Blood Cancer Myths Debunked: Experts Explain What Patients and Families Should Know

The term “blood cancer” is often misunderstood as a single, uniformly fatal disease. In reality, it refers to a group of conditions, including leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, which affect different types of blood cells and require different treatment approaches. Dr. Neema Bhat, MBBS, MD (USA), FAAP (USA), Senior Consultant Hematologist, BMT Physician and Pediatric Oncologist at Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru, says every patient’s condition, treatment response and prognosis can be different. Some blood cancers can be treated successfully, while others can be controlled for long periods with modern therapies. Blood cancer is also not contagious and cannot spread through touching, hugging, sharing food, kissing or living with an affected person. Symptoms may include persistent fatigue, unexplained weight loss, recurrent infections, prolonged fever, night sweats, unusual bruising or bleeding, swollen lymph nodes, bone pain and abnormal blood counts. However, these symptoms can also be caused by several other health conditions.

Another common misconception is that chemotherapy is the only treatment available for blood cancer. Depending on the type and characteristics of the disease, treatment may include targeted medicines, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, stem cell transplantation or other specialised therapies. In some cases, doctors may recommend regular monitoring before starting treatment. Experts also clarify that eating sugar does not directly cause blood cancer, while completely eliminating sugar from the diet does not selectively starve cancer cells. Maintaining balanced nutrition is important during treatment, with dietary advice tailored to each patient’s condition. Similarly, having a family history of blood cancer does not mean a person will definitely develop the disease, although certain genetic factors may influence risk. Patients are advised not to wait for symptoms to become severe before seeking medical attention. Persistent or unexplained symptoms should be evaluated by a healthcare professional, who may recommend blood tests, imaging, bone marrow examination or other investigations depending on the suspected condition.