Blood cancer
My husband has systemic mastocytosis. The doctor said it is pre cancer. Can you tell me if it is cancer and how do you know when it is?
Hi Nancy - Until someone can get back to you who has experience with this diagnosis here is what I found. My personal experience with blood cancer has been with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma
Hope the following info helps
....Systemic mastocytosis is considered a type of blood cancer with two main types.Two Types of Systemic Mastocytosis
Indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM): This type is slow moving and in the early stages. Mast cells build up in the tissues and organs, but the buildup of cells does not cause problems in the organs.
Advanced systemic mastocytosis (AdvSM): Mast cells build up in organs and tissues and cause problems in the organs they invade. ADvSM has three subtypes:
Aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM)
Systemic mastocytosis with associated hematologic neoplasm (SM-AHN)
Mast cell leukemia (MCL)
Your doctor can answer any questions you may have about each type
... Dennis (Blood-Cancer.com TEAM)Dennis thank you for getting back to me and for the information. Nancy
This whole pre-cancer and cancer thing is scary on so many levels - I have been through it now 3 times. If i can offer one piece of comfort it is this - We live at a time when cancer is caught early your chance for cured, or for years in remission are excellent.
A cancer diagnosis today is not like it was a few years ago - most often you will be living with a treatable disease ... like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and the list goes on. It is hard in the beginning because it is all new - over time you realize that while things are different... life can and does go on. Hang in there
