Posts Tagged cancer mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma: places of tumors of malignant mesothelioma and type

Posted by in Uncategorized on March 6th, 2010

Malignant mesothelioma: a cancer that starts in cells in the linings of the chest or abdomen.

A layer of specialized cells called mesothelial cells forms a lining inside and outside of abdomen, chest and space around heart and this lining is called mesothelium. These cells make special lubricant fluid which is important for movement of organs inside the body.

Malignant mesothelioma:

The cancerous tumor of the mesothelium is called a malignant mesothelioma, though this is often simply shortened and referred as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma’s can start in 4 main areas in the body.

Pleural mesotheliomas: the chest cavity. They account for about 3 out of 4 mesotheliomas.
Peritoneal mesotheliomas : the abdomen. They make most of the remaining cases.
Pericardial mesotheliomas: the cavity around the heart and are very rare.
Mesotheliomas of the tunica vaginalis: the covering layer of the testicles, which is actually an outpouching of peritoneum into the scrotum are very rare tumor.

Malignant mesothelioma’s classified into types based on how the cells are arranged when they are looked at under a microscope. Malignant mesothelioma is of three types and the prognosis of these three types:

Epithelioid: a better outlook or prognosis of about 50% to 60% of mesotheliomas. It tends to be more then other types.
Sarcomatoid (fibrous): About 10% to 20% of mesotheliomas are of this type.
Mixed (biphasic): in this type there is finding of mesotheliomas that have both epithelioid and sarcomatoid areas. They make up about 30% to 40% of mesotheliomas.

Alvis Walter is a cancer consultant and a guide for Malignant mesothelioma. To know more information about Pleural mesothelioma symptoms, Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms and Asbestos cancer mesothelioma visit www.cancery.com

Article Source: Malignant mesothelioma: places of tumors of malignant mesothelioma and type

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Mesothelioma – The Next Level of Treatment

Posted by in Uncategorized on October 23rd, 2009

Mesothelioma is a rare, but very difficult form of cancer to treat. A diagnosis can often lead to a fatality within a year or two. Current forms of treatment meet with intermittent success, which is why many Mesothelioma patients consider more radical steps.

Mesothelioma is a cancer most associated with exposure to asbestos particles in the air. The particles are breathed into the lungs and become trapped in the area where the air is converted into oxygen in the blood. Over a long period of time, the lining of the lungs, the mesothelium, can be infested with cancerous tumors that can spread throughout the chest and abdomen.

The current treatment for Mesothelioma involves a three prong approach. The most common step taken is to pursue the surgical removal of infected areas. This is supported by radiotherapy wherein waves of radiation are shot into the infected area in an attempt to kill cancer cells and reduce tumor sizes. A third step involves chemotherapy in which anti-cancer drugs are often introduces intravenously to the blood stream in an attempt to also kill cancer cells.

The success rates of these three treatments are not great for Mesothelioma. They are effective, but the disease is usually discovered at such a late stage that no much can be done. Given this, many Mesothelioma patients turn to more aggressive approaches, particular clinical trials of other drugs.

The National Cancer Institute sponsors clinical trials on a host of treatments for all kinds of cancer. Mesothelioma certainly is one. As we speak, new drugs and treatments are being tested on the cancer. Some will work. Some will not. Faced with terminal cancer, many Mesothelioma patients are ready to roll the dice and rightly so.

If you, a friend or loved one has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, clinical trials may offer you the best possible treatment option. Your first step is to discuss trials with your doctor. You can then review possible trials at the website of the National Cancer Institute. Mesothelioma is sufficiently rare that you should be able to partake in just about any trial being undertaken. When things look very gloomy, such trials can be a source of hope.

Thomas Ajava is with AtlantaMesotheliomaClaims.com – where you can learn the ins and outs of Atlanta Mesothelioma claims.

Article Source: Mesothelioma – The Next Level of Treatment

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Targeted Therapy- A New Way of Treating Mesothelioma

Posted by in Uncategorized on October 13th, 2009

Conventional Mesothelioma cancer treatment consists mainly of three main options- surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.

Newer medical therapies that are been discovered include the use of more targeted therapies that address the biological factors triggering mesothelioma growth might be a much more precise and effective way to combat this notoriously difficult cancer.

