Pune: For nearly two years, 24-year-old Sayali (name changed) from Kalewadi, Pune, endured relentless itching across her body and sleepless nights, barely managing two hours of rest. Despite repeated visits to local doctors, her condition worsened and her weight dropped to just 35 kg.
It was only when a lump appeared on her neck that a physician advised further tests and referred her to Dr. D. Y. Patil Hospital’s hematology department
A biopsy confirmed Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of blood and lymphatic cancer. Remarkably, after her very first chemotherapy session, the itching stopped and she finally slept for eight uninterrupted hours, the first such sleep in two years. Over the course of treatment, her weight improved to 47 kg and she steadily recovered.
In another case, a three-year-old girl suffering from persistent fever was initially treated for tonsillitis. A biopsy later revealed Burkitt lymphoma, another form of blood cancer. Following chemotherapy, she too made a full recovery.
Dr. Deepak Patil, the treating hematologist, explained that blood cancers include over 300 types, with leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma being the most common. “Early detection is the key challenge. Timely diagnosis allows treatment through chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiation, which can cure some cancers completely or significantly extend life expectancy,” he said.
Doctors also caution that while awareness about cancers like breast or lung cancer is increasing, blood cancers often go unnoticed. September is globally marked as Blood Cancer Awareness Month to educate people about symptoms such as painless lumps in the neck, armpits or groin, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, and recurrent fever.
According to hematologist Dr. Madhura Deshpande of Bharati Hospital, early testing greatly improves chances of recovery when treatment begins in the initial stages.
Blood cancers like lymphoma can affect anyone, from young children to adults, and are among the world’s ten most common cancers. Pune doctors urge residents to seek prompt medical attention if such symptoms appear, as timely diagnosis can save lives.