mesothelioma68

Mesothelioma Incidence and Asbestos Cause - How Many People Are at Risk?

2008-12-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

by Johanes Stones

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused mainly by asbestos. It's a very serious type of cancer, and families who have been touched by mesothelioma have many challenges ahead. Treatment of Mesothelioma is very expensive. It is caused by excess growth of cell and here asbestos is responsible for it. That's why it is also called asbestos cancer.
Most Mesothelioma patients have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or they have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways. The symptoms of Mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chest pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss, constipation and cough.
The incidence of Mesothelioma is one in 10 lakh people. The rate slightly goes up in western countries. The incidence of this disease is 7 to 40 in 10 lakh person. The reason for increased incidence in western countries in nothing but the industrialization. Diagnosing Mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history. A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for Mesothelioma
After the diagnosis of Mesothelioma the stage of cancer is determined. This process is called staging. Their are 4 stages depending on the extent of your disease. The tests that may help to determine your cancer are chest X-ray, CT scan of chest and abdomen, MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) and PET (Positron emission tomography). After determining the stage of your cancer your treatment is done according to it.
Mesothelioma that progresses can lead to death. People who die of Mesothelioma usually die from related complications, such as lung failure, heart problems, stroke and other causes therefore its early detection is must.

How is Mesothelioma Diagnosed? - An Analysis

2008-12-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

by Johanes Stones

Diagnosing mesothelioma is not an easy job. In fact many doctors are still unfamiliar with the symptoms that can to be attributed to this cancer. Moreover the symptoms of the disease do not generally manifest for several years after contraction. This makes this disease even more difficult to be diagnosed at a proper time and often it becomes too late for any doctor to do anything really constructive. So the first thing that you should do is to inform your doctor in advance if you are regularly exposed to asbestos. Otherwise after seeing the symptoms he may put those down to some other disease before testing for mesothelioma.

The diagnosis of mesothelioma begins with a CT or MRI scan to detect its presence and if the results show any positive sign then a biopsy is conducted. The initial scans help the doctor to view the affected area so that he can prepare a suitable plan to counter it. The doctor may do a minor operation to get a tissue sample of your lungs or other body part and run a biopsy on that. This is known as open pleural biopsy. While there are many other techniques to find the evidences of mesotheliom, experts consider pleural biopsy to be the most convincing way of diagnosing mesothelioma.

There are more than a few ways in which the doctor can perform a tissue biopsy in order to test for mesothelioma. A thoracoscopy or laparoscopy involves making a small cut and then keeping an eye over the infected area with the help of a tiny camera. Your doctor may do a needle biopsy in which a hollow needle is inserted into the chest cavity in order to collect a tissue sample which is then examined by the pathologist.

However, with open biopsy the doctor can collect a bigger tissue sample which makes diagnosis easier and even more precise which is why most physicians adhere to this technique. Once the tissue samples have been collected, a detailed examination of the cells is performed to check for malignant cells in the tissue. When all of this has been done, some more tests are performed to determine the extent of mesothelioma so that treatment can be done accordingly.

Working Towards a Mesothelioma Cure

2008-12-10T21:55:00.000-08:00

by Peter Kingston

Pericardial mesothelioma is a serious heart condition which consists of cancerous cells building up on the lining of the heart. Similarly to pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, this is a terminal illness due to the importance of the area on which it grows.
The primary cause of pericardial mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos dust and fibres. Therefore those at risk are those who are most likely to have inhaled these deadly fibres such as construction workers and asbestos manufacturers. Those in contact with these people also have a chance of getting pericardial mesothelioma because these people may have asbestos fibres stuck to their clothes or hair.
An understanding of mesothelioma symptoms can help in the process of mesothelioma cure. Some common symptoms of mesothelioma are difficulty in breathing, chest pain, and chronic cough. However, many times this disease lies in asymptomatic in the body, which makes mesothelioma cure an impossible task.
Once detected, the chances of survival of an average mesothelioma patient are very bleak. The options for Mesothelioma cure depend upon the different stages of the disease. In the first stage the treatments options depends on factors such as patient's age, general health, organ affected and the size of tumor.
Surgery comes in two forms; aggressive surgery and palliative procedures. Aggressive surgery is a very difficult procedure and consists of removing large chunks of cancerous cells in an attempt to gain long term control over the cancer. Palliative procedures just attempts to lessen the symptoms for the patient.
What Is The Prognosis For a mesothelioma cure?
Mesothelioma cure in these stages involves draining of the fluid to reduce discomfort. This process of treatment is known as Thorancentesis or Paracentesis. After this, the doctors use Surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Treatment and efforts for mesothelioma cure can suffer a severe jolt if the disease strikes back. In that case, the treatment depends on the location of recurrence, and the patient's medical history.
This is highly dependent on how early and how aggressively the cancer is treated. If pericardial mesothelioma is treated when it has fully developed and matured then the chances of a patient's survival is very small. The prognosis could be only a couple of months. Research into cures of pericardial mesothelioma and all other forms of mesothelioma is being done in numerous research labs all over the USA. Many pharmaceutical companies are also working hard to research new drugs for chemotherapy. So far, research has been mostly unsuccessful.

