Third biggest cancer killer in the UK

The group of diseases has a devastating impact on sufferers and families according to charity statistics.

Blood cancer is an umbrella term for cancers that affect the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system. Most types of blood cancer are rare, life threatening conditions. It is made up of more than 100 different sub-types including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

The most common symptoms include extreme tiredness (fatigue), repeated infections, unexplained weight loss, easy bruising and/or bleeding, drenching night sweats, itchy skin, lumps or swellings in your neck, head, groin or stomach, and bone and/or joint pain.

It is estimated 16,972 across Scotland are affected and it is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country and the third biggest cancer killer.

In 2016, approximately 2,214 people in Scotland were diagnosed with blood cancer, while 1,073 people in Scotland died.

Recent data from a survey commissioned by Bloodwise shows that only one in 10 people in Scotland (11%) are confident that they know the common signs of blood cancer and 55% don’t know any symptoms.

Only 33% knew that fatigue was a common symptom, while 12% of people correctly identified bruising and nine per cent identified weight loss as symptoms.

Gemma Peters, CEO of the blood cancer charity Bloodwise, said: “Blood cancers are collectively the third biggest cancer killer in the UK but we know that awareness is startlingly low.”