Archive for the tag 'radiation therapy'

What is Peritoneal Mesothelioma?

by James F. Howell

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a disease that affects the lining of the abdomen, or peritoneum. Like the other types of mesothelioma, it is caused by exposure to asbestos, which has been widely used in many industrial products, such as cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a relatively uncommon form of mesothelioma cancer that accounts for less than a quarter of all mesothelioma cases. Peritoneal mesothelioma, like other forms of mesothelioma, is inconspicuous until decades after asbestos exposure.
While peritoneal mesotheliomas are less common than pleural mesotheliomas, they tend to be more invasive, and thus often result in a shorter life expectancy for the patient. An early diagnosis of the disease is important. The relief and treatment of people with peritoneal mesothelioma improves dramatically the earlier it is detected. Unfortunately, it often goes undiagnosed until it is quite advanced.

The first step towards detecting peritoneal mesothelioma involves X-rays and CT scans, but a definitive diagnosis is only achieved through a biopsy, which usually involves removing a tiny piece of tissue for analysis. At this time, even though there are various treatment options available, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, there is no known cure for peritoneal mesothelioma.

Typical symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include abdominal pains, weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal swelling. Because these symptoms are so common, and may be attributed to numerous ailments other than mesothelioma, diagnosis is often delayed until it is too late for treatment to do much more than help the patient feel more comfortable.

About the Author
James Howell is a freelance writer and researcher. Find out more about Peritoneal Mesothelioma. Or learn more about Mesothelioma.

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

[Please note that this article is not intended as a subsitute for medical advise. Always consult your Doctor.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (clickable) and references and copyright info. You are not permitted to include any additional hyperlinks.]

This article has been written by http://www.fatfreekitchen.com. Visit the web site mesothelioma information page for more information.

Fighting Mesothelioma Cancer With Alternative Medicine

by M Nelson

Research in alternative medicine and conventional therapies to treat Mesothelioma cancer continues to be on the forefront to try and find a cure for this disease. Until an alternative is discovered and shows promise, conventional drugs and therapies such as Alimta and other chemotherapy drugs, surgery to remove tumors, and radiation therapy will be used to slow the cancer growth.

In addition to conventional treatments, a number of therapies from alternative medicine may be able to reduce symptoms of mesothelioma. Called complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, this diverse group of medical and health care options and practices aren’t considered to be a part of mainstream medical practice. However, that doesn’t mean that they’re ineffective. Some health care providers practice both CAM and conventional medicine, and combine the two with good results. This is referred to as integrative medicine. As much as thirty-six percent of America’s adult population are using some form of CAM. This rises to more than sixty percent if prayer and megavitamin therapy are included in the definition of alternative and complementary practices. Rates of alternative therapy use are highest among patients with serious illnesses such as mesothelioma cancer.

Some treatments offered by alternative medicine include acupuncture to relieve pain following surgery for tumor removal, ginger to treat the nausea and vomiting that chemotherapy causes, massage to treat pain from all kinds of cancers, and combining mistletoe extract with chemotherapy to treat tumors. Immunotherapy, also called biological therapy, is also becoming more common. In this therapy, substances called biological response modifiers are used to improve the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells, as well as to fight off other diseases.

Photodynamic therapy uses a drug that sensitizes tissues to light, then destroys cancerous cells by exposing them to a laser set to a specific frequency. Gene therapy is a new, but advancing field which treats potentially fatal diseases by modifying an individual’s genes therapeutically. Herbal medicines, traditional practices from countries such as China and Japan, and spiritual treatments are also used in CAM. Not all of these therapies have the ability to affect mesothelioma directly, and their effects will tend to vary by patient. However, they can be a big help in managing symptoms and side effects while using conventional treatments.

Those who are interested in using complementary or alternative medicine in their cancer treatment should ask their health care providers. It’s important to get the answers to a few questions when considering any therapy, whether alternative or conventional. Information such as the expected benefits of the therapy versus the risks, the potential side effects, and, in the case of alternative or complementary treatments, whether the therapy will interfere with treatments you’re already undergoing are helpful. If the therapy is part of a clinical trial, find out who the sponsor is. Many alternative therapies aren’t covered fully by health insurance. Some aren’t covered at all. It’s important to find out before beginning a CAM therapy whether or not your insurance will pay for it. A good place to start finding out about your options is the NCCAM website at http://nccam.nih.gov. From there, you’ll be able to get the information to decide what therapies, both conventional and alternative, are right for you.

