk of anemia, like an unhealthy diet, issues with the intestines and chronic diseases. Treatment for anemia will depend on what triggers or causes a patient’s type of anemia. Your hematologist can diagnose anemia through hematology tests that show low levels of hemoglobin in the blood.
Bleeding disorders
Bleeding disorders occur when a patient’s blood is not able to clot properly. In a healthy body, platelets stick together and can plug an area where there’s an injured blood vessel. This keeps blood inside the body and allows for a more efficient healing process.
The right amount of blood clotting is important. If your blood clots too much, it can often result in dangerous conditions like a heart attack or stroke. On the other hand, however, if your body cannot create proper clots at all, it could lead to heavy or excessive bleeding, even with the smallest cut.
When your blood clots as it should, it will prevent excessive bleeding and other related symptoms like bruising easily, bleeding gums, heavy bleeding after a small cut, heavy menstrual periods, and frequent nosebleeds.
Because bleeding disorders occur as a result of missing or limited blood clotting factors, they can be treated with blood transfusions. These hematology treatments help a patient’s body make up for the missing factors.
Blood cancers
When a patient is diagnosed with blood cancer, it’s because there is an issue with the growth and function of their blood cells. In the bone marrow, your body produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. This is often where blood cancers start. When there’s an uncontrolled growth of an abnormal blood cell, they can become cancerous and affect how your blood performs its everyday functions.
The three most common blood cancers include leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. These hematology treatments and a cancer treatment plan will depend on the type and stage of your cancer. Contact the oncology-hematology team at CCCN for more information on how to treat blood cancers.
Have You Been Diagnosed with Cancer?
Comprehensive Cancer Centers is a multispecialty practice offering medical oncology, hematology, radiation oncology, breast health conditions, and the treatment of lung disease and sleep disorders. If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with cancer or a serious blood disorder, or if you are looking for treatment and management of breast or lung diseases, visit our website to learn about your options for treatment. Call us at 702-952-3350 to schedule an appointment.
