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Infections

Cancer patients, especially those undergoing chemotherapy, are more likely to get infections because of their weakened immune systems. Cancer and certain cancer therapies can damage the immune system by reducing the number of infection-fighting white blood cells. Patients with a low white blood cell count are at a higher risk of developing infections, and these infections can be more serious and harder to treat. In severe cases, infections can lead to death.

Heriberto

I was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma (BL) on Friday the 13th ― August 13, 2021, to be exact ― seven months after being married, three months after my wedding reception, and going on my honeymoon.

Gerardo (Jerry)

I came into this world with a 65,000-mile warranty. During all my life, maybe I had a cold once in a while, some minor stuff, a bit of bursitis, but nothing that you would consider life-threatening at all. One day during a routine exam, I had blood work done. My PCP told me she didn't like my white blood cell count, and it was best to have a specialist look at it. She referred me to an oncologist. I didn’t think of it much, and since I was feeling fine, I thought it must be nothing of consequence.

Allie

When I was in fourth grade in 2015, my older brother Nate (a freshman in high school at the time) was rushed by ambulance to the U of M Masonic Children’s Hospital. His spleen was holding 10 times the normal amount of red blood cells. This led to the discovery of his cancer. He was later diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). He missed out on the first month of high school and hockey season, but he was able to take medicines at home so that he could eventually attend the rest of the school year. 

Andrew

When I write about the fact that I have cancer, it is not my intention to suggest that I am in any way unique. Although when I was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2010, I did feel special, and not in a good way. At first, I thought I had a hernia. But the surgeon said no. It took almost two months for the biopsy of the lymph node that he extracted from my body to be definitively identified. They sent it to Bethesda for further analysis. Still no answer. I then had a second biopsy.

Mara

I was in my second to last year of nursing school and just over one year into my marriage when the headaches became too much to bear. I was 21. I was tired all of the time, but I was working in a busy ER and going to class when I wasn't at work. I had lost some weight, but I had been exercising more and getting a lot while working in the ER. I had a cough, but they tell you that you'll be sick a lot when you're in nursing school. Unfortunately, I happened to touch my neck one day while studying with classmates for a big exam. There was a lump there that I had never felt before.

Donna

The year 2021 was quite a year for us. It was the year of cancer. No one ever really prepares themselves for the diagnosis of cancer, and when you're told you have it, the emotional roller coaster you are about to embark on cannot ever be fully described in words. The fear, the exhaustion, the financial burden, the feeling of helplessness you experience is completely terrifying. In the year 2021, we started the fight of all fights, the fight to save my husband's life. This is our story of cancer. Our story of love, life, hope, and healing.

Joshua

Joshua was a regular 11-year-old. He played multiple sports, was learning to play the flute in the school band, and enjoyed having fun with his friends. After a few weeks of a nagging sore throat and enlarged tonsils, we took Josh to see his primary care physician (PCP). They ran some tests and sent him home. No big deal, just a routine trip to the doctor’s office. Josh's PCP called the next day at 6:00 p.m. . . . on a Saturday. She said that she was worried about some of Josh's blood test results and recommended we go to an urgent care or emergency room for further checks.

Nina

Back in March 2015, my then 26-year-old daughter was not feeling well.  She had severe abdominal pain, overwhelming fatigue, night sweats, a low-grade fever, a headache, and appeared to be losing weight.  At the time, my daughter was working as a speech language pathologist in a hospital in Maryland.  She was misdiagnosed by an ER droctor and two months later, after her primary care doctor ordered an ultrasound, we found that she had innumerable tumors in her lungs and spleen.  We saw an oncologist the next day who ordered more blood work and a PET scan, as well as a bon

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

• Is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood
• CML is usually diagnosed in its chronic phase when treatment is very effective for most patients
• CML has three phases

Click here to access CML statistics. 

Related Diseases

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) shares some similar features and symptoms with other closely related types of leukemia.

