Older man kisses an older woman on a beach Maize Block M Rogel Cancer Center University of Michigan Health

Blood Cancers

The U-M Health Rogel Cancer Center brings together a team of experts in hematology oncology for those diagnosed with blood cancer. Our patients benefit from the experience and expertise of many physicians, not just one. 

Blood cancers affect the production and function of your blood cells. Most of these cancers start in your bone marrow where blood is produced. Stem cells in your bone marrow mature and develop into three types of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. In most blood cancers, the normal blood cell development process is interrupted by uncontrolled growth of an abnormal type of blood cell. These abnormal blood cells, or cancerous cells, prevent your blood from performing many of its functions, like fighting off infections or preventing serious bleeding.

Most blood cancers affect people over the age of 50.  The exception is leukemia, which can affect people of all ages. 

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Meet Ruth, Multiple Myeloma Survivor

In 2011, Ruth was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer formed from plasma cells. Understanding that it is an incurable disease, she puts her best foot forward by starting each day with gratitude, receiving her treatment, and staying healthy. She cherishes the opportunity it is to wake up each day and choose her inner strength. This is her story and advice to others.
Christie Byrne and Kim Zapor Cancer AnswerLine nurses

Questions about cancer?

Contact our Cancer AnswerLine™ at 800-865-1125. You'll talk to a nurse with years of experience in cancer care.

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News & Stories
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Cancer Aware

CAR T-cell Therapy

Using one's cells to attack and treat cancer continues to grow. Cellular therapy and in particular CAR T-cell therapy offers new opportunities to adult and pediatric patients with blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. Dr. Monalisa Ghosh, Rogel Cancer Center oncologist talks about these treatments and and the future of cellular therapy.
 sisters together 15 years ago on left and on right today
Health Lab

Sisters celebrate a successful bone marrow donation 15 years later

Two sisters are celebrating 15 years of life after a bone marrow transplant. The transplant treated symptoms of Stage IV non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has allowed the sisters to share time together they were not sure they were going to have.
 kid smiling on left and superman statue little boy infront of it
Health Lab

Heart transplant gives 10-year-old cancer survivor new life

After experiencing cardiotoxicity from chemotherapy treatment as an infant, William Goff needed a heart transplant by the age of seven. It’s been three years since he received his heart, and he is more active than ever.
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Health Lab

Leukemia drug secures FDA approval

Komzifti (ziftomenib), developed at Michigan Medicine, has been approved for patients with acute myeloid leukemia caused by the NPM1 gene mutation.
 lacrosse player UM playing on field in action
Health Lab

A U-M lacrosse player's rare life saving procedure in the emergency room

When a University of Michigan lacrosse player walked into an urgent care clinic with bruises on his legs and vision changes, a rare procedure available at Michigan Medicine saved his life.
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Health Lab

New cellular therapy trials for brain tumors

Michigan Medicine experts discuss CAR T therapy, its use in other clinical trials at U-M and the new Phase I trials that started in March 2025.