Treatments for Blood-Related Cancer

What are the different types of cancer treatment?

Four major treatments are widely used to combat cancer. These methods are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, the last of which is sometimes referred to as biological therapy. Surgery is the oldest method for treating cancer. It plays an important role in diagnosing and detecting the extent of cancer in the body. The newest method for treating cancer is immunotherapy, a process that relies on the body's immune system to combat the disease.

What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses drugs or chemicals to stop the growth of cancer cells. Drugs are injected into the body with the aim of attacking cancer cells and eventually killing or damaging them. Ultimately, these drugs are meant to slow down the progression of the disease and force it into remission. Drugs used in chemotherapy are commonly taken before or after surgery. Sometimes, however, they are used by themselves. Chemotherapy's success largely depends on the type of cancer and the amount it has spread.

What is immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is a treatment in which the body's immune system is used to fight cancers of the blood. According to the American Cancer Society, there are two types of immunotherapies: active and passive. Cancer vaccines are considered active immunotherapies because they "activate" the immune system to attack the cancer cells. In contrast, passive therapy does not induce the body to attack the disease. One example of an active immunotherapy is a cancer vaccine. The vaccine is injected into the body and contains cancer cells, parts of cells, or pure antigens. Once the drug is injected it triggers an immune system response.

What are the side effects of cancer treatment?

The side effects of cancer treatment depend on the type and extent of the treatment. For patients on chemotherapy, the side effects generally include a loss of appetite, infertility, nausea and vomiting, hair loss, and/or mouth sores. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe medicine to help combat the side effects. Otherwise, the side effects usually become less apparent during the recovery period or following the end of treatment. Side effects of immunotherapy treatment can manifest themselves as flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, muscle aches, weakness, a loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some patients get a rash, and some bleed or bruise easily. Depending on how severe their problems are, some patients may need to stay in the hospital during treatment. But these side effects are usually short-term, disappearing once the treatment ends. Finally, in the case of surgery, the side effects largely depend on the location of the tumor, the type of operation, the patient's general health, and other factors. Although patients may be uncomfortable during the first few days after surgery, the pain is usually controlled with medicine.

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