James

I am a cancer survivor and my story starts in the summer of 1999. On June 9, an MRI revealed a tumor the size of a golf ball in my brain. A biopsy showed it to be a primary central nervous system non-Hodgkin lymphoma. I remember this date vividly because it was my wife’s birthday and she had to break the news to me. This marked the beginning of our journey.

Lincoln

In the fall of 2017, Lincoln was not feeling well and had typical cold virus symptoms. He also had a recurring fever and an unexplained rash. After two trips to the pediatrician, the doctor thought he had a persistent virus and then bronchitis. On our third visit, they thought he may have mono, so bloodwork was taken, and we were told to go to Children’s Hospital immediately. We were scared and had no idea what was wrong. Cancer was not even a thought.

Tim

On March 10, 2015 I reached another milestone and turned 60 years young. I have been blessed with good health and the ability to swim, bike, and run. For over a decade I have been involved with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as a board member and participant in more than a dozen fundraising triathlons/marathons for Team In Training events all over the world. My efforts will continue until cures for blood-related cancers are realized.

Katie

I want to share my blood cancer journey. It all started back in October 2019 when I was at Gonzaga University. I started to experience the symptoms that I’m sure we’re all far too familiar with ― stomach pain, digestive problems, nausea, chest pain, and fatigue, all of which I was dealing with in addition to 20+ hours a week of tennis practice and a 15-credit class load.

Tim

I knew multiple myeloma (MM) was a blood cancer. After all, my mom was diagnosed with myeloma at 62 years old in 2005. It’s extremely rare that I should also be diagnosed in 2021, but it happened. There’s no strong data that shows that it’s hereditary at this point. But more doctors are seeing family members being diagnosed. It's also becoming one of the most diagnosed cancers among African Americans.

Nicole

It all started back in early January 2013. I went to the local clinic in town because I was having pain in my upper left chest. Being young, I wasn't too concerned about it being a heart problem and left the clinic with the diagnosis of torn cartridge. The doctor said it would heal and I should take ibuprofen to ease the pain. 

Heather

Heather Banks draws her inspiration from her good friend, who has been fighting non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma for the past 10 years and her college best friend who is a survivor. She is motivated by her friends’ strength, determination, and positivity. In times of feeling helpless, she channels that energy and puts it into her sewing machine.  

Samantha

I was diagnosed with cancer in January 2023. We initially thought it was a misshapen aortic arch until I got an echocardiogram. After I was formally diagnosed, I told my friends. I underwent surgery, and my friends and family came to visit me once I was awake. I was set to be in a runway show before I was diagnosed, and I decided to still walk in it. I dyed my hair purple before the show so I could raise awareness on the runway. This is when my modeling career began, and I began to gain a following on TikTok.

Steve

Shortly before Steve McHugh and his wife moved to San Antonio in 2010, the rising star chef was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and spent a year undergoing eight rounds of chemotherapy. During treatment, he was in the middle of moving to San Antonio and helping to open a new restaurant. Between managing construction, organizing food vendors and working with the kitchen designer, he was able to find some time to go home and rest.

Tracy

In 2001 at the age of 31, I was living in Maui working at the Ritz Carlton and began to feel sick. I had a rash on my hand, was tired, losing weight, and just did not feel well. I had been healthy all my life so thought it would pass.

Helena

In 2018, a few days before Thanksgiving, Helena noticed something. She was having difficulty lifting speakers at her gigs. She became winded after only a few songs. Even the most minute tasks became daunting.

Stephenie

Ilse

Thirty years ago I was told I needed additional blood tests after a routine check-up. I was too busy to follow those instructions. Looking back, it probably was an excuse not to have to face the truth. My fatigue and many infections I had attributed to stress in my personal life. I convinced myself there was nothing to worry about.

Heart, Kidneys, Liver and Lung Function

Some cancer treatments can affect the function of major organs like the heart, kidneys, liver and lungs. Your doctor will monitor you closely for any adverse effects.

If cancer treatments are combined, such as chemotherapy with immunotherapies or other biological agents, they may be more likely to affect your heart. The effect may be temporary, but sometimes it can be permanent. Your doctor may test your heart function with an electrocardiogram (ECG) or another test(s) before each treatment session.