do people with cancer die because of the chemotherapy weakening their immune system?

[Sana]

any other ways to treat cancer than chemotherapy?

[dougbigelow@sbcglobal.net]

people die from the cancer, radiation treatment.

[Owlwoman]

People get cancer when their immune system does not recognize and kill the errant cells. So the immune system is already weak to get cancer. Chemo further weakens the system.

Chemo has not been proven to kill cancer. Many snake oil charlatans will have have a person with cancer drink a tea that will (not) cure them and thousands of other foolish and expensive tricks that do not cure cancer.

[Nah Z]

It's possible to die from an infection arising from the suppressed immune system, but it's pretty much a choice between risking temporary immune suppression and guaranteeing dying from the cancer.

If your oncologist suggests chemo, listen.

[Walking on Sunshine]

Technically no one "dies from cancer" they die from lack of brain function. The cancer may be a primary factor but it is not the cause. The main problem is Dr's only target treat - for example they will treat the cancer but not try to find the cause so they can treat other conditions the cause may have created. Dr's only treat one part of the condition and by ignoring all the other symptoms expedite the demise of a patient. IMHO.

[Walking on Sunshine]

Technically no one "dies from cancer" they die from lack of brain function. The cancer may be a primary factor but it is not the cause. The main problem is Dr's only target treat - for example they will treat the cancer but not try to find the cause so they can treat other conditions the cause may have created. Dr's only treat one part of the condition and by ignoring all the other symptoms expedite the demise of a patient. IMHO.

[szo]

Hi Sana, I would like to give you a short background about cancer. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells with malignant behavior such as invasion and metastasis, so chemotherapy is used because it affects cell division. Tumors with high growth factors are more sensitive to chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can cause depression of the immune system by decreasing the white blood cells, red BC, and platelets, and by paralysing the bone marrow, but these side effects can be improved by blood transfusion and bone marrow transplant. I think the positive therapeutic effect outweighs the immunosuppression. The other treatments are radiation therapy or surgery.