Why are there different types of cancer?
What are the different types of chemotherapy?
How long does chemotherapy last?
How can I make my chemotherapy more successful?
What is cancer?
Cancer describes a diverse group of several hundred diseases in which some of the body's cells become abnormal and begin to multiply out of control as a result of changes (mutations) in the genetic information of the cell. These abnormal cells can form an invasive (i.e. malignant) tumor which can invade and damage the area around them and spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. If the spread of these tumors is not controlled, they usually result in death. Not all tumors are invasive; some are benign tumors that do not spread to other parts of the body and are rarely life-threatening.
What is the difference between a malignant and a benign tumor?
Tumors can be benign (not a cancer) or malignant (a cancer). Benign tumors do not invade other tissues or spread to other parts of the body, although they can expand to interfere with other organs. The main features of a malignant tumor (cancer) are its ability to grow in an uncontrolled way and to invade and spread to other parts of the body.
The original site in which a cancerous tumor is formed is referred to as the primary site. The spread of cancerous cells from the primary site to another (i.e. secondary) site is referred to as metastasis.
Why are there different types of cancer?
Cancers are distinguished from each other by the place in the body in which the disease begins. For example, cancer that begins in the lung is called lung cancer and cancer that begins in the breast is breast cancer, regardless of whether or not it has metastasized to other sites.
In addition, cancers are classified by the type of cell involved, which is referred to as the histological type of the cancer. The main categories are:
Carcinoma: Malignancy (i.e. cancer) of the internal or external lining of the body. For example, squamous or epidermoid carcinoma of skin, lip, tongue, cervix.
Sarcoma: Malignancy originating in the connective tissue. For example, bone, cartilage, skeletal muscle, fibrous tissue, neurogenic tissue.
Myeloma: Malignancy of plasma cell series (cells which produce some of the proteins found in the blood). These cells are generally found in the bone marrow.
Lymphoma: Cancer of cells of the lymph nodes or of similar cells which may occur elsewhere.
Leukemia: Malignancy of the blood-forming elements of the bone marrow. Unlike most other forms of cancer, cancers of the blood, such as leukemia, do not form a solid tumor but instead invade other areas of the body through the bloodstream.
Mixed types: Cancer composed of different tissue types. The type components may be within one category or from different categories.
What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is the general name that describes many different kinds of drugs used to fight cancer. Any drug or combination of drugs that kills, prevents growth or damages cancer cells is considered chemotherapy.
What are the different types of chemotherapy?
There are many drugs and combinations of drugs used to fight cancer. There are single dose agents, called single agent chemotherapy, or several drugs given at the same time called combination chemotherapy.
How is chemotherapy given?
Chemotherapy can be given in a number of ways. Many chemotherapy medications are too harsh to go through the digestive tract, so they are given intravenously. IV, or intravenous chemotherapy, is delivered through a tube. One end of the tube is connected to a bag containing your medication and the other end is placed into a vein. Some chemotherapy is available in pill or liquid form that can be taken by mouth, and others can be applied topically, as a cream or lotion.
How does it work?
Chemo slows down or stops the growth of cancer cells. Usually it recognizes and attacks cancer cells because those cells reproduce quickly. Unfortunately, there are some cells in your body that also reproduce quickly – for example, those that line the digestive tract or cause hair growth. That is why chemotherapy can cause nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and other side effects. The good news is that, in many cases, the side effects get better or go away after chemotherapy is over.
Is chemotherapy painful?
Most people find that chemotherapy is not painful. However, some people find that the side effects of chemotherapy drugs can be physically and emotionally challenging. Please speak to our chemotherapy coordinators for help managing side effects.
How long does chemotherapy last?
Chemotherapy is administered during a series of treatment sessions. A complete series of sessions is called a chemotherapy course.
When you begin your sessions, we will tell you when your chemotherapy will be complete. There are complications that can delay treatment. The most common physical cause of delay is a drop in your white blood count (WBC), also called neutropenia, which puts you at high risk for infection. Complications such as a drop in WBCs, RBCs (red blood cells), or platelets need to be resolved before you can have another treatment.
How can I make my chemotherapy more successful?
Take care of yourself:
- Eat properly to maintain your strength. Nutritionists are available that can help you to make the right decisions about your diet.