Mesothelioma Diagnosis and Treatment Options

2008-12-10T21:53:00.000-08:00

by Elena

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma
As mesothelioma is termed as the form of a lung cancer, it is difficult to diagnose and recognize it. Instead, the diagnosis starts with the complete medical tests and physical examinations for mesothelioma patients. The various medical tests and physical examinations include:
• X-ray • Computed Tomography Scan • Magnetic Resonance Imaging • Positron Emission Tomography • Biopsy • Thoracoscopy • Peritoneoscopy

Treatment of Mesothelioma
The malignant mesothelioma would not be healed completely, instead the growth of the mesothelioma cancer will be reduced by some traditional and alternative treatment methods once it is discovered at an early stage, so that the patients' quality of life would be improved. Traditional mesothelioma treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and palliative treatments. Alternative treatments are nothing but the advanced and enhanced version of traditional treatment which includes immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, gene therapy, alternative therapies like acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs and massage, etc.

Vitamin C: Opt for Cancer Treatment
An alternative treatment for cancer is injecting Vitamin C in to the body. Researchers found that Vitamin C is an opt solution for the cancer treatment. It will help in preventing the growth of the cancer. But excessive intake of Vitamin C would cause harm to the human body. Hence the doctors advised the patients to continue a well-balanced diet that has Vitamin C and not to take supplemental Vitamin C. Better to take multivitamin food rather than intake of much Vitamin C content.

Mesothelioma's Connection to Asbestosis

2008-12-10T21:51:00.000-08:00

by Reggie Andersen

Mesothelioma is a cancer that occurs in the lining of the lungs. Its main cause is thought to be contact with asbestos. About 3000 new cases are reported every year in the United States, with about 8 million people having been exposed to asbestos in the last 50 years. Safety measures have been put into place in the last couple of decades so as to protect people from asbestos exposure; therefore, some think that the number of cases of mesothelioma will peak around 2020 and that it will begin to decline after that, since exposure to asbestos by then will have been quite rare.

Of course, as with any cancer, early detection and treatment is imperative if there's any hope of survival. However, mesothelioma patients are at a disadvantage in this area, because symptoms take anywhere between 20 and 50 years to manifest after the exposure. Because of this, patients are older, usually over 50. In addition, first symptoms can masquerade as many other less serious ailments. This makes diagnosis quite difficult. Because of this, the cancer is quite likely to be advanced once it has been detected. There is no fully effective treatment available. However, most experts believe that combination therapy increases survival rate versus monotherapy. Research into mesothelioma treatment continues.

Studies on survival of mesothelioma patients show that the disease has a fatality rate of almost 100%. Once diagnosed with mesothelioma, the average survival rate stands roughly six months to two years. There have been exceptions, which continue to give hope to other mesothelioma patients and their families. Life expectancy is dependent on many things, including its stage at diagnosis (mesothelioma has four stages, with four being the most advanced) and the type of mesothelioma diagnosed. Tests conducted on the tissue structure of mesothelioma cells found that sarcomatous cells' existence meant a median survival rate of about 11 months, 11 months for mixed cells, and 12.5 months for epithelial cells.

However, that said, there are other things that influence mesothelioma survival rate. Mesothelioma has a survival rate of about 9% five years after diagnosis, which means there are most definitely people who do survive long-term with this disease. Some of those people are symptom free. And of course, research continues to be done so that one day a cure may be available.

One of the things that influences survival rate is health at the time of diagnosis. Obviously, if you're healthier at the time of diagnosis, you're probably going to have a better chance of beating the disease or at least surviving long-term versus someone who is in poor health. The size of the tumor also matters, as does the amount of fluid in the chest cavity. If the tumor can be completely removed, this also improves the survival rate. The type of cells present (as described above) also matter. If this is a recurrence, then survival rates are likely to be poorer than those of a first diagnosis.

If you have mesothelioma, or if you have a family member who does, don't give up hope. The Internet abounds with resources for those with mesothelioma and their family members. These resources are invaluable, because not only do they allow you to provide support and encouragement to others in the same situation, but you are also privy to the latest developments in treatment. Thus, these types of resources can make an unbearable situation at least easier to deal with. And of course, your health care practitioner will also likely have resources for you.

