September is Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month

September is Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness Month, highlighting two of the most invasive hematologic cancers ravaging the planet. Hematologic means dealing with the blood or bone marrow in the body, both incredibly dangerous areas to accrue malignant tumors. By shining a light on these prevalent cancers, patients, doctors, and concerned community members can learn about new treatment options and resources close to home that may be able to help with the sting of a new diagnosis or an outreach for family and friends dealing with the care or loss of a loved one.

Cancer screening is also a priority and by spreading the word about the dangers of leukemia and lymphoma may provide just enough inspiration to encourage people to have regular screenings as a prevention tool. The American Cancer Society estimates that solely in the United States there will be almost 22,000 deaths this year from leukemia and almost 45,000 new cases also diagnosed throughout in 2009.

By keeping up with new information and advocating for more research, death from leukemia and lymphomas can be reduced if caught early depending on each individual situation. Having access to the most up-to-date treatments can save lives by offering better options for treatment and the best care available to those suffering from these diseases.

With many types of leukemia striking thousands of people a year, there are relatively few known risk factors involved in developing leukemia like having a genetic disease like Down syndrome, prolonged exposure to benzene, radiation exposure from battling other types of cancer, and smoking tobacco. The average age for patients with leukemia is over 60 but risk factors aside, doctors still remind patients that anyone can get cancer at any time in their life.

Lymphoma, on the other hand, is trickier still. Known risk factors are specific to region and lymphoma type prevalent in a certain area of the world that is stricken with other serious diseases that can lead to lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma has no known risk factors and no certain causes or patient commonalities. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) is the fifth most common cancer in both females and males and has risen almost 80 percent in the 30 years prior to 2005.

Although there has been progress with 75 percent of children with leukemia and nearly 80 percent of adults and children diagnosed with lymphoma are cured, still over 894,000 people in America have a form of blood cancer. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society shares the estimation that almost 53,000 people will die from one of these cancers this year and that every 10 minutes someone dies from blood-related cancer. Leukemia and lymphoma are too big to be ignored, join a support group or donate your time or earnings to cancer prevention research throughout the year.

Take the time during the month of September to learn a little bit more about these serious diseases and how you can stay informed about these cancers and their treatment options in the unfortunate case that you may be able to lend a hand if someone you know is suddenly stricken. Set aside an hour or so to talk to your doctor about routine cancer screenings and to mark the monthly awareness schedule, you may want to get your screening every ninth month as a gentle reminder of your health and those patients that may not be as lucky.