Abstract
Leukemia and lymphoma, categorized as hematological malignancies (HM) or “liquid tumors,” comprise multiple diagnoses, acute and chronic, that vary in treatment, physical impact, and outcome. This chapter provides an overview of the most common types of HM and focuses on identifying clinical challenges that may present throughout the illness trajectory, including during bereavement, with recommended interventions to support the HM patient and their friends and family. In the course of this discussion, we note the differences between HM and solid tumor cancer experiences; in particular, we consider how HM is an area of oncology characterized by outstandingly specialized and technical “medicalese” and the consequences of this for the patient and their friends and family. We also engage in a critical examination of the persistent legacy of healthcare disparities among this patient population, especially for those who have been historically marginalized due to racial and geographical location. The chapter concludes with a reflection on a neglected area of social work healthcare through a narrative of the metaphorical journey taken by patients with HM and their communities.
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Abbreviations
- ACT:
-
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- ADL:
-
Activities of Daily Living
- AHM:
-
Acute Hematologic Malignancies
- AL:
-
Acute Leukemia
- ALL:
-
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- AML:
-
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- CLL:
-
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- CML:
-
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
- DBT:
-
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- DLBCL:
-
Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma
- DNR:
-
Do Not Resuscitate
- ECOG:
-
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
- EOL:
-
End-of-Life
- GVHD:
-
Graft-Versus-Host-Disease
- HL:
-
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- HM:
-
Hematological Malignancies
- IADL:
-
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
- ICU:
-
Intensive Care Unit
- JAMA:
-
Journal of the American Medical Association
- KPS:
-
Karnofsky Performance Status
- MCGT:
-
Meaning-Centered Grief Therapy
- MCP:
-
Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy
- MI:
-
Motivational Interviewing
- NHL:
-
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- PGD:
-
Prolonged Grief Disorder
- PTSD:
-
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- SAMHSA:
-
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- SCT:
-
Stem Cell Transplant
- ST:
-
Solid Tumors
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Lee, E., Rogers, M. (2023). Cancer: Leukemia and Lymphoma. In: Hemphill, M., Nathanson, A. (eds) The Practice of Clinical Social Work in Healthcare. Essential Clinical Social Work Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31650-0_3
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