Active Symptom Control for Mesothelioma Studied in Chemotherapy Treatment

2008-12-10T21:49:00.002-08:00

by Peter Kent

Active Symptom Control for Mesothelioma Studied in Chemotherapy Treatment
According to a recent issue of the British medical journal, The Lancet, researchers have been studying the effect of chemotherapy on mesothelioma. Since chemotherapy is not considered a successful treatment for mesothelioma cancer, but rather a treatment for mesothelioma signs and symptoms medical professionals continue to debate the usefulness of the procedure on controlling symptoms.
Researchers studied 409 patients all of which were suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma in different parts of the world. The patients were randomly assigned an active symptom control treatment or a treatment that included an active control treatment with one of two chemotherapy medications. According to the study, "the active symptom control treatments included steroids, bronchodilators, analgesic medications and palliative radiotherapy."

Following the study, the patients with both treatment options were compared and, according to researchers, "the addition of chemotherapy to active symptom control presented no significant benefit or advances in survival or quality of life" among mesothelioma victims.

What are Mesothelioma, Chemotherapy?

Mesothelioma is a disease in which malignant cancer cells develop in a thin layer of tissue that lines the chest cavity covering the lungs, which is also known as the pleura, or the peritoneum, which is the tissue lining the abdomen and most of the organs, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), chemotherapy is a treatment method that uses chemicals commonly administered via a catheter, pill, injection, or port, which is usually a round, metal or plastic disc, that is provided when abnormal cancerous cells begin to develop and rapidly divide uncontrollably. Chemotherapy is given for a variety of reasons but it is given based on certain factors such as the stage of a cancer, the health of a patient and the age of a patient. For mesothelioma patients, chemotherapy is not a curative method of treatment, but is actually administered to mesothelioma patients for several reasons including the following:
* stop growth and spreading of a cancer, to control the cancer
* minimize or shrink tumors - this method is also known as neoadjuvantchemotherapy
* palliative chemotherapy in which pain and other symptoms are meant to be reduced
* the destruction of microscopic disease that remains after a surgical procedure, also known as adjuvant chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is administered either as a catheter placed into a large vein in the body or a catheter attached as a port that is placed into the chest area under the skin for a period of time.

Living With Mesothelioma
Unfortunately, victims of mesothelioma continue to receive setbacks for their life-threatening condition, as there are currently no successful treatments for the deadly cancer. However, an individual has the opportunity to participate in an array of clinical trial treatment groups as well as the opportunity to develop a mesothelioma lawsuit to derive monetary compensation as a means of repayment for the condition, which is often associated with extremely expensive medical bills.
Speaking with a qualified medical attorney who can offer a free legal consultation as to the creation of mesothelioma litigation can offer a mesothelioma victim peace of mind and insight into overcoming the financial burden of their condition.

Mesothelioma and the Challenge that it poses

2008-12-10T21:49:00.001-08:00

by kevin smith

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which is posing a difficult challenge to the medical scientists as well as humanity. The more information that is gleaned about this cancer leads to just one fact that the only way this disease can be fought is by diagnosing it earlier so that effective treatment could be carried out. And that is where the challenge lies.
Mesothelioma is caused by the exposure to the mineral called asbestos. Once this mineral finds its way into the mesothelial cells it leads to the development of this dreaded cancer. Mesothelium is a membrane that forms a protective sac around the internal organs of the human body. It has different names depending upon which organ it is covering. Generally there are five types of mesothelioma which are pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma, mesothelioma of the tunica serosa uteri, and the mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis. A majority of the reported cases are those of the pleural and the peritoneal mesothelioma.
Once these asbestos particles find their way into the mesothelium, they lead to the cancerous development of the mesothelial cells. The challenge that mesothelioma poses to the medical scientists is that these asbestos particles remain dormant within the mesothelium for a very long time. Sometimes up to 50 years. As a result by the time the patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the cancer has already reached its later stages. At that stage the best that the doctor can do is make the remaining years of the patient as pain free as possible. Mesothelioma is one cancer that needs to be tackled with utmost attention

