Bone Marrow and Blood Formation

     Bones are not solid but instead are made up of two distinct regions. The outter weight bearing area is hard compact and calcium based. It surrounds a lattice work of fibrous bone known as cancellous tissue. The inner region, or marrow,which is one of the largest organs in the body, is located inside the bones.It fills the shafts of the long bones and continues down to the boney canals that hold the blood vessels.

Cancer Facts

Who We Are

     We are among the more than 800,000 persons in the United States living with Leukemia, Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomia, Myeloma and Myelodysplastics Syndromes. We share what are considered to be related cancers of the blood and marrow- they all arise from cells with a common origin and related functions, the Lymphohematopoietic Stem Cells. Our diseases usually result from an aquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single abnormal cell that begins to multiply continuously and interferes with the body's production of normal blood and immune cells. As a result, without treatment, we may develope severe anemia, be predisposed to bleed easily and/or have a decreased ability to fight infections.

     Every five minutes a person will join us as a cancer patient. We will total about 135,000 new cases per year, or more than 9% of people with newly diagnosed cancer in the United States. Our deaths are estimated at over 50,000 per year - however, our likelihood of dying from most types of cancer of blood and marrow has decreased significantly in the past 10 years. We remain hopeful about the improved management of our disease with risk adapted therapy approaches, new anti-cancer drugs and advances in radiation therapy and stem cell transplantation techniques.

Can Radiotherapy Result in Second Cancers After Treatment?

Radiation is a potient tool for killing Leukemia Cells. But radiation can also cause mutations in normal cells that may lead to development of second cancers later in life. It has been seen that young girls who were treated using radiation to the chest and neck for Hodgkin's Lymphoma had a higher chance of breast or lung cancer, compared with individuals who don't get treated with radiation. This has caused alot of concern among young patients and some doctors as well.
     The truth is that the risk of developing second cancers,  though increased, is still actually very small. The risk is somewhat higher in younger patients, but the bebefit to be gained by radiation therapy usually far outweighs the risks. In order to be carefull, radiaation therapy is often avoided in younger patients.if it is determined they can be treated equally as well with other forms of treatment. Oncologists are now well informed regarding risks of treatment, and can guide patients regarding their individual risks.The small chance of developing cancers in the future should not discourage an individual to refuse treatment that is essential for the present.

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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Bulletin

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Hello everyone,
First of all, I'd jsut like to say thank you for your amazing support and donation for St. Jude's; this cause has had a marked impact. Unfortunately, my mother recently passed away and I have been thinking a long time about how I might honor her memory and it finally hit me that the answer is right in front of me. Her favorite charity by far was St. Jude's and she was a faithful contributor, no matter how hard times were, for many years of her life. Thus, I would just like to ask you all to help honor someone who was as passionate about St. Jude's as you all are by either donating or recruiting people to join the cause. If you can't or do not wish to donate at this time, please take two minutes and invite people you think would like to join our cause. We have really hit a stride with our membership and donations and the $200,000 and 1,000,000 member marks are not that far on the horizon. Thanks again for all you do and best wishes to you all.

How is Hodgkin's Lymphoma and the Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas Different?

Lymphomias are classified by the types of cells involved.Non-Hodgkin's lymphomias are marked by mutations of B Cells or T Cells. Hodgkin's Lymphomia is marked by the presents of a special type of cell, called a Reed-Sternberg cell. Buy there are many other differences between Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's lymphomia: they involve, amoung other things,  the treatment options, survival rate, incidence, and symptoms.

                                              AGE
     Hodgkin's Lymphomia typically occurs in younger patients, age 15 to 24 and older patients over 60.
Non-Hodgkins Lymphomia is rare in young patients. Most diagnoses are made in patients over 60 years old.

                                         Incidence
     Hodgkin's Lymphoma accounts for less than 1% of all Cancer concerns diagnosed in the U.S. per year. This represents about 15% of all Lymphomias.
     Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomia accounts for about 4% of all Cancers diagnosed in the U.S. per year. This represents around 85% of all Lymphomias.