cancer mesothelioma treatment

Symptoms and Treatment of Mesothelioma Cancer

By P. Mehta

Mesothelioma cancer is often caused by exposure to asbestos. People who have received asbestos exposure of as little as one or two months to very low doses are at risk of this. A person exposed to asbestos could develop mesothelioma after 50 years of exposure. The 2 common types are pleural mesothelioma (lung cancer) and peritoneal mesothelioma (abdomen organs).

There are no immediate symptoms of mesothelioma cancer. The symptoms may appear in 30 - 50 years after exposure to asbestos. The following symptoms may be noticed after several years of exposure.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma cancer: shortness of breath and pain in the chest.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma cancer: abdominal pain and weight loss, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia and fever.

Please note that these symptoms may be due to other reasons. If you have any of these symptoms or signs, please consult your Doctor for thorough checkup.

Treatment Options for Mesothelioma Cancer

There are several possible treatments. Following are the main options for mesothelioma treatment:

Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
Surgery
Photodynamic therapy
Radiation or chemotherapy combined with surgery may increase the survival time by double.

Copyright 2005, P. Mehta

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Symptoms and Treatment of Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma Treatment - Importance and Classifications

by Ramir Sarmiento

If you are a victim of Mesothelioma cancer, how will you get into Mesothelioma treatment? The best way is to find reliable Mesothelioma cancer information and learn first everything that is relevant to Mesothelioma.

Do you think that Mesothelioma treatments are effective in one or two applications only? It depends to the patient's body on how we react to the Mesothelioma treatment.

The doctor is the first one who is being aware for applying Mesothelioma treatment. We already know the advantage and disadvantage in taking them. And most of the time Mesothelioma treatments are being useless in some reason.

Mesothelioma treatments are broken down into two categories:
1.Traditional treatments
Traditional mesothelioma treatments are similar to other standard cancer treatment modalities. Two or more traditional mesothelioma treatments are often used together to better combat cancerous cells.

Traditional mesothelioma treatments are often used in combination with one-another to best target cancer cells.

2.New treatments.
New mesothelioma treatments are in the process of ongoing research, development and testing. New mesothelioma treatments are being evaluated in mesothelioma clinical trials in hopes of a mesothelioma cure.

While mesothelioma treatments are slowly inhibiting the victim from being able to enjoy the life they have left, big business is slowly killing the rights of mesothelioma symptoms victims all over the country.

Most of the Mesothelioma treatment options are too high in price that ordinary victims cannot afford to have such treatment.

Various Mesothelioma Treatments
* Bronchoscopy
* Biopsy
* CT scans
* Laparocoscopy
* Mediastinoscopy
* Thorocoscopy
* Peritoneoscopy
* Radiotherapy
* X-ray
* Fluid drainage
* MRI scan

Usually, some medicines and necessary materials are used to function well. With this kind of Mesothelioma treatment, a victim will recover faster.

Having a treatment is necessary because it gives life to the patient or victim in order to survive. Put hope mostly on the family and relative of the patient, and the most important role is to cure everyone with a disease like Mesothelioma cancer.

To be better familiarized with Mesothelioma cancer, join some group or programs relative and concerned with epidemic cancer for the purpose on how to prevent cancer by applying new health technology, healthy lifestyle, diet and nutrition counseling, and alternatives.

Mesothelioma treatments are constantly being developed through clinical trials and research. Mesothelioma treatments are advancing, but the disease still claims far too many lives each year.

Mesothelioma treatments are themselves very aggressive, and invasive, and in many cases not recommended. Treatments are very expensive and usually range -between four hundred thousand and eight hundred thousand dollars.

About the Author
Ramir Sarmiento has been providing useful tips, guidelines, and other important information with regards to Mesothelioma cancer, choosing Mesothelioma lawyers, Mesothelioma treatments, lawsuit issues, and many more.

