Mesothelioma Cancer

by Archana Sarat

Qualified medical professionals perform mesothelioma diagnosis. A wide range of tests and procedures are done to find out whether the disease is present. Mesothelioma diagnosis is a difficult procedure as the symptoms of mesothelioma are very similar to other benign diseases. This coupled with the fact that mesothelioma has a huge latency period makes patients and their doctors dismiss the symptoms of mesothelioma as signs of ageing. Only after detailed testing because of recurring symptom mesothelioma is confirmed.

Review of medical history of patient

The medical history of the patient will be reviewed in the first place. This is because the doctor will need to determine the extent and the severity of the risk factors and the symptoms of mesothelioma. Also, the doctor can find out the nature of asbestos exposure of the patient, how long and how much they were exposed. One another point the doctor will want to know is whether you were a smoker or not. This is because smokers have a higher risk of contracting mesothelioma as compared to non-smokers.

The doctor will also conduct some preliminary examinations to determine the type of mesothelioma. This can be found out by checking for fluid. When fluid is found in the chest. It is a case of pleural mesothelioma. When fluid is in the abdomen, it is a case of peritoneal mesothelioma and when fluid is in the heart, it is a case of pericardial mesothelioma.

Diagnostic tests:

CT scans, x-rays and MRIs are very useful in determining the spread of the cancer. These diagnostic image tests help to determine the stage of mesothelioma. All the methods are very useful and they help in making a more detailed diagnosis. The CT scans help in getting a 3D view of the inside body parts. Thus, the same part can be viewed from various angles. Unlike x-ray, MRI uses magnetic fields to view the body parts.

Testing fluid and samples of tissues:

In case of mesothelioma, fluid may build up in chest, abdomen or heart. In such cases, the medical professional will take a sample of this fluid and test it. The sample will be drawn via a long needle and then, it will be tested in a laboratory. The doctor in certain cases of mesothelioma may also prescribe a bronchoscopy procedure. Sometimes, certain tissue samples may be taken to perform further testing. Persons having lung cancer or pleural mesothelioma may also have lymph nodes affected by the disease. These patients may be advised to undergo a mediastinoscopy. This procedure helps the doctors to find out how far the disease has affected the lymph nodes. This will help in a better diagnosis of mesothelioma. It will also help in determining the stage of mesothelioma.

Diagnosing mesothelioma is a very complex procedure involving a lot of steps. While the first symptoms are completely misleading, the later symptoms are also not conclusive. Fluid build up in the body organs alone is not a sign of mesothelioma. Only specialized medical personnel in highly specialized laboratories can correctly determine mesothelioma. This is the reason why many mesothelioma cases go undocumented. It is necessary that all countries fund and encourage their researchers and medical professionals to find an easy and simple diagnostic procedure for mesothelioma.

About the Author
Archana Sarat is a freelance writer and research expert. She shares her knowledge of mesothelioma at http://mesothelioma-guidance.blogspot.com To know more about mesothelioma go to http://www.rarehope.com

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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.

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by elazheng

Let’s start first with what is Mesothelioma? “A usually malignant tumor of mesothelial tissue, especially that of the pleura or peritoneum.” This is the fundamental definition of the deadly disease Mesothelioma according to the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary.

Mesothelium tissues circle around the lungs, heart and abdominal region of your body. This is medically termed as Mesothelium lining in the body that protects your internal organs. When you inhale air containing asbestos dust particles, the air directly hits the Mesothelium lining in the body. This is basically how your body gets exposed to the asbestos fibers without actually letting you know what further damages it would cause at the later stage of your life.

Instant symptoms

Mesothelioma doesn’t pop up with instant symptoms. This is one of the biggest reasons that till date a clear-cut treatment procedure has not been formulated to cure the Mesothelioma patients. When the problem is finally diagnosed no time is left for any treatment because the patient has already reached the last stage.

Again a common symptom of Mesothelioma is that it is detected when the patient has reached the age of fifty or sixty. At this age the person’s normal immunity level becomes quite low. And it becomes rather difficult for the person to cope with this situation. At the young age the symptoms remain hidden and come in fragments when neither the patient not the doctor is able to detect and the treatment is confined to some petty common diseases.

Cancerous symptoms

Chronic level of gastric disorder Severe pains in the regions circling the heart and the lungs. This is from the external side but the problem lies beneath in the cavities of the body’s internal regions circled by the Mesothelium lining.

Excessive vomiting can be a valid symptom that is often mistaken for acidity and gastric problem. But it is very much related to Mesothelioma.

Difficulties while breathing and frequently feeling short of oxygen while undergoing even some small tasks.