Mesothelioma is so difficult to treat properly because most often by the time it is diagnosed it is already in an advanced stage, and because it can take many biological forms. Current mesothelioma treatments were originally designed for other types of cancers, without considering factors that may be specific to mesothelioma. That may be why many patients only partially respond to treatment, and the average survival is just 12 months after diagnosis.

More specific “targeted therapies” that address the mechanisms that drive disease progression may actually provide a better means of prolonging the average life span of mesothelioma patients. “The term ‘targeted therapy’ refers to a new generation of anti-cancer drugs designed to interfere with a specific molecular ‘target,’ most often a protein or a receptor that is believed to have a critical role in tumor growth,” says lead study author Katalin Dobra, MD, PhD, a researcher in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

“Targeted cancer therapy takes advantage of our recent knowledge of the key mechanism that the malignant [cancerous] cell needs for its survival, and uses the special properties of mesothelioma cells to design novel therapeutic strategies,” Dr. Dobra says.

The process starts with molecular screening to identify the characteristics of a tumor and how it behaves, what causes it to grow and spread. Then researchers test various therapies on cells in the laboratory to see if they can interfere with that process. Not until then can a new cure be tested on patients in clinical trials.

So far, Dr. Dobra’s team has identified three possible molecular targets, each with its own potential treatment:

• Proteasome-subunits are groups of enzymes that regulate cell progression and death. Potential treatment: Drugs called proteasome inhibitors have been shown to halt the growth of mesothelioma cells.

• The thioredoxin system contains components that are produced differently in cancerous and noncancerous mesothelial cells, and it is thought to contribute to the survival of mesothelioma cells. Potential treatment: In collaboration with other groups, Dr. Dobra has shown that the mineral selenite may trigger mesothelioma cell death while sparing healthy cells.

• Proteoglycans (PGs) are a class of proteins that differ based on the type of mesothelioma cell. They work by affecting the growth factors that help mesothelioma cells grow and divide. Potential treatment: Oligosaccharide sequences, which are made up of chains of sugar molecules, might interfere with the work of PGs.

One of these targeted approaches, proteasome inhibitors, is now being tested in clinical trials. The other two methods are also promising, but more research is needed before they can be tested on patients. Additional tumor targets are also being investigated.

The next step in the research is to combine various treatments—both traditional and experimental—to see which ones are most effective at targeting mesothelioma tumors, Dr. Dobra says. Attacking the tumors from as many different approaches as possible may offer the greatest benefit to mesothelioma patients.

Bello kamorudeen. For more information on mesothelioma visit http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com

Article Source: Targeted Therapy- A New Way of Treating Mesothelioma

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7 Important Tips to Help You Find the Best Mesothelioma Doctor

Posted by in Uncategorized on October 8th, 2009

Making a choice on your preferred doctor can be a long process and you should resist the temptation of rushing the process so as to get your treatment started as soon as possible.

Carefully choosing the doctor you need now (such as a good surgeon, radiologist, and/or oncologist) will pay off for years to come. Your relationship with this person will probably last through treatment into long-term follow-up care. These are some important steps you need to take to be able to make the best choice:

1-Make up your mind about the desired qualities you want in your doctor.

Before you start looking for a doctor, think about the qualities you want your doctor to have. A few ideas are listed below, but you may want to add others.

• Choose a doctor who has experience with mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare cancer and doctors have better success treating this cancer only if they have a lot of experience with it.

• You will probably need a doctor who is part of your health plan (often called a preferred provider) and/or accepts your health insurance. Otherwise, you may have to pay for your health care yourself.

• Pick a doctor who has privileges (is able to practice) at a hospital that you are willing to use. Doctors can only send patients to hospitals where they have admitting privileges.

• Choose a doctor you feel comfortable with. Languages spoken, gender, ethnicity, and educational background may be important factors for you to consider. You may also have your own preferences for certain personalities and bedside manners. Some people prefer their doctors to have a business-like manner, while others value a doctor who can help with their emotional health as well as their medical needs.

2-Make a list of doctors who might be a good fit

You can also start your search for a good mesothelioma doctor by asking your primary care doctor, usually your family physician to refer you to good specialists in this field. If you know people that are receiving treatment for this type of cancer, you can also ask them for other options of doctors
. Some hospitals and communities also have physician referral services available by phone or online. These allow you to learn more details about the doctors in your area, such as their areas of expertise, medical certifications, office locations, languages spoken, and so on. You can find these referral services through many hospitals by calling their main number or visiting the hospital Web site. Or you can ask your primary care doctor about them.

