Cancer and Healthy

Your blood circulating during your entire body. It provides food, oxygen, hormones and other chemical substances for all the body's cells. It also helps to remove waste and products is important in combating infection and in controlling bleeding. Blood plasma consists of 60% (liquid) and 40% blood cells. The three main types of cells are red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Although we think of blood as a liquid, it is actually composed of both fluid and cells. This can be seen under a microscope.

Bone Marrow is the "blood cell factory, which is found filling the cavities of bones. All blood cells originate and are manufactured from a single stem cell "whose offspring grow and mature into different types of blood cells. This can and do stem cell self-renewal, as required by our body.

Red blood cells (erythrocytes) carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. If you do not have enough red blood cells you have anemia.

Anemia can make you look pale and can make you tired, dizzy, irritable and shortness of breath. Red blood cells also pick up waste on their way around the body, its implementation on the lungs are breathed out as carbon dioxide.

White blood cells (leukocytes) are the body infection fighters. There are three major groups of white blood cells: granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes. Their task is to rid your body of disease-causing bacteria, viruses, fungi and for the destruction of the body of the dead or defective cells. If we do not have enough white blood cells, we are at risk of catching all types of infections.

Platelets are small cells that prevent bleeding and blood clot after an injury. When a blood vessel is damaged or cut, platelets rush to the surface and the group together to plug the bleeding site. If we do not have enough platelets easy bruising, nose bleeding, prolonged bleeding from cuts, or internal bleeding from the bowel or bladder can occur.