About the Author
From personal research Maria Nelson provides an online research tool for cancer patients; with an emphasis on Mesothelioma cancer. Find resources to specialized cancer centers, doctors and a Mesothelioma attorneys directory for legal consideration.

Start Beating Mesothelioma Cancer Today Through Awareness and Understanding

Mesothelioma is a serious and very aggressive form of cancer.

People who have mined asbestos, manufactured asbestos products, installed asbestos insulation, or removed asbestos may be at risk for developing mesothelioma. In addition, family members of those who have worked with asbestos, people who have lived near asbestos mines or processing plants, or anyone who has inhaled asbestos fibers may also be at risk for developing mesothelioma.

There are a range of tests and procedures used to diagnose mesothelioma. X-rays, CT scans, and/or MRI scans are performed to determine the presence of mesothelioma. If there is a positive indication of mesothelioma, or if further testing is still needed to determine the presence of mesothelioma, the scans are followed-up with a needle biopsy or an open biopsy.

Treatment options for mesothelioma vary according to age, overall health, location of the disease, and extent of the disease. Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, alone or in combination, are standard treatment options for mesothelioma. Experimental treatments, such as those used in clinical trials, may also be an option.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that could have been prevented and is not the fault of the victim, but the fault of the companies that did not protect workers or others against the hazards of asbestos. Financial security for victims and their families, including compensation of medical expenses, pain and suffering, burial expenses, and after-death stability for families afflicted, may, therefore, be accessible through the law.

There are many different types of support groups, as well, available to mesothelioma patients and their families including formal groups that focus on learning about mesothelioma or dealing with feelings, informal groups, social groups, groups only for those with mesothelioma, and groups for those with mesothelioma including family members and friends. Hospitals, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers have, or can obtain, a listing of such groups within your local area.

For additional information regarding mesothelioma cancer including mesothelioma symptoms, diagnosis, specialist care, treatment options, lawyer assistance, and support, go to: http://www.BeatingMesothelioma.com/

Author: Rae Rand


Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_68779_27.html

Pleural Mesothelioma - The Truth and Facts About Pleural Meseothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma represents for about 75% of all Mesothelioma cases and. The main cause for this type of cancer is the inhalation of asbestos fibers which get embedded in the lung linings, also known as the pleura. These embedded fibers will cause inflammation which will eventually lead to cancer tumors if not treated at the beginning stage.

Also, if the cancel tumors are not detected early, they can spread from the lung pleura to other vital organs which include the heart and abdomen. Pleural Mesothelioma can also invade the lymph nodes and affect the body’s blood system.

The main cause of this type of cancer is exposure to asbestos. If a person is exposed to asbestos for only a couple of months, the deadly and fine asbestos particles may lead to Pleural Mesothelioma 30 to 50 years later. The older generation especially men in their sixties or seventies are most at risk, because this was the generation that worked with the deadly material with minimal protection. Because it takes so long for this type of cancer to surface, these men are only now discovering that they have this deadly cancer. Many now are filing lawsuits against the companies who are responsible for exposing them to asbestos.

Among the symptoms associated with Pleural Mesothelioma is chest pain. However, the pain is does not come directly from the lung pleura but often appears in the shoulder or upper abdomen. Persistent coughing, shortness of breath, facial swelling, weight loss, fever and coughing up blood are the other symptoms of this type of cancer. The tumor for this type of cancer grows rapidly and enlarges the pleural space, causing this space to be filled with fluid. This is the fluid responsible for the discomfort or pain associated with the early symptoms of this cancer. Many of these symptoms are similar to diseases which are more common than this cancer and hence it is very difficult to diagnose until it is too late.

There is not proper cure available for Pleural Mesothelioma and treatment options are limited. Active research is being conducted around the globe and many pharmaceutical companies are testing new drugs to combat this cancer. Current available treatments for this cancer include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery.

