Hematology & Oncology refer to the study of blood diseases, including cancers originating from blood progenitor cells, such as leukemias and lymphomas, and other types of cancer. Cancer starts when cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancerous.

Small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer starts in the lungs. There are two types, one is called non–small cell lung cancer, the other one is called small cell lung cancer, SCLC. SCLC represents about 15 per cent of all lung cancers and is marked by an exceptionally rapid growth rate, strong tendency for early metastasis and with a poor prognosis. SCLC is strongly associated with exposure to tobacco carcinogens. Most patients have metastatic disease at diagnosis. Only one-third have earlier-stage disease that is amenable to potentially curative multimodality therapy.

SCLC is usually first treated with chemotherapy combinations and the patients often respond to first-line treatment, however the disease often relapses at a certain point of time and then the treatment alternatives are limited. Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) Zepzelca is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with small cell lung cancer. Zepzelca may be used when the lung cancer has:

• spread to other parts of the body (metastatic), and
• the patient has received treatment with chemotherapy that contains platinum, and it did not work or is no longer working.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

Leukemia is cancer that start in cells that would normally develop into different types of blood cells. Most often, leukemia starts in early forms of white blood cells, but some types of leukemia start in other blood cell types.

There are several types of leukemia, and these are categorized mainly on whether the leukemia is acute (fast growing) or chronic (slow growing), and whether it starts in myeloid cells or lymphoid cells.

AML is more common in older people and the median age at diagnosis is approximately 70 years of age. AML starts in the bone marrow (the soft inner part of certain bones, where new blood cells are made), but most often quickly moves into the blood as well. It can sometimes spread to other parts of the body including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), and testicles. Most often, AML develops from cells that would turn into white blood cells (other than lymphocytes). In AML the bone marrow produces too many early (immature) blood cells, so called “blasts” which do not go on to become mature blood cells. Patients with AML seek medical care due to lack of energy and fatigue from anemia or bleeding and bruising. Without enough normally functioning white blood cells the body’s immune system also becomes weak and susceptible to infection. Other symptoms include fever, shortness of breath and bone pain.