Blood Cancer

Multiple Myeloma is a rare, slow-growing cancer of the white blood cells that weakens the immune system and inhibits important organs from functioning.^[4] In those with MM, mutated white blood cells last longer and multiply rapidly, taking up space in the bloodstream and crowding out healthy cells.^[4]

Amyloidosis occurs when the body begins to make a protein differently than it did before and is no longer able to absorb that protein.^[5] There are several types of Amyloidosis, the four most common of which are: Amyloid light-chain (AL) Amyloidosis, Amyloid A (AA) Amyloidosis, Hereditary Amyloidosis, and Wild-type Amyloidosis.^[6]

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia is a slow-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow, which results in incompetent, small white blood cells that compromise the immune system. CLL is one of the most common types of leukaemia in Western countries, accounting for 25% of all diagnoses.^[6] There are instances in which CLL is used as an overarching term that includes Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL) because they are both nearly the same disease, however CLL is commonly detected in the blood and bone marrow, whereas SLL is primarily detected in the lymph nodes.

Mantle Cell Lymphoma is an aggressive type of blood cancer that develops in the outer part of the lymph node, an essential part of the immune system.^[7] Affecting only 1 in 100,000 people, MCL is a very rare cancer.^[8]

Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia is a rare and slow-growing cancer of the white blood cells. It mostly grows in the bone marrow, slowing down the growth of blood cells which can lead to anaemia and a weakened immune system.^[9]