Fifty people a day develop blood cancer, including leukaemia, but don’t know the symptoms

It’s Australia’s second most common cancer but most mistake it for the flu. See how you can detect it and take action immediately.

Exclusive: It is the most common cancer in children and the second most common in adults but nearly eight in ten Aussies have no idea of the symptoms of blood cancers, like Leukaemia.

Ignorance means 50 people each day could be living with blood cancer without even knowing it and they will be diagnosed late when the cancer has progressed.

A 40 per cent surge in the incidence of blood cancers in the last decade means they are now the second most diagnosed cancers in the country and the second most common cause of cancer deaths.

The incidence and mortality of blood cancer is projected to more than double by 2035 and deaths will triple.

The Leukaemia Foundation is on a mission to raise awareness.

Unlike other cancers there are no screening programs available to detect blood cancer. There is no way to prevent it through lifestyle change and doctors do not even know what causes it.

“This is the problem, it’s self-reported,” said Leukaemia Foundation’s CEO Chris Tanti.

A 2021 YouGov poll found four in five Aussies were not confident they could recognise the main symptoms of blood cancer.

The most common blood cancer symptoms include recurrent infections, increased fatigue, night sweats, bone pain, bruising and enlarged lymph nodes.

Often it can be mistaken for the flu.

Student Kirsten Jovanovski (here with her facial lump). Picture: Supplied.

“With the recent sharp increase of Omicron Covid-19 cases, there is a risk of blood cancer symptoms being dismissed or mistaken for this virus,” said Mr Tanti.

More than 110,000 Australians are living with blood cancers including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma and more than 5700 are expected to lose their life to blood cancer this year.

Student Kirsten Jovanovski, from Wollongong south of Sydney, was diagnosed with the blood cancer Hodgkin lymphoma in August 2021 in her final year of school.

Her GP and a radiologist initially dismissed a lump that started to grow on her cheek as superficial and scans and tests revealed nothing.

Many Aussies have no idea they have this cancer. Picture: Leukaemia Foundation.

Kirsten said she didn’t know anything about blood cancer or the signs to be aware of.

Eighteen months on, by August 2021, the lump had grown substantially and a biopsy revealed the news they never expected – she had Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Kirsten had surgery to remove the lump, with multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation and she could not sit her Higher School Certificate exams.

Kirsten Jovanovski was diagnosed with the blood cancer, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Here she is pictured having her first chemo session. Picture: Supplied

Just before her surgery Kirsten secured a Dean’s scholarship at University of Wollongong to study a Bachelor of Medical science and she hopes to become a doctor.

The Leukaemia Foundation is trying to raise awareness of the cancer and how to detect it.

“I know I’m just her mother but I don’t know many people that in the middle of that sort of thing not only succeed at gaining early entry to university,” Samantha Jovanovski said.

Kirsten Jovanovski with her mum Samantha. Kirsten . Picture: Tim Hunter.

Kirsten’s advice for others is “don’t let your GPs tell you it’s nothing if it’s been there for a prolonged period of time”.

“If you feel yourself that something’s not right have a bit of persistence,” she said.

Through its World’s Greatest Shave campaign in March the Leukaemia Foundation hopes to raise $18 million for research and to provide free accommodation for patients from the bush while they have treatment in cities.

Australians are asked to shave, cut or colour their hair to raise money.

MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH BLOOD CANCER:

* recurrent infections

* increased fatigue

* night sweats

* bone pain

* unexplained weight loss

* unexplained bruising or bleeding

* enlarged lymph nodes

More detail can be found at the Leukaemia Foundations website.

To register for Shave Week download the app, sign up online at www.worldsgreatestshave.com or call 1800 500 088 for more information. #WorldGreatestShave #ShaveForACure #bloodcancer

Originally published as Fifty people a day develop blood cancer, including leukaemia, but don’t know the symptoms