How Does Breast Cancer Affect The Immune System?
Photo by Mojca J under Pexels License
How Does Breast Cancer Affect the Immune System?
In case you’re not aware, there’s a raging battle between good and evil inside your body. The armies of cells that are found in your immune system are the forces of good that defend your body from infection and illness. On the other hand, the forces of evil include the pathogens, bacteria, viruses, and mutated cells that threaten your health.
All of us are rooting for the good guys to win when illness strikes somebody dear to us. In many cases, they emerge winners. However, when it comes to breast cancer, the good guys don’t always win. Although having breast cancer doesn’t always mean that the patient’s immune system is weak, the treatments used to address it can weaken the immunity of the patient, leaving them vulnerable to infection.
Breast Cancer Treatments that Impact the Immune System
Breast cancer treatment modalities have steadily improved over the years. However, their effects can adversely affect the body and suppress the immune system. To give you a better idea, Breast Cancer Car Donations sheds light on the effects of the top three breast cancer treatments.
1. Chemotherapy
Compared to all three cancer treatments, chemotherapy weakens the body’s immune system the most. Not only does it target the rapidly dividing cells in a tumor, but it also kills the normal cells of the patient’s bone marrow, blood, intestinal tract, mouth, nails, nose, vagina, and hair. However, the good news is that while cancer cells are not able to repair themselves after they’re destroyed by chemotherapy, the body’s healthy cells are able to recover once the treatment is completed.
The medicines for chemotherapy can be taken either by mouth or through a vein in a patient’s chest, hand or arm at a clinic or a hospital. Those who take their chemotherapy medications intravenously should have it on the opposite side of their body from where they had their surgery. Treatment may last for anywhere between three to six months during which time, the patient is considered immunocompromised.
2. Surgery
In case you’re not aware, the anesthesia medications used during surgical procedures can be very hard on the patient’s body. In fact, it can take weeks or even months for the patient’s immune system to fully recover. During this period, any cut, burn, bug bite or injury that cuts the skin and breaks the underlying tissues can compromise the immune system as the risk of local infection increases.
3. Radiation
Local radiation therapy will greatly weaken the patient’s immune system if it’s directed towards the bones in the pelvis, which is the area where the bone marrow functions as a blood cell factory. The effects of bone radiation are similar to those of chemotherapy where the patient’s white blood cell count decreases and neutropenia can be experienced. Neutropenia is the presence of abnormally few neutrophils in the blood, leading to increased susceptibility to infection. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cells that attack bacteria and other organisms when they invade your body.
Also, if local radiation was applied to the underarm area and infection in this area occurs, the patient could suffer lymphedema where lymph fluid accumulates in the patient’s hand or arm and causes swelling and pain.
You Can Help Bring Breast Cancer Numbers Down
Did you know that according to the latest statistical data, about 12% of American women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetimes? Aside from this, in 2019 alone, 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 62,930 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women throughout the United States.
If you want to make a significant impact in your community by bringing these numbers down, consider donating a vehicle that you no longer want or need to Breast Cancer Car Donations today.
Your charitable donation will be sold at auction and the money generated from its sale will be used to support the programs and services delivered by our IRS-certified 501(c)3 nonprofit partners. These nonprofits provide their beneficiaries with services that focus on breast cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
With Breast Cancer Car Donations, you’ll experience a hassle-free donation process and a chance to trim down your taxable income in the next tax season courtesy of the 100% tax-deductible receipt we’ll send you by mail after your vehicle is sold at auction.
To get started, you can choose to call us at 866-540-5069 or fill out our online donation form. Tell us a few details about yourself and the vehicle you’re offering to donate. We’ll have your vehicle picked up and hauled away for free.
Photo by Markus Spiske under Pexels License
Saves Lives with Your Vehicle Donation!
The best part about donating a vehicle to Breast Cancer Car Donations is the fact that your powerful contribution will enable our breast cancer beneficiaries to live longer and better lives. Call us at 866-540-5069 and get started with your vehicle donation!
Last Updated: August 18th, 2023