According to a research done on 167 patients with proven Pleural Mesothelioma, the median survival rate of patients following diagnosis was 242 days. The survival rate was also affected by the type of cancer cells, age, medical record, and lifestyle. Through this research, patients with biphasic cell types had the shortest life expectancy. The chance of survival can be drastically increased if this cancer is treated in its early stages because once it has developed and spread it is very difficult to cure.
By Ray Lam


Find out more on Pleural Mesothelioma by visiting http://raysinfo.info a popular information website that specializes in offering information about health, wealth, wisdom and also about Mesothelioma Cancer.

Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment - Asbestos Kills

Mesothelioma cancer is a disease that results from exposure to asbestos related substances. Asbestos usually consists of fibres that can enter the body through the mouth, or the skin, and, subsequently, enter the lungs, or blood stream.

Mesothelioma cancer has become more widely documented in the last 5-10 years, due to the fact that symptoms of asbestos cancer can take between 20 to 40 years to manifest. Mesothelioma cancer is hard to diagnose, as the symptoms do not tend to manifest themselves until the later stages of the disease. Symptoms of mesothelioma lung cancer include shortness of breath, chest pain, fever and other secondary illnesses such as pneumonia.

Asbestos cancer most often develops in men between the ages of 50 to 70 years who were exposed to high levels of asbestos in the workplace. Asbestos was mainly used in manufacturing industries such as automotive and ship building as well as in the construction industry. The use of asbestos was only recently banned in the 1990’s.

Mesthelioma lung cancer has been found to be the most common form of mesothelioma cancer and it develops in the lining of the lung (pleural). Mesothelioma cancer can also develop in the abdominal area (peritoneal) and around the heart (pericardial). There is a greater chance of malignancy in abdominal asbestos cancer. For a more detailed explanation of mesothelioma cancer, visit http://www.lung-canceradvice.com

Mesothelioma lung cancer can be detected through a CT scan which enables it to be sometimes diagnosed earlier than the other two types of mesothelioma cancer. The type of mesothelioma cancer treatment will depend on the stage at which the cancer was diagnosed, the age of the patient as well as personal preferences. The disease can be divided into four separate stages. The stage in the disease process that is reached will determine the method of mesothelioma cancer treatment. At the first stage when the tumour is confined to the lining of the lungs, surgeons may try to remove the entire tumour surgically. Once the tumour has invaded the surrounding body tissues in the later stages, it is not curable.

Conventionally, the more advanced stages of mesothelioma cancer are treated with either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy x-rays to destroy cancerous cells and shrink tumours Chemotherapy, on the other hand, uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. The aim of these mesothelioma cancer treatments is to prolong the patient’s life as the disease cannot be cured in the more advanced stages.

In addition to these conventional mesothelioma cancer treatments, there are also various experimental treatments currently under investigation which offer new hope.

Immunotherapy: This form of biological therapy for mesothelioma cancer treatment uses the patient’s own immune system to attack the cancerous cells. Clinical studies have shown that the immune system is able to distinguish healthy cells from cancer cells, and can therefore be used to destroy those cancerous cells.

Gene Therapy: This form of mesothelioma cancer treatment is very much still in the developmental stages. The process involves injecting a specific gene straight into the tumour. This gene renders the cancer cells sensitive to the antiviral drug glanciclovir which under normal circumstances is not effective against these cells. The glanciclovir is then able to destroy all the cancer cells without harming the healthy tissue cells.

Drug Therapy: The drug Alimta is the only chemotherapy drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)for the treatment of patients with malignant mesothelioma lung cancer . This new and exciting drug has been demonstrated in clinical trials to reduce symptoms and increase the life expectancy of patients.

Photodynamic Therapy: Photodynamic therapy involves the use of light to destroy cancer cells. The patient first is first administered a photosensitizing drug that only collects in cancerous cells. Fibre-optic cables are then inserted in the body in order to focus light of a certain frequency on the tumour. The light stimulates the photosensitizing drug to produce toxic oxygen molecules that destroy the cancerous cells.

These experimental mesothelioma cancer treatments, although still in the developmental stages, offer cancer victims the prospect of a better and longer life. With the likelihood of an increase in the number of people diagnosed with asbestos cancer, further research into other forms of mesothelioma cancer treatment is vital.