Mesothelioma and the Dangers that it poses

2008-12-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

by kevin smith

Mesothelioma is one of those diseases that are still posing a challenge to the medical community. It is a type of cancer that afflicts the mesothelium, which forms a protective lining around the majority of the internal organs of the human body. Mesothelium has different nomenclature depending upon which particular organ it is covering. For instance, pleura membrane covers the lungs and the chest cavity, peritoneum covers the abdominal cavity, pericardium surrounds the heart, and tunica vaginalis testis surrounds the male internal reproductive organs, whereas tunica serosa uteri cover the female reproductive organs.
Mesothelioma is generally caused by the exposure to a particular mineral known as asbestos. The presence of asbestos particles in the mesothelium is generally responsible for the development of this cancer. Majority of the cases of mesothelioma are of those of the pleural region and the peritoneal region. The mesothelioma cases of the other regions are very few in number.
The matter of concern regarding the mesothelioma is that the asbestos fibers once lodged inside mesothelium stay dormant for a very long duration; sometimes up to 50 years. After this period of latency they start interfering with the working of the mesothelial cells. Exactly how they interfere is still under investigation, yet what is known is that the asbestos particles cause the unregulated growth of the mesothelial cells that leads to the formation of the cancerous tissues. By the time the disease is diagnosed as mesothelioma it is well into its later stages where any kind of treatment would just help in alleviating the pain and not cure the disease.

What is Mesothelioma Lung Cancer?

2008-12-10T21:43:00.000-08:00

by Johanes Stones

Mesothelioma is nothing but a cancer of mesothelium. It affects the abdominal cavity, chest cavity and the region surrounding the heart. It is basically the covering structure of most of the internal organs of the body. Mesothelioma is typically difficult to diagnose and treat due to its uncommon nature.
Cancer is basically excess growth of cell of particular organ or tissue. Here the triggering factor is exposure to asbestos, a material formerly present in many work environments. That's why it is also called asbestos lung cancer. However it can also be triggered by other substances such as irradiation, erionite [fibrous silicate] and thorium dioxide. The people who are exposed to asbestos particles are highly prone to this disease. It occurs mostly to persons who work in construction industry, ship building industry, automotive industry or other manufacturing industry where exposure to asbestos is common. Therefore men are typically affected more, due to the common presence of asbestos in industrial settings however this disease condition can be noticed in women too.
The latency of Mesothelioma is up to 30 to 40 years, and many individuals previously exposed to asbestos are now displaying symptoms. This means average of Mesothelioma patients is between 50 to 70 years. The risk of Mesothelioma increases as the age increases but the disease can make its appearance at any age.
Symptoms may include but are not limited to respiratory distress, a lasting cough and pneumonia. In addition; symptoms are often mistaken for less serious ailments. Individual with pleural Mesothelioma may accumulate some fluid between the lung lining and chest cavity however this could be easily detected through a chest x-ray.
Radiotherapy is one of the best Mesothelioma treatment option. Also radiotherapy along with chemotherapy can be attempted for Mesothelioma diagnosis. All in all Mesothelioma is a life threatening disease and cannot be left untreated. The sooner it is detected the better a patient's chances are of fighting this deadly disease.

Mesothelioma Incidence and Asbestos Cause - How Many People Are at Risk?

2008-12-10T21:38:00.001-08:00

What is the Difference Between Pleural Mesothelioma and Peritoneal Mesothelioma?

2008-12-10T21:35:00.000-08:00

by Johanes Stones

Mesothelioma can be precisely noted as a rare form of cancer. The word Mesothelioma means a tumor-like growth which involves mesothelial cells of a specific organ, usually the organs in the abdominal area or lungs. Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma. The pleura are nothing but the thin membrane located between the chest cavity and the lungs. They prevent the lungs from chafing with the chest walls by providing a surface that is lubricated. So, therefore pleural mesothelioma is also referred to as lung cancer.
Another common form of this cancer is peritoneal mesothelioma. This peritoneal membrane helps in the enclosure of the organs in the abdomen. Even though peritoneal mesotheliomas are less common than pleural mesotheliomas, they are more invasive and may cut down the life expectancy of the patient. Mesotheliomas have been previously found in the abdominal and stomach areas.
The understanding of the treatment process is a must for the patient after diagnosis. The oncologist or your doctor will provide more information on the various treatments available. The know-how of your legal rights is also very important. If you are diagnosed with asbestos related cancer or mesothelioma in particular, you are most likely affected by asbestos. Manufactures have always known of asbestos insulation devices available yet they decided not to reveal the information that asbestos was hazardous. So if you have been a victim of such a product, you have the right of recovery against the manufacturers which can further help in reducing the costs of treatment and provide a little if not full compensation for your suffering.
All the difference in the world in treatment can be made by choosing the right doctor that suits you. Doctors with good international reputations on works on mesothelioma patients must be chosen. A checklist has been provided by the American Cancer Society on what to question your doctor before which may help you to get the right doctor or another opinion.