If you are in a health plan, you can begin by checking their list of doctors. This is usually available online or by calling the member services hotline. You will still want to find out more about each doctor before you decide.

3-Make the first visit to your doctor, call the doctors’ offices and make appointments.

Once you’ve found doctors that seem like a good fit for you, call their offices and ask whether they are covered by your health plan and are taking new patients. You may also want to find out which hospitals they work in and have admitting privileges for.

During this first appointment, ask them how long have they been managing mesothelioma? If they are surgeons ask them how many times have they carried out mesothelioma related surgeries, and what has been their success rates in these surgeries.

After the visit ask yourself how comfortable you feel with the doctor. One way to measure this is to ask yourself these questions after your appointment.
• Did the doctor give you a chance to ask questions?
• Did you feel like the doctor was listening to you?
• Did the doctor seem comfortable answering your questions?
• Did the doctor talk to you in a way that you could understand?
• Did you feel the doctor respected you?
• Did the doctor ask your preferences about different kinds of treatments?
• Did you feel like the doctor spent enough time with you?
Trust yourself when deciding whether this doctor is right for you. Keep in mind, though, that relationships take time to develop and you may need more than a single visit before you and your doctor really get to know each other.

4-Find out if the doctor is board certified.

Doctors who are board certified have had extra training in special treatment areas, such as medical oncology (cancer care), hematology (diseases of the blood), or gynecologic surgery (female reproductive system). They have taken and passed certification tests given by doctors in their field. To keep their certification, doctors must continue their education and keep up with advances and changes in their specialty area.
Not all doctors who are specialists are board certified. Doctors do not need to be board certified to be excellent caregivers. Still, more than 85% of doctors become board certified in at least 1 specialty.

To find out if a doctor is board certified, contact the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) at www.abms.org. The ABMS has a list of board certified doctors who subscribe to the ABMS service. You can search for all doctors in a certain specialty by state. Or you can type in the name of the doctor you have questions about to learn about their specialty. Information on doctors who have extra training and certification may also be available at your public library. Ask for the Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Medical Specialists, or get your librarian to help you.

5-Find out the experience of your prospective doctor

Find out how long the doctor has been in practice. Ask how many people with cancer she has treated. If you are thinking about surgery or special procedure, you may want to ask about the number of these procedures she has performed. How many patients is the doctor currently treating? How many are cancer patients? How much experience does she/he have with mesothelioma cancer?

Along with finding out about the doctor’s experience, you may also want to find out who the leading authorities in the field are. A visit to a medical library may be useful. You can do research on the Internet, too. You can start with us, or go to other respected Web sites like www.cancer.gov, healthfinder.gov, or medlineplus.gov. Look for the names of doctors who have written about the cancer you have and whose work is most often quoted. If your doctor has done research and had it published, you may ask to see copies of those articles at the library. By doing so, you will learn more about her approach to cancer treatment.

6-Find out which hospitals is the doctor affiliated

Where you will get inpatient cancer care is determined by where your doctor practices. Find out where you would go for surgery or other care. Check with your health insurance company, to see which doctors and hospitals your insurance plan covers.

7-Find out if the doctor is affiliated with any medical school

If the doctor is affiliated to a respected medical school it may suggest that a doctor is a leader in her field. Doctors who teach and who also practice medicine often are more abreast with the latest information concerning that type of cancer and they are usually in contact with medical experts from around the country.

Bello kamorudeen.For more information on mesothelioma doctors go to http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com

Article Source: 7 Important Tips to Help You Find the Best Mesothelioma Doctor

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Mesothelioma – The Tests Used For Diagnosis

Posted by in Uncategorized on September 18th, 2009

Cancer is a word that will scare even the bravest of folks. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is associated with asbestos exposure and is, fortunately, fairly rare. In this article, we take a look at the tests used for diagnosing it.

Unless you like reading Grey’s Anatomy, you probably aren’t aware of the significance of the name of this cancer. Mesothelioma refers to a cancer of the Mesothelium. Huh? The Mesothelium is a lining that surrounds the chest and abdomen cavities as well as the organs. There is a lubricant in the lining that allows the organs to move about without injury. Mesothelioma is a cancerous growth in this lining.