Note to Publishers: You may freely republish this article as is, without editing or modification, and all links must be kept live. The author, Gregory De Villiers, writes on a variety of health and wellness topics. For more information on mesothelioma cancer as well as asbestos litigation, visit http://www.lung-canceradvice.com

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_121761_17.html

New treatments for Mesothelioma cancer

There are more treatment possibilities for Mesothelioma cancer than surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy: the clinical trials. They offer no only benefits, but also risks that cancer patients should know before taking part in one of these research studies.
The U.S. National Cancer Institute sponsors clinical trials, because Mesothelioma cancer is difficult to control. This research is being performed to find out new treatments and better ways to use the current medical procedures.
Clinical trials are performed before the application of any new treatment in human beings, because doctors should know if the treatment is safe for their patients and effective to fight the disease on the stage level in which is.
Patients with mesothelioma can participate in research programs as a treatment option, because the possibility exists in the United States. People interested in take part in a clinical trial, however, should talk with their doctors before.
There is information about clinical trials in the Cancer Information Service (CIS) of the above mentioned Institute or may call to the toll-free phone number 1�800�4�CANCER to talk to CIS staff who may identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials.
The Web have various information about the subject, such as basic trial information, trial description with a summary and the eligibility criteria, and trial sites and contacts in the U.S.

Article written by the staff of mesothelioma -10.com a website edited by Hector Milla, if you want to read more articles about mesothelioma cancer information, feel free to visit http://www.mesothelioma-10.com , or http://www.asbestos-10.com you can reprint this article in your website or ezine, always mentioning the author above and keeping a live link.
Author: Hector Milla


Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_14050_23.html

Mesothelioma Treatments

Mesothelioma treatments have thus far been unable to limit the spread of the deadly cancer. Treatments for mesothelioma are divided into two categories; traditional mesothelioma treatments and new mesothelioma treatments.
Traditional mesothelioma treatments are the same as those used to treat most other cancers, and include:
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy (radiotherapy)

Traditional mesothelioma treatments are often used in conjunction with one another in effort to provide the most thorough and effective method of treatment. For example, trimodality therapy combines all three traditional methods of treatment, where chemotherapy is administered first with the aim of slowing the growth of malignant mesothelioma. Chemotherapy treatments are followed by surgery designed to physically remove a mesothelioma tumor mass (extrapleural pneumonectomy is often performed as part of trimodality therapy). Postoperative radiation therapy is used for the final step, to target any lingering mesothelioma cells. Although trimodality therapy has been unable to eradicate malignant mesothelioma, it has proven to be effective in significantly prolonging patients’ survival time by as much as five years (the average post-diagnosis survival time is one to two years).
New mesothelioma treatments have been researched and developed with the hope of succeeding where traditional methods have not. Mesothelioma researchers are optimistic that new mesothelioma treatment modalities will eventually prove to be successful, though they have yet to yield results that are any better than traditional methods.

New treatments for mesothelioma include:
Development of new chemotherapy agents
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
Immunotherapy
Gene therapy
The progression of mesothelioma, as with other cancerous diseases, is typically broken into stages, with the treatment options based on the stage of the disease. The commonly used staging for mesothelioma is the Brigham staging system and it is described as follows.
Stages of Mesothelioma
Stage 1 occurs when the tumor lies completely within the capsule of the pleura, without swollen lymph nodes (adenopathy).
Stage 2 has the characteristics of Stage 1, where the tumor has spread and there is presence of adenopathy. But in Stage 2 the boundaries of the tumor allow for a resection (removal of the tumor) without cutting into other organs.
Stage 3 includes extension of the disease into the chest wall or into the heart, through the diaphragm or peritoneum, or outside the pleura to involve the lymph nodes.
Stage 4 occurs when the cancer has formed in distant organs through metastases.
Treatment options for the management of malignant mesothelioma include:
chemotherapy
surgery
radiation
multimodality treatment
However, none of the treatment strategies have been shown to be particularly effective against the disease.

Treatment For Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma is a kind of permanent cancer disease. Mesothelioma cancer occurs when tissues of our lungs or abdominal components get affected. In more cases asbestos exposure was identified as the reason for mesothelioma disease. Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear immediately after it’s exposure, it takes time between twenty to thirty years. This enables the disease identification process a critical one.

