Types of blood cancer treatment

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Chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation, and radiation therapy are common blood cancer treatments, but disease type and risk factors also determine the type of treatment you receive.

Factors that will determine your treatment regimen may include:

  • The type of blood cancer
  • Your rate of disease progression
  • Your disease's subtype, phase, category, and/or stage
  • Whether you've had cancer in the past and subsequent chemotherapy to treat it
  • Your cytogenetic analysis results
  • Whether you've had another blood cancer in the past
  • Your age and overall health
  • Whether the cancer is in your central nervous system
  • Your symptoms
  • Whether you have an infection in your bloodstream (systemic infection)
  • Your white cell count
  • Whether you're pregnant
  • The cancer cells' location
  • The effect that treatment may have on the quality of your life 

 

Types of blood cancer treatment

After considering the above factors, your doctor will recommend one or more of the following treatments: 

Biosimilars vs. generic cancer drugs

Blood transfusion

Cancer drug therapy

Chemotherapy

Clinical trial

Immunotherapy

Palliative/Supportive care

Radiation therapy

Stem cell transplantation

Active surveillance (watchful waiting)

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