How often is malaise explained by fatigue, colds or aging? The pace of life and the number of responsibilities often make us ignore the first symptoms of the disease, attributing them to a temporary decline in form or age. Nonspecific symptoms of blood disorders – fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, fever – can be especially confusing. According to the data of the National Cancer Registry, over the last three decades the number of new cases of cancer of the haematopoietic and lymphatic systems has increased more than twice.
Experts agree: we should perform peripheral blood counts once a year. What is the reality? The research carried out as part of the “Your answer is in your blood” campaign, conducted by the research institute ARC Rynek i Opinia, shows that this awareness does not go hand in hand with practice. 83 percent Poles believe that we should perform the morphology at least once every 12 months, but 43 percent. of us do it less frequently than experts recommend.
Moreover, more than half of Poles (52%) believe that morphology is a mandatory test ordered as part of periodic occupational medicine examinations. Meanwhile, since 1996 blood counts are not compulsory for all employees. At the same time, blood counts are not associated with the examination of serious blood diseases. Only every fifth respondent (19%) indicated leukemia as a disease that could be detected with morphology, even fewer people (17%) mentioned other neoplastic diseases, and only 5% – other blood diseases.
According to the data of the National Cancer Registry (NCR), the number of new cases of cancer of the haematopoietic and lymphatic systems has increased over the last three decades. Demographic and epidemiological forecasts are not optimistic – the aging society will translate into an increasing number of hematological patients. However, neoplastic diseases do not only affect the elderly. Every year in Poland, about 2-1100 new cases of cancer are found among children up to 1200 years of age. The most common childhood cancer in Poland is hematopoietic cancer – leukemia. They constitute approx. 17 percent. all childhood cancers.
– Symptoms of hematological diseases are non-specific, they may resemble infections (e.g. fever, sweating – especially at night, weakness), but also recurrent infections may be one of the symptoms of hematological diseases resulting from immunity disorders. Therefore, early diagnosis – crucial for the success of therapy – may be difficult – says prof. dr hab. n. med. Ewa Lech-Marańda, Director of the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine. For example, chronic myeloid leukemia develops slowly, with general and ambiguous symptoms such as fatigue, left abdominal fullness, weight loss, bleeding, fever, loss of appetite, and recurrent infections. A unique group of patients are the elderly, who often explain their health condition by old age, and may, for example, suffer from myelofibrosis – one of the rarest but extremely dangerous blood cancers.
– In children, hematological diseases can have a very significant impact on their later development – says prof. Wojciech Młynarski, Head of the Department of Paediatrics, Oncology, Hematology and Diabetology, Medical University of Lodz. Few people are aware that anemia (anemia) in a young child has a significant negative impact on his intellect in the future. Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and at the same time one of the few that we can effectively and quickly cure – he adds.
Improving the detection of hematological diseases through education about symptoms and the importance of early diagnosis in the success of therapy is the main goal of the educational campaign “The answer is in your blood”. A goal around which a wide group of partners gathered: the Polish Society of Hematologists and Transfusionists, the Polish Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, and the Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine. The honorary patronage over the campaign was taken by the national consultant in the field of hematology, prof. dr hab. n. med. Wiesław W. Jędrzejczak and national consultant in the field of occupational medicine, lek. Paweł Wdówik.
– Thanks to the constant progress of medicine and the daily work of hematologists, the length and quality of life of patients struggling with blood diseases is gradually improving. Moreover, the course of some diseases, including chronic myeloid leukemia, managed to reverse. For us, doctors, it is crucial that patients come to us as soon as possible – as soon as they notice disturbing symptoms. Hence, it is so important to educate from scratch – making people aware of which signals sent by our body can potentially mean disease, including cancer – says Dr. n. med. Tomasz Sacha from the Department and Clinic of Hematology Collegium Medicum of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and the University Hospital in Krakow, chairman of the Molecular Hematology Section of the Polish Society of Human Genetics.
The first suspicion of a neoplastic disease, based on an interview with the patient and the result of peripheral blood counts, can be made by a family doctor, and in many cases it can also very precisely direct further diagnostics. Among hematological diseases there are also those that initially do not give symptoms – e.g. in the case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, approx. 30%. At diagnosis, patients do not have any symptoms of the disease and they report to the doctor only because of lymphocytosis detected in peripheral blood counts, ordered as a routine check-up. – Unfortunately, we still do not use the potential of peripheral blood counts to detect blood diseases, including leukemia. Once in Poland, 20 percent. cases of this disease were detected in peripheral blood counts routinely performed as part of periodic occupational medicine examinations, now only 2%. Statistics show, however, that in other European countries, this study detects up to 40 percent. all cases of leukemia – says prof. dr hab. n. med. Wiesław W. Jędrzejczak, national consultant in the field of hematology.
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We often go to the doctor only when it is necessary – e.g. when pain prevents us from functioning normally or when we have to undergo obligatory examinations. – The role of occupational medicine in the early diagnosis of diseases is invaluable. Often this is the only moment in a few years when we do any research. Occupational medicine, in addition to its basic role, which is, of course, determining the ability to perform a given job, is also an incentive to monitor your health, a chance to detect possible diseases faster. Peripheral blood morphology is not a standard test performed as part of preventive examinations, but many employers finance additional health care packages for their employees and it is worth remembering about this test, says the doctor. Paweł Wdówik, national consultant in the field of occupational medicine.