Mesothelioma Cancer | Asbestos

Treatments for mesothelioma depends on the stage of the cancer, the specific part being affected, the total amount of space being affected, how long one have the problem, the look of the cancer cells under microscope and the age factor of the patient. These are the factors that are being considered before choosing the treatment option.

Treatments for mesothelioma include Surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy.

Surgery: There are two types of surgeries available one is aggressive surgery and another one is called palliative procedures.

Aggressive surgery is done through a procedure named extra pleural pneumonectomy, by which the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium are removed. The aggressive surgery’s motive is to remove as much mesothelioma tumor as possible.

Palliative procedures will be done when the mesothelioma disease is at the matured stage. The motive of this procedure is to give relief to the patient from the symptoms.

Chemotherapy: In chemotherapy drugs are being used to treat mesothelioma cancer. The drugs may be in the form of pills or injections. To improve the results of chemotherapy some drugs may be used as mix in some proportion and this has given a good improvement in the treatment results.

Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses radiations to kill mesothelioma tumor. This procedure is complex to undergo as the tumors are surrounded by sensitive parts of our body. There are possibilities that the heart and lungs being damaged by the radiation. Lower dose radiation is one solution to slightly overcome from this critical issue.

Though mesothelioma is a permanent cancer disease and the survival rate is very low, timely identification and perfect treatment at the right time could able to help us survive some long time.

About The Author

Chris Jack is the CEO of http://www.mesothelioma-infobase.com/. To have more information about mesothelioma and mesothelioma treatments visit http://www.mesothelioma-infobase.com/.

The hunt for a cure for mesothelioma - experimental treatments and clinical trials

The research and studies continue to find a remedy for mesothelioma. It is there that we are trying to update and find new treatments, creative plans, tools and solutions for the management, processing and regulation of the disease and the quality of life for patients with this disease. He takes the patient about their breaths very valuable life.

Evaluation of the efficacy of new treatments, therapies and medicines or medical interventions is currently for most doctors and specialists in this field, a passionate and urgent, and the continuation and the commitment seriously, undisputed. The race has started for a cure to find this rare type of cancer.

The new technology and the procedures that are the subject of trials in experimental and clinical tests and progress, but only small steps at a time. We reserve the secret decommissioning and murderers secrets of the killer cancer.

Here are some examples of some of the progress and the ongoing studies on time:

Combined with Chemotherapy
More than one treatment, both the approaches proved to be satisfactory. The mixed results, sometimes just deepens the complexity of these diseases, which makes it clear that he is no longer here, that meets the eye. The cocktails and mixtures of drugs to be tested in clinical trials on real patients and the results published in medical journals. Most of the patients well respond to treatment and believe that they play their part to the progress of science and the treatment itself, but also many others.

Intra-chemotherapy cavitaires
Invasive internal and aggressive treatment by the application in the treatment of chemotherapy drugs or elements directly into the cavities (like a concentrated, and much higher dose, localized) This is and was a success, with a minimum d ’side effects and the results seem promising. It significantly reduces the damage and the spread something. He is the carrier of hope for other experiments and clinical trials in the coming years.

Brachytherapy or radiation therapy (radioactive) are treatments that directly into the abdomen or chest.

Multimodality combination of therapies and treatments, where the methods used are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy of a patient in order to optimise the success of the disease and to survive, have a quality of life in their last days, and dying with dignity and pain associated with the management of the progressive nature of the disease.

Gene
It is a revolutionary form of treatment and experimental mesothelioma. It consists of a genetically produced viruses and to the impact of the disease, to repair the damage and progression. It attacks the cancer cells and tumors, regions, stains, all in an attempt to intervene and to heal.

Immunotherapy
Patients a fight against change and improve their quality of life, these approaches usually focuses on the immune system, by an impetus to the fight against the disease. It enhances the natural ability to want to restore the balance and to restore itself to heal.

Photodynamic therapy
Photosensibles are medicines for the treatment of tumors or assigned to the zone.

There are many other examples, and always the hope that the cure lies in the magnitude of the next corner! The prosecution and the efforts in this area.

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