Best Vermont Hematologists

Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder. It alters the shape of the red blood cells (RBCs). This decreases their ability to carry oxygen. It can also cause acute episodes of pain. These are called a sickle cell crisis. The body will also destroy the sickle cells. The loss of RBCs results in Anemia.

Iron-Deficiency Anemia
This condition results from reduced iron stores in the blood. This happens when you do not eat enough iron to replace the iron that your body uses. Your body uses iron to produce hemoglobin. This is part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to tissues and muscles. Bleeding a lot can also cause Anemia.

Hairy Cell Leukemia
Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare form of cancer. It involves white blood cells called B lymphocytes. White blood cells protect the body from infections and cancers. HCL gets its name from the tiny hair-like projections that protrude from the surface of these cancer cells. Illness results from the accumulation of these cancer cells in the bone marrow and spleen.

Blood Poisoning
Blood poisoning is an illness due to an infection or its toxin spreading through the bloodstream. The presence of bacteria in the blood is called bacteremia.

Nutritional Anemia
Anemia is a condition characterized by an inadequate amount of red blood cells, which are produced in your bone marrow. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a substance that picks up oxygen from your lungs, carries it throughout your body, and gives it to your cells. Your cells need oxygen to perform the basic functions that generate energy and keep you alive. In addition, hemoglobin picks up some of the carbon dioxide given off by your cells and returns it to the lungs, where it is exhaled when you breathe out. Without enough red blood cells to transport oxygen to your cells and carbon dioxide away from your cells, your body functions at a less than optimal level.

Leukemia
Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells and the cells from which they develop. The word cancer refers to diseases in which certain cells in the body become abnormal and grow unchecked. In this case, the abnormal cells are white blood cells and their precursors. Leukemia cells do not function normally and cannot do what normal white blood cells do, such as fight infections. In addition to the abnormal cells in the blood, other, normal elements such as platelets and red cells may be decreased, leading to anemia and clotting problems.

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Lymphomas are cancers of the lymphatic system, the system responsible for fighting infections and draining excess fluid from body tissues. Adult Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a general name given to many types of cancer that develop from white blood cells (lymphocytes) in your lymphatic system. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is different from Hodgkin's Lymphoma , a related type of cancer.

Pernicious Anemia
Pernicious Anemia develops when the body is unable to absorb the vitamin B12 it needs from food because of a lack of a protein, called intrinsic factor, produced by the stomach. Intrinsic factor is required for absorption of vitamin B12. Pernicious anemia is often associated with an autoimmune-mediated attack of parietal cells of the stomach and/or intrinsic factor. Anemia is the insufficient delivery of oxygen by red blood cells from the lungs to the cells of the body. The sooner pernicious anemia is treated, the better the outcome. If you suspect you have this condition, contact your doctor.

Anemia
Anemia is a disorder of the blood. It is the result of very low levels of red blood cells (RBC) and hemoglobin. Their main job is to carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. When RBC and hemoglobin levels are low the body does not get the right amount of oxygen. This causes fatigue, pale skin, irregular heartbeat, and other symptoms of anemia.