Testing for Mesothelioma is fairly difficult. The cancer can take 15 to 40 years to manifest after exposure to asbestos. The preliminary test is nothing more than the chest x-ray you get with your yearly checkup. The x-ray can reveal abnormal growths. It rarely conclusively shows Mesothelioma, but does give the physician a heads up that further investigation is needed.

The next test used to diagnose the condition is a Cytology test. This is done by taking out fluid in the Mesothelium lining. It is then analyze in a lab in an effort to determine if any malignant cells are present. This test is starting to be used less often by physicians. Why? It is notoriously inaccurate!

Now we start getting to the serious tests. The first is known as a needle biopsy. In this test, a needle will be inserted into what appears to be the area of concern. A small amount of material is then removed and sent to the lab for analysis. This is a direct test of the area in question and usually reveals conclusively what is going on. If the area in question is not readily available to a needle, the biopsy may be done as a full surgery where the area is opened up and a sample is taken.

One of the things people constantly complain about when it comes to cancer diagnosis is the lack of a definitive answer. Every test suggests something, but few definitely indicate anything. The same frustration holds true for Mesothelioma. Until you have a biopsy done, you’ll never really know if you have this form of cancer.

Thomas Ajava writes for TexasAsbestosLawsuits.com – where you can learn more about Texas asbestos lawsuits.

Article Source: Mesothelioma – The Tests Used For Diagnosis

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Asbestos Risks In Your Home or Building

Posted by in Uncategorized on August 23rd, 2009

Asbestos is a toxic substance that humans cannot tolerate. Although the substance was banned for the most part in the late 1980s, it is still in many structures that were built before the ban. Given this, what is your risk to exposure and what steps can be taken?

Asbestos in and of itself is not a health risk. For instance, many structures of siding that incorporates asbestos. This siding is not a problem unless it begins to degrade or is damaged. The reason is the nature of the asbestos threat. Simply put, asbestos only causes health problems if tiny particles of it get into the air and are then breathed in by a person. It is only access through the lungs that gives it a chance to do its damage whether it be lung cancer, Mesothelioma or asbestosis.

Asbestos can be found in older buildings in numerous areas. Pipes and water heaters are often insulated using it because it holds the heat in very well. The same goes for insulation. The insulation that is sprayed onto drop down ceilings in rooms can contain it as well. It can even be in the floor tiles you are walking on.

Given the wide scope of uses, what can you do to figure out if you have a problem. Well, the only way to really know is to call in a certified inspector. That person will do a physical review for problems spots as well as an air test. The air tests will seek to establish if asbestos is in the air and, if so, in what quantities. Only then can you really know if you have a problem.

What about removing the asbestos? Many people actually put themselves at major risk by simply starting to remove problem areas on their own. This is a huge mistake as the demolition process introduces asbestos dust into the air, which can be incredibly damaging to your lungs. It is strongly suggested that you have professionals do the removal since they are familiar with EPA guidelines on how to do it safely.

There may be a better option than removal. A new trend in asbestos treatments is to encapsulate the offending materials in a structure. As the names suggests, the asbestos is not removed but is instead covered in another material. Why go with this approach? There are two reasons. First, this approach is much less likely to introduce asbestos to the air since there is no demolition to speak of. Second, asbestos is a great fire retardant notwithstanding the health issues. Encapsulating the asbestos gets rid of the health risks, but still allows the structure to benefit from the positives of the material. It is a win-win if you will.

Is asbestos a risk in older homes and buildings? It really depends on the state of the structure and only testing can really give you an answer. Assuming it does, encapsulating the asbestos may be your best option.

Thomas Ajava writes about the hazards of occupying asbestos buildings for HazardsofOccupyingAsbestosBuildings.com.

Article Source: Asbestos Risks In Your Home or Building

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Lung Cancer – The Double Whammy of Smoking and Asbestos Exposure

Posted by in Uncategorized on August 18th, 2009

Many workers in the field of construction and other industries were exposed to asbestos in their jobs. While they fear the prospect of getting Mesothelioma, the cancer caused by asbestos, the do themselves no favors by continuing to smoke.

The lungs are amazing body parts. They gases that we need to live into the body and then remove waste gases created by the process. That being said, they are fairly delicate and more than a few of us have done serious damage to them. I should qualify this by saying that I was the proverbial chain smoker for seven years. I’m not one of those righteous former smokers, but there is little doubt the practice does a number on your lungs.