- Avoid anyone who is sick, even if it is only a cold. The drugs used in chemotherapy need to be very powerful to kill the cancer cells. This can be very hard on your immune system and you are more susceptible to illness and likely to get sicker from germs that may only give everyone else a slight cold.
- Get a lot of rest and avoid excessive activity.
- Talk to your friends or family about what you are feeling. Sometimes it is easier to talk to someone who is not so close and there are many support groups available where you can talk freely among those who share the same concerns as you.
- Keep your health care team informed. Let them know if you are not feeling well or experiencing side effects. There are many things that can be done to help relieve pain, nausea and other symptoms.
What are the different components of blood?
Blood is made of blood cells floating in plasma. The plasma is mostly made of water with chemicals in it. These chemicals include proteins, hormones, minerals and vitamins.
There are three basic types of blood cells. These include:
- 1. Red blood cells (RBCs) are also called erythrocytes. They make up almost half of blood. Red blood cells are filled with hemoglobin. That's a protein that picks up oxygen in the lungs and brings it to cells all around the body.
- 2. White blood cells (WBCs) are also called leukocytes. They fight disease and infection by attacking and killing germs that get into the body. There are several kinds of white blood cells, each of which fights a different kind of germ.
- 3. Platelets are also called thrombocytes. They are small pieces of cells that help blood clot and stop bleeding.
How are blood cells formed?
The process of making blood cells is called hematopoiesis. Blood cells are made in the bone marrow. That's a spongy tissue located inside some bones. It contains young parent cells called stem cells. These blood-forming stem cells can grow into all 3 types of blood cells – red cells, white cells and platelets. These blood-forming stem cells make copies of themselves, and they also produce mature blood cells. When blood cells are fully mature and functional, they leave the bone marrow and enter the blood. Healthy people have enough stem cells to keep making all the blood cells they need every day.
What is bone marrow failure?
When the bone marrow fails to keep up with the body's needs and doesn't produce enough red cells, white cells or platelets, or when those blood cells that are produced are damaged or defective, you have bone marrow failure. Aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) are bone marrow failure diseases.
What are low blood counts?
When you have a low blood count, this means your bone marrow is not making enough of one type of blood cells. Doctors call a low blood count cytopenia. You can have one or more low blood counts.
Doctors use an important blood test called a complete blood count, or CBC for short, to measure the number of each blood cell in your blood sample. If the CBC shows a low number of red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, your doctor may look at the cells under a microscope. This is called a blood smear, and it can show if any blood cells are abnormal.
Low blood counts can have many causes, including vitamin deficiencies, bleeding, and rare bone marrow failure diseases like aplastic anemia, MDS and PNH. If your blood tests are abnormal, your doctor may do other blood tests or take a sample of your bone marrow to find out why.
What are the symptoms of low blood counts?
A low red blood cell count is called anemia. If you have a low red blood cell count, you may:
- Feel a little tired or very tired.
- Feel less alert or have trouble concentrating.
- Have a loss of appetite or lose weight.
- Have paler-than-normal skin
- Have trouble breathing
- Have rapid heartbeat
- Have reduced ability to exercise or climb stairs.
What is a complete blood count test (CBC)?
One important test your doctor will ask you to get is a complete blood count, or CBC for short. The CBC measures the number of each blood cell type in your blood sample. Below are the types of information the CBC measures
- Red blood cell count (RBC) measures the actual number of red blood cells in a given volume of blood. A low count is called anemia.
- White blood cell count (WBC) measures the actual number of white blood cells in a given volume of blood. A low count can mean you have an increased risk of getting an infection.
- White blood cell differential (dif) looks at the types of white blood cells in your blood. There are many different types of white blood cells. Each of them protects you from different types of infections.
- (Hgb) measures the amount of this oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. This level is low in people with anemia.
- (Hct) measures how much of a given volume of whole blood is made up of red blood cells. In healthy men, 41 percent to 50 percent of blood is red blood cells. In healthy women, 35 percent to 46 percent is red blood cells. This number is about 3 times the hemoglobin.
- Platelet count measures the number of platelets in a given volume of blood. A low count means you have an increased risk of bleeding if you get cut or injured.
- Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) measures the average size of red blood cells. It is high when red blood cells are larger than normal. It is low when red blood cells are smaller than normal.