Mesothelioma Treatment - Importance and Classifications

Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment and Prevention

by Juliet Cohen

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer. It caused by previous exposure to asbestos. An exposure of as little as one or two months can result in mesothelioma 30 or 40 years later. Simian virus 40 (SV40) may act as a cofactor in the development of mesothelioma. Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. The two major types of malignant mesothelioma are pleural mesothelioma, which concerns the mesothelium membrane that surrounds the lungs, and peritoneal mesothelioma which concerns the mesothelium layer that covers the organs in the abdominal cavity. The people most at risk from being carriers of this cancer are those have worked with asbestos over the past thirty to fifty years. Because of this, the disease is most common in men between the ages of sixty and seventy as this is the group that commonly worked with asbestos during those years. Because of the lack of protection and regulations in those days, these workers were constantly exposed to the dust and fibres from the asbestos, which caused the cells of the mesothelium to become abnormal. Many building materials used in both public and domestic premises prior to the banning of asbestos may contain asbestos. Those performing renovation works or diy activities may expose themselves to asbestos dust.

Mesothelium helps protect the organs by producing a special lubricating fluid that allows organs to move around. Mesothelioma is an extremely malignant and incurable cancer that infects the membrane that surrounds most of the internal organs. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Affecting the mesothelial cells that make up the mesothelium - the outer lining that protects the body's major organs such as the heart, stomach and lungs. Pleural mesothelioma represents 75% of mesothelioma cases - but it is far from the only type of this deadly cancer. Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines, and is just as dangerous and deadly. Treatment of MM using conventional therapies has not proved successful and patients have a median survival time of 6 - 12 months after presentation. The clinical behaviour of the malignancy is affected by several factors including the continuous mesothelial surface of the pleural cavity

Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment and Prevention Tips

1. Health-care workers who specialize in part control are employing state-of-the art techniques to successfully fight pain.

2. During the initial stages of mesothelioma, pain can be relieved with over-the-counter analgesics, such as aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).

3. Drug therapy is the primary method for treating mesothelioma pain.

4. Non-Opoids are pain-relieving medicines such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and NSAIDs, such as ibuprofin, which can be purchases over-the-counter and taken orally.

5. Opoids are the strongest medicines available to treat pain. Opoids, such as codeine, morphine, oxcodone, fentany, and hydromorphone, are very effective in relieving mesothelioma pain.

6. Adjuvant analgesics are medicines intended for purposes other than pain relief. A number of these are used to alleviate pain associated with mesothelioma, such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and steroids.

7. Emotional Support to Help Relieve Pain.As with all aspects of mesothelioma, emotional support from family or professional counseling can play a key role in pain management

8. For patients with localized disease, and who can tolerate a radical surgery, radiation is often given post-operatively as a consolidative treatment.

9. Chrysotile has been used more frequently, hence many mesotheliomas are caused by chrysotile.

10. Removal is taking place in schools and other public buildings throughout the U.S. The hope is that these measures will greatly reduce the occurrence of this cancer.


About the Author
Juliet Cohen writes articles for health care clinic and home remedies. She also writes articles on beauty tips.

Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment and Prevention

Common Mesothelioma Type And Its Treatments

by John Porter


What a paradox! Mesothelioma cannot be fully cured. This is one real fact. And the other is Mesothelioma can be cent percent prevented only if asbestos dust fibers are not allowed to mix in the atmosphere and pollute the air in which we respire. Isn't the saying that prevention is better than cure exclusively appropriate in this context?

To completely wipe out the presence of asbestos dust in the air the use of asbestos has to be totally put off. The law and order has to be made every strict to put a ban on the use of asbestos. Again an alternative for asbestos has to be figured out to serve such similar purposes where asbestos was used.

Let's hope that the day is near when no sign of Mesothelioma will be present in the human civilization. But now when the disease is taking a dangerous shape, all of us must become aware of it. How many types of Mesothelioma can attack your body and what type of treatments can be availed? This is something quite preliminary and each one of us must have knowledge about it.

Three types of Mesothelioma

 Pleural Mesothelioma  Peritoneal Mesothelioma  Pericardial Mesothelioma

These are the three types of Mesothelioma cancer known till date and among them the Pleural Mesothelioma is the most widespread whereas the Pericardial Mesothelioma is the rare type. A mere group of 5 percent becomes the victim of this rare type of cancer.

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma is the most known form of Mesothelioma affecting the workers of the asbestos industries. The Mesothelium covering around the lungs beneath your chest is badly affected by the asbestos dust. Slowly water starts accumulating in those cavities and take the shape of tumors. Initial symptoms pop up as pain across the chest, running out of breath and suffering from cough and cold. The initial diagnosis is often mistaken for influenza. But with time some other symptoms become prominent like weight loss, frequent fever and the coughing blood. Further medical tests confirm that you are actually suffering from Pleural Mesothelioma.

