Blood cancers hide behind ordinary symptoms. Tiredness, a few bruises, one infection after another — each one has a dozen innocent explanations, so months pass before anyone puts them together.
The starting point is not dramatic. It is a full blood count, which is one of the cheapest and fastest tests in medicine.
What to watch for in adults
- Exhaustion that rest does not fix
- Unusual bruising, or bleeding that takes too long to stop — including nosebleeds and bleeding gums
- Repeated infections, or an infection that will not clear
- Drenching night sweats
- Unexplained weight loss
- Swollen glands in the neck, armpit or groin that do not go away
- Bone or joint aching without an injury
Any one of these on its own is usually nothing. Several together, or one that persists for weeks, is worth a blood test.
What to watch for in children
In children the picture is often paleness, unusual tiredness, bruising, bone or joint pain that makes them reluctant to walk, and repeated infections. A child who is pale and bruising easily should have a blood count — it is a quick test and it either reassures you or gets things moving fast.
Diagnosis starts simply
A full blood count is a single tube of blood. It shows the numbers and appearance of the red cells, white cells and platelets, and it is usually enough to say whether something needs urgent further investigation. If it does, the next steps are arranged from there.
Bone marrow and stem cell donation
For many people with blood cancer, a stem cell transplant is the treatment that offers a cure — and it depends entirely on finding a matched donor. South Africa’s registry is small, and matches are far more likely between donors and patients of similar ancestry, which makes local donors from our communities especially valuable.
Registering is a cheek swab. You can register through the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR).
How we help
- Physicians — first assessment of symptoms that will not go away, and interpretation of results. Dr. J Manda, Dr. NR Hlatshwayo, Dr. SM Komati and Dr. SN Mashaba.
- Pathology — full blood counts and further blood work on site through Ampath Laboratory.
- Paediatrics — assessment of children with unexplained bruising, pallor or bone pain.
- Emergency & Trauma Unit — 24 hours on 012 798 7076 for heavy bleeding or a high fever with a known low blood count.
Where a blood cancer is diagnosed, your physician arranges specialist oncology referral and remains involved in your care, with diagnostics and supportive treatment continuing here close to home.
Symptoms that will not go away deserve a blood test — 012 798 7000.
