What exactly is blood cancer?
Blood cancer also known as leukemia is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells.
Lymphoma and its treatments;
Blood cancer can be of many types but the most common type of blood cancer is lymphoma. This type of cancer affects the white blood cells called lymphocytes. It is the most common type of blood cancer in adults accounting for over half of blood cancer diagnosed patients. Treating blood cancer is not an easy task and so here are some ways for lymphoma treatment’
The most used and known way of treating it is through chemotherapy. It is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells either by injecting it in the veins under the skin or by taking pills. Though it has its own side effects like hair loss, nausea and vomiting, fatigue etc. it is proved to be the most effective way.
Chemotherapy is followed by radiation when needed. It is the use of high energy rays to destroy the cancer cells. This is most useful when the cancer is only in one part of the body. In today's world doctors tend to reduce the use of radiation or lower the dosage of radiation because of its side effects like; feeling tired, nausea, skin changed in areas getting radiation etc.
One more way is immunotherapy. This treatment either boosts the patient’s own immune system or uses man made versions of the normal parts of the immune system to kill lymphoma cells or reduce their growth. Some serious effects this treatment can include are; severe infections, low blood cell counts, and a weakened immune system.
If these treatments don't work the patient might have to go through a stem cell transplant. First very high doses of chemotherapy will be provided to kill the cancer cells leading to the destruction of the stem cells in the bone marrow which helps generate new blood cells. Once the chemotherapy is done there will be a stem cell transplant to replace the ones destroyed.
Getting cured of lymphoma is a difficult journey and you need to keep your body healthy. In order to keep your body healthy your daily diet should consist of high proteins and energy giving foods. Exercise is also very necessary to help you feel better during the treatment as it is very important to have a healthy mental health alongside physical health.
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