No cancer is a preferable health problem, but lung cancer is really one you want to avoid. For millions of workers over the years, the possibility of their being diagnosed with lung cancer went up dramatically for no fault of their own. The problem? Exposure to asbestos. The fibrous form of various minerals was used heavily in everything from construction to the rail road industry and even on the brakes of most cars. The material was incredibly strong and very fire resistant, which made it a wonder material of sorts until it was determined to cause lung cancer among other health horrors.

The word asbestos is mostly reviled these days. People simply know to avoid it. The problem, unfortunately, is the disease can take 40 years or more to manifest as lung cancer, Mesothelioma or some other problem. That being said, simply breathing in asbestos fibers does not mean you will get lung cancer. Current studies seem to suggest there is about a 1 in 7 chance, although the figures change dramatically depending on how much exposure you had.

Smoking is bad for the lungs all by itself. Smoking combined with asbestos exposure is pretty much a double whammy on the lungs. The smoking weakens and decays the lungs. This gives the asbestos fibers more of a chance to borrow into the lung tissue and work their way into the chest cavity. The chances of being diagnosed with lung cancer is twice as great if you smoke and are exposed to lung cancer as it is if you just are exposed.

The good news is stopping smoking can make a huge difference. Those who stop put aside the coffin nails have their chance of being diagnosed with lung cancer drop a whopping 50 percent in only five years even when asbestos exposure occurs. If you have never been exposed to asbestos, the risk is reduced by 70 percent! In short, it is worth it if you want to live a long life.

Your longs are critical to your health. Don’t sabotage them by smoking after you’ve been exposed to asbestos. After all, you only have one set of lungs. When they are used up, so are you.

Thomas Ajava writes for TexasAsbestosLawsuit.com – where you can can learn more about asbestos lawsuits in Texas.

Article Source: Lung Cancer – The Double Whammy of Smoking and Asbestos Exposure

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Understanding The Different Varieties of Asbestos

Posted by in Uncategorized on August 13th, 2009

Asbestos is known as a deadly substance that can cause lung cancer, Mesothelioma, asbestosis and a host of other health problems. While generally accepted as true, there is a bit of a misunderstanding about asbestos. The term refers to a variety of substances, not a single mineral.

Using the term asbestos is like using the term “car”. There are many different vehicles that are extremely unique, but all of them can be called a car. That being said, few would disagree that the Toyota Prius is an entirely different vehicle than a Ferrari F40. Asbestos has much the same issue. Although we use the term globally, there are actually many different types. The term actually refers to a variety of minerals, but only when they are in their fibrous form. Let’s take a look.

Blue Asbestos – Blue asbestos is the fibrous form of the mineral riebeckite. Never heard of riebeckite? That’s hardly a surprise, but you’ve probably seen it. Have you ever watched the sport of curling during the winter Olympics? The stones they are pushing are often made of riebeckite. It is a perfectly safe mineral unless it is in its asbestos form. Then it can cause all the problems associated with asbestos.

White Asbestos – The white form of asbestos is the fibrous form of Chrysotile. It is also called Serpentine. This is a particularly bad mineral because it always appears in the fibrous form and is thus banned. Nasty stuff.

Brown Asbestos – This form is not an individual mineral in fiber form. It is instead a mix of a number of minerals in their fiber form. It was very popular as material in construction and is still found throughout buildings and homes across the world. It has been banned as well.

There are other minerals that come in asbestos forms. These three are the most common, however. Of them, the blue and brown forms are the two most associated with causing the health problems we see with exposure. Those problems include Mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis to name a few.

There is a fourth asbestos material that is often brought up. It is known as actinolite-tremolite. Tremolite is a type of mineral, but it is called actinolite if there is more than 2 percent iron in it. Regardless, the asbestos form of this is found in nature, but the form most associated with health problems is actually a pollutant of a manufacturing process and not really a mineral at all. Regardless, it is to be avoided as well.

Asbestos was once associated a word associated with great attributes in manufacturing, but now it is associated with a host of medical horrors. That is, if you are talking about the correct type of asbestos.

Thomas Ajava writes for AtlantaAsbestosSideEffects.com – where you can can learn more about asbestos side effects.

Article Source: Understanding The Different Varieties of Asbestos

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