Cures for Blood Cancer

Blood cancer comes in several forms, usually as lymphoma, multiple myeloma or leukemia. These cancers develop in the lymphatic tissues of the body or in the bone marrow itself, affecting the way that you make blood and, consequently, how well your circulatory system provides much-needed immunities from other diseases. A number of "cures" exists, though to date no sure cure has been discovered. Potential cures include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplant and a combination of dietary and herbal supplemental remedies.

Chemotherapy

• There are several types of chemotherapy, and each has worked for some people as a real cure---even for some with advanced blood cancer. Systemic chemotherapy entails injecting drugs into one's bloodstream or ingesting through the mouth to disperse it through the patient's body to fight a cancer that has spread (metastasized) beyond the organ in which it began. Regional chemotherapy involves injecting drugs into a specific artery leading to the organ where the tumor is growing.

  Chemotherapy works much, but not all, of the time. Either way, it can lead to hair loss, mouth sores, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, easy bruising and an increased chance of infections.

  New chemotherapy drugs are introduced frequently to deal with multiple myeloma, lymphoma and leukemia, so it's best to consult with your physician about which might be best for you.

Radiation Therapy

• As the name suggests, radiation therapy uses radiation targeted at the location of the cancer. The hope is that the radiation destroys the cancer cells in the patient's body while nearby healthy cells, which can be affected, can repair themselves. When the cancer is particularly advanced, radiation therapy can at least relieve pain and slow a cancer's growth.

  When the tumor is in the bone--as in forms of blood cancer, since bone marrow cells are themselves blood cells--radiation therapy can be a very viable option. With leukemia in particular, radiation is often used in conjunction with chemotherapy to prevent the cancer from penetrating into the brain.

Bone Marrow Transplant

• If your cancer is in the bone marrow, you may wish to consider a bone marrow transplant. This procedure entails destroying the bone marrow cells in the affected area, then replacing them with healthy bone marrow cells. The cell destruction is typically carried out via radiation or chemotherapy. Before the procedure begins, healthy cells are taken from your blood or healthy bone marrow, and it is these cells that are used to replaced the killed bone marrow cells. Though the transplant can potentially cure the patient, the procedure also carries some weighty risks, including infection, serious bleeding, muscle spasms, numbness, rashes, the development of secondary cancers and even death.

Dietary and Herbal Supplementary Remedies

• Consider using the herb Ban Zhi Lian, or barbed skullcap, which has been used for centuries in China to rid the body of toxins, soothe pain and stop bleeding. It has also been employed as a treatment for cancer, appendicitis, hepatitis and blood conditions. Specifically, Ban Zhi Lian, which attacks the blood vessels of tumors, is employed to combat rectum cancer, colon cancer and leukemia. Ban Zhi Lian is available at most herbal or natural products stores. Use as directed, and consult with a physician.

  You may also want to change up your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to inhibit all sorts of cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation throughout the body and are generally known not only for their cancer-inhibiting abilities but also for their cancer-preventive qualities. One of the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids is flaxseed oil. Other sources include walnuts, salmon, soybeans, halibut, shrimp, tofu, snapper, scallops and winter squash.