06-22-2009, 04:49 AM
The cancer can weaken the immune system by invading the bone marrow where the cells that help fight infection are made. This happens most often in leukaemia or lymphoma. But it can happen with other cancers too.Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can weaken immunity by causing a drop in the number of white blood cells made in the bone marrow. Apart from bone marrow or stem cell transplants, this effect on the bone marrow is temporary. High doses of steroids can also weaken your immune system temporarily.Some cells of the immune system can recognise cancer cells as abnormal and kill them. Unfortunately, this is not enough to get rid of a cancer altogether. But some new treatments aim to use the immune system to fight cancer.
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