The treatment

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the most appropriate means of treating the Pleural Mesothelioma patients. Better ways of treatment are under research and may be they can help the patient to get fully cured.

Surgical method is only used when the condition of the patient is really adverse and immediately the tumors have to be removed from the body. Surgery causes an immense pain to the body and it becomes tough to get back to the normal life, hence avoided in the first step.


About the Author
Find more Mesothelioma and asbestos info online. For Credit repair related articles: http://www.credit-repair-fyi.info

Common Mesothelioma Type And Its Treatments

Mesothelioma Treatment: Radiation or Radio Therapy

by Laura Russell


Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease that affects the serous linings of various internal organs in the human body. Among them, the lungs, heart and the stomach are the mostly affected.

It is estimated that each year, 2,000 new cases of Mesothelioma are reported. The patients suffering from this cancerous disease have had prior exposure to asbestos, which is considered to be the only known cause of Mesothelioma. Mesotheliomic patients are often told of the short survival duration of 6 - 12 months. But doctors specialized in treating malignant Mesothelioma at leading cancer centers expect better survival rates. Though Mesothelioma causes immense pain and suffering to the victim along with short life expectancy, certain treatments have resulted in the successful reduction and removal of the cancerous tumors of Mesothelioma. Radiation Or Rado Therapy is one of the Mesothelioma treatments available to patients suffering from the asbestos-related cancer (Mesothelioma).

RADIATION or RADIO THERAPY: Radiation or radiotherapy is a series of localized use of high-dose radiations given to a Mesothelioma patient either externally (known as external radiotherapy) or internally (known as internal radiotherapy). It destroys the cancer cells in the targeted section of the body by means of x-rays or radioactive materials.

External Radiotherapy: In external radiotherapy, radiations are passed through a patient's body using x-rays and/or cobalt irradiation. This type of radiotherapy is a relatively painless procedure, which is divided into several sessions. Although, it reduces the size of the tumor, the external radiotherapy also damages the normal cells. Thus, the idea to have it in sessions results the damage control of normal cells that can be repaired naturally.

Internal Radiotherapy: Internal radiotherapy is a clinical procedure that delivers higher quantity of radiations to a Mesothelioma patient than the external radiotherapy. This is usually given to those patients whose cancer is on extreme stages. In internal radiotherapy, a radioactive material is placed inside the patient's tumor or a radioactive fluid is given to a patient through mouth or injection. The radioactive material(s) then circulates throughout the body, with the help of blood, and annihilates the cancer cells.

Radiation therapy can be administered, with or without chemotherapy, after a surgery to avoid the recurrence of Mesothelioma. Doctors may also prescribe a limited amount of radiation therapy to a patient, depending on the nature, position and stage of the cancer. Certain side effects are recorded in patients who underwent radiation therapy, which were minor and diminished once the radiation treatment was over. Consult a professional oncologist for detailed information about the side effects and its treatment(s), before undergoing radiotherapy.


About the Author
Laura Russell is a professional health writer in then field of Mesothelioma Cancer. To view more of her articles please visit: Mesothelioma Cancer Portal

Mesothelioma Treatment: Radiation or Radio Therapy

Mesothelioma Treatment: Chemotherapy

by Laura Russell


Mesothelioma is a cancerous disease that affects the serous linings of various internal organs in the human body. Among them, the lungs, heart and the stomach are the mostly affected.

It is estimated that each year, 2,000 new cases of Mesothelioma are reported. The patients suffering from this cancerous disease have had prior exposure to asbestos, which is considered to be the only known cause of Mesothelioma. Mesotheliomic patients are often told of the short survival duration of 6 - 12 months. But doctors specialized in treating malignant Mesothelioma at leading cancer centers expect better survival rates. Though Mesothelioma causes immense pain and suffering to the victim along with short life expectancy, certain treatments have resulted in the successful reduction and removal of the cancerous tumors of Mesothelioma.

Treatment of Mesothelioma depends on many factors, including the stage of the cancer, the circulation of the malignant cells, pathology reports determining the nature of the cancer cells and patient's age and health. Following is a detail description of the options for Mesothelioma Treatment.

