The Hematology/Adult Sickle Cell Program at Blumenthal Cancer Center treats myeloma, lymphoma, leukemia and sickle cell anemia. The program offers a full range of diagnostic, consultative and treatment services, including clinical research.

Multiple Myeloma (MM)
The most common primary bone cancer in adults, MM usually occurs in men over 50. MM is diagnosed with the greatest frequency in African-Americans and is very rare among Asians.

MM is a cancer that begins in plasma cells. Plasma cells are white blood cells that make antibodies to fight off disease and infection. Normally, these cells mature and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. Cells die and new ones replace them in an orderly fashion. With MM, this process goes wrong. New cells are created, but the old ones do not die. Over time these abnormal cells collect in bone marrow and crowd out normal blood cells creating masses of tissue called tumors.

Lymphoma
The lymphatic system is part of the body's immune system that filters harmful bacteria and helps fight off infection. In lymphoma, as in myeloma, some of the cells in the lymph system multiply uncontrollably, collect and form tumors. These cancerous cells can spread to nearly any part of the body. 

The two main groups of lymphoma are Hodgkin's disease and the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Leukemia
Bone marrow is the soft, inner part of our bones where different types of blood cells are made. Leukemia originates in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and then invades the blood. It can spread to the liver, spleen or other parts of the body.
 
Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a chronic, inherited illness of the red blood cells. Normal red blood cells are round and smooth. They move easily through the blood stream, carrying oxygen to the tissues. With sickle cell anemia, most of the red cells are hard, sticky and shaped like a crescent or sickle.  They can't move as easily and can block the flow of blood to the limbs and organs, causing pain and damage to organs. Sickle Cell can only develop in the descendants of others who had the disease.

For more information, please call 704-355-2884 or 800-804-9376.