CHEMOTHERAPY: Chemotherapy is a "systematic treatment" of Mesothelioma that uses drugs, chemicals and medicines in an efficient manner to kill cancer cells. It is given to patients in either pills form or is injected directly into the body. In some cases, the medicines are directly inserted into the chest, known as intrapleural chemotherapy, or into the abdomen, known as intraperitoneal chemotherapy, to destroy the growth of cancerous cells. It is also given to patients before and after a surgery to limit the growth of Mesothelioma cancer.

The widely used pemetrexed, Alimta ®, is given in combination of Cisplatin (a standard platinum compound) to treat pleural Mesothelioma. The drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February, 2004. The working of this drug is simple: it enters the blood stream of a patient and kills the cancer cells throughout the body, while stopping the malignant cell growth. The drug has some side-effects for which vitamin B 12 and folic acid is given to the patients undergoing this treatment.


About the Author
Laura Simmon is a professional health writer having expertise in the field of Mesothelioma Cancer. To view more of her articles, please vist:Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma Treatment: Chemotherapy

Treatment Options for Pleural Mesothelioma

by Nick Johnson


Mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that is directly attributed to asbestos exposure. There are three forms of Mesothelioma. These forms are Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Pericardial Mesothelioma. This devastating cancer attacks the mesothelium, or the protective lining of the lungs, abdominal cavity, and heart respectively.

Of the three forms of Mesothelioma, Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common. When asbestos is manufactured, mined or disturbed asbestos fibers are released into the air. Those working with or around asbestos inhale and ingest these fine particles. Over an extended period of time, Mesothelioma can take 20 to 60 years to manifest, these asbestos particles can cause normal pleura in the lining of the chest to become abnormal, causing Pleural Mesothelioma.

Some of the most common symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma are persistent cough, shortness of breath, bloody sputum, weight loss, fever, swelling of the face and neck, raspy voice and trouble swallowing. Due to the symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma mimicking symptoms of other conditions it may go undiagnosed when the need to start Mesothelioma treatment immediately is vital.

After a definitive diagnosis of Pleural Mesothelioma has been established there are several Mesothelioma treatment options that can be undertaken. The type of Mesothelioma treatment will depend on several key components. These factors are the extent of the disease, the patient's history and age, and the location of the tumor.

The most common forms of Mesothelioma treatment, for those with Pleural Mesothelioma, are a pneumonectomy, radiation, chemotherapy, and palliative therapies. One form of Mesothelioma treatment is a pneumonectomy, or the removal of the cancerous lung. Depending on the spread of the disease, parts of diaphragm may be removed as well. A pleurectomy may also be used to treat Pleural Mesothelioma by removing parts of the chest and surrounding tissue. The ability for these procedures to be performed are dependent on the patient's overall health, spread of the disease, and the amount of asbestos exposure.

Radiation treatment is another form of Mesothelioma treatment for those suffering from Pleural Mesothelioma. Radiation therapy works by placing a radioactive source in the area of disease. The use of radiation has the benefit of destroying cancerous tissue while not exposing healthy cells. This form of Mesothelioma treatment can be performed in conjunction with surgery or alone if the individual is to ill for surgery.

Chemotherapy is another common form of Mesothelioma treatment for those with Pleural Mesothelioma. This high toxicity drug is usually administered by injection or in pill form. Some side affects from chemotherapy include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue and weight loss. This form of Mesothelioma treatment is not targeted to a particular area like radiation therapy. Therefore, the drugs used have to make their way through the body to the cancerous area or areas. Unfortunately, this has the disadvantage of exposing healthy tissue to the toxicity of the chemotherapy drugs.

Palliative therapies are also used as a form of Mesothelioma treatment for those with Pleural Mesothelioma. This involves removing excess fluid by needle and suction from the affected areas. Drugs are also used in order to keep fluid accumulation under control.

As additional research is performed on Pleural Mesothelioma more treatment options may become available. Keeping informed of new Mesothelioma treatments is paramount if diagnosed with this devastating disease.


About the Author
Nick Johnson serves as lead counsel with Johnson Law Group, a prominent personal injury law firm with principal offices located in Houston, Texas. Johnson represents plaintiffs with injury cases involving Mesothelioma, Nursing Home Abuse, Defective Drugs, and Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH). Contact Nick Johnson at 1-888-311-5522 or visit http://www.johnsonlawgroup.com for a free case evaluation.

Treatment Options for Pleural Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma and its Treatment

by Subhash Kumar


Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura, but it may also occur in the peritoneum or the pericardium.

Mesothelioma is a disease that is almost 100% preventable; the only known cause is via exposure to the deadly mineral Asbestos. It comes from inhaling the particles of dust as the asbestos degrades; eating away at the lining of your lungs and developing into a deadly cancer. Dust that was inhaled in clouds of white powder, dust that was carried home on the clothes of the men who built this country, dust that was cleaned from the clothes by the wives and children who supported their sole provider at home, dust that was packed around the heating systems in houses and offices and schools, dust that carried a deadly price; and dust made a fortune in blood money for the companies that produced it.

The Different Types of Mesothelioma

A disease that has only started to come to light in recent years, mesothelioma is a cancer that normally presents itself in malignant form and results in tumours in and around vital organs of the body. The definition of the word mesothelioma is literally cancer of the mesothelium. The mesothelium is the sac that lines and protects vital organs such as the heart and the lungs, and this disease causes the cells of the lining to become abnormal and malignant.

The result of asbestos exposure, mesothelioma comes in three forms:

Pleural Mesothelioma:
The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. This is where the cancer affects the lungs and the protective lining and cavity of the lungs. The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma result from pleural effusion, which is a build up of fluid between the lung lining and the chest cavity. Sufferers of pleural mesothelioma may experience some or all of the following symptoms: difficulty in breathing, difficulty in swallowing, shortness of breath, persistent coughing, weight loss, fever, coughing up of blood, and rasping.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma:
A rarer form of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma. This is where the cancer affects the stomach and abdomen. The cancer can start in the abdominal area and spread to other parts of the body, but the tumours that press against the wall of the abdomen can cause some or all of the following symptoms: abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, breathing problems, chest pain, bowel obstruction, anaemia, fever, and blood clotting abnormalities.

Pericardial Mesothelioma:
The last and the rarest of the mesothelioma types is pericardial mesothelioma. This is where the cancer affects the heart and the cavity that surrounds the heart. The tumours affecting pericardial mesothelioma patients can cause some or all of these symptoms: chest pain, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, persistent coughing, and palpitations.

Treatment of Mesothelioma:

The most common treatments are:

Surgery
A surgical procedure, known as pneumonectomy, can be used for pleural mesothelioma and involves the removal of the diseased lung. An extra-pleural pneumonectomy may be necessary depending upon the spread of the disease, and this may involve the removal of parts of the diaphragm as well as the lung. There is a high risk factor with this surgery, and its viability is dependant upon the patient's overall health, smoking habits and the extent of the asbestos exposure. A pleurectomy is another type of surgery that may be used, and here part of the chest, abdominal lining and surrounding tissue may be removed.

Radiation treatment
Radiation treatment, which gives the benefit of treating the affected area without exposing the healthy cells and tissue, is another treatment used to treat mesothelioma. This is a speedy and commonly used method for many types of cancer, as well as mesothelioma. It works through the placements of radioactive sources in the affected area, which then give out radiation to kill off the abnormal cells. The radiation continues to transmit for around a year, working to destroy the tumour. Radiation therapy can be used alongside surgery, or if the patient is not well enough for surgery can be used alone.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy treatments can be administered in the form of pills or injected medication. The downside of chemotherapy is that the drugs used can contain high toxicity levels and can therefore make patients quite ill. Side effects can include nausea, vomiting, hair loss, weight loss and physical fatigue. There are also a number of post-chemo drugs that are used to alleviate the side effects of the chemotherapy. Because chemotherapy drugs are not targeted towards a specific area, they are left to make their way through the body and find the affected area. This means that they are also able to affect tissue and cells that are unaffected by the disease, which can again cause side effects.

Palliative Therapies
Palliative Therapies may also be used on mesothelioma patients. These therapies entail draining excess fluid from the patient through the use of a needle and suction. To prevent further fluid accumulation drugs may be fed through a tube into the chest following the fluid drainage.

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