Someone carrying all these symptoms cannot be readily considered as a Mesothelioma patient. But if it is confirmed that the person had a long history of working in an asbestos company, if they have dwelled in a place near an asbestos firm, or if there was an indirect way to come in touch with asbestos fibers. It can be assured that together with the combination of all these symptoms the person is very likely suffering from Mesothelioma cancer.
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Mesothelioma lung cancer is usually associated with asbestos exposure. In fact there are many other risk factors that cause mesothelioma cancer. One of them is the erionite. Erionite is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that belongs to a group of minerals called zeolites. Zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicates of the alkaline and alkaline-earth metals.
Erionite was used in the past as a noble metal-impregnated catalyst in a hydrocarbon-cracking process. It was studied for use in fertilizers and to control odors in livestock production, because of its ability to selectively adsorb molecules from air or liquids. In many countries erionite blocks were used (and may be are still used) as building material or in stucco pastes and whitewash.
Erionite was mentioned for the first time as a mesothelioma lung cancer risk factor in 1975, when Turkish government presented a study that uncovered a high incidence of a rare malignant mesothelioma in lung tissues of people in certain small villages in the Cappadocia area in Turkey’s central mountainous region. In two small villages the mesothelioma lung cancer accounted for 43% of the deaths during 23 years period of study. Erionite fibers were found in biopsies of lungs of the mesothelioma cancer afflicted people. Comparing this to a 9.7% rate of death from this disease among asbestos insulation installers shows how anomalous this condition was.
Further studies showed erionite causes similar diseases in laboratory animals. When researchers at Mt. Sinai Hospital injected rats with the same dosage of erionite that they used for asbestos, the rats didn’t live long enough to get mesothelioma cancer. At a much-reduced dose, the rats did get cancer. Erionite is probably the most toxic known mineral - a milligram of fibers in the lungs is lethal.
Today erionite is considered so hazardous that the EPA requires any one who intends to manufacture, import or process any article containing erionite to notify the E.P.A. 90 days in advance. This gives the EPA a chance to review, limit or prohibit that activity. Read the rest of article here..

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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. Read more >>>>

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One rare form of cancer is called Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen, arising from the inhalation of asbestos. Its rarity is one of the reasons why a lot of people are not aware of this kind of fatal disease. In fact, many people die of Mesothelioma undiagnosed. Although there is now a growing awareness of the hazards of asbestos to health, still many have not heard of Mesothelioma and thus, have not understood its nature, cause, signs and treatment. Even some physicians find it hard to detect Mesothelioma because its symptoms are akin to other diseases like lung cancer and pneumonia. Furthermore, it takes decades for a patient who was exposed to asbestos to develop Mesothelioma — fifty years, at most.

Being unaware of Mesothelioma poses higher risks since it deters diagnosis and treatment. A person undergoing treatment must know the different stages of the cancer or the extent of the disease. Chances of recovering from Mesothelioma and the kind of treatment depend on the stage of the illness. There are basically two staging systems used for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system and Brighan system. These staging systems are also used in other kinds of cancers; however, the first is commonly used. There is no established method in determining the stage of the Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer (abdominal) so the TNM system is used.

There are three variables in the TNM system: tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis. In the earliest stage of Mesothelioma, stage I, the malignant Mesothelioma cells start to grow and multiply only one layer of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that encloses the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. However, there are some instances wherein the pericardium (membrane that covers the heart) and diaphragm cover are already affected. In this case, the cancer patient is still in stage I Mesothelioma.

In the second stage, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by Mesothelioma. Take note, however, that in this stage, only one side of the body is affected. Normally, the pleura produces only small amount of lubricating fluid that allows easy expanding and contracting of the lungs. The excess fluid is absorbed by the blood and the lymph vessels so there’s a balance between the amount of fluid produced and removed. During the second stage Mesothelioma, fluid starts to build up between the membrane of the lungs and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting to pleural effusion. The increase in the volume of fluid produced causes shortness of breath and chest pain. Other Mesothelioma cancer patients experience dry and persistent cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is achieved through a chest x-ray.

Stage III Mesothelioma means that the malignant cells have already spread to the chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on one part of the chest. The patient may suffer severe pain near the parts affected. When not treated immediately or when the Mesothelioma patient doesn’t respond well to medication, the cancer may advance to the fourth stage. The fourth stage Mesothelioma is formidable since at this stage the Mesothelioma cells have penetrated into the bloodstream and other organs in the body like the liver, the bones and the brain. The lymph nodes on the other side of the chest may also be affected by Mesothelioma in stage IV.

Brighan staging system, on the other hand, determines whether the Mesothelioma can be surgically removed or not and whether the lymph nodes are affected or not. In stage I Mesothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet affected and the patient can still recover through surgery. In stage II, surgery can still be executed but some lymph nodes have already been infiltrated by the cancer cells. In stage III, the heart and chest wall are already affected; thus, surgery is no longer advisable. The lymph nodes in this stage, however, may or may not be affected. In the final stage, stage IV Mesothelioma, cancer cells have already gone to the bloodstream and other parts of the body like the heart, brain, bone and liver. In most cases, a patient who has reached stage IV Mesothelioma only has four to twenty-four months to live.

—
Smith Chen is an author and internet marketing consultant.
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Mesothelioma cancer is the growth of malignant cells in mesothelium. This mesothelium lining covers the pleural, peritoneal and pericardial cavities. Pleura is a membrane covering the lungs and it is the most common location where mesothelioma cancer occurs also known as pleural mesothelioma. Peritoneum, the protective covering that lines the abdominal cavity may also develop malignant tumors and cause peritoneal mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is one of the rarest cancers in the world that is caused only by exposure to asbestos. Its exposure can be direct, by inhalation of asbestos or indirect exposure in which the asbestos particles are inhaled from the clothing, hair, equipment or other articles that were previously exposed to asbestos.

Causes of Mesothelioma
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that is mined in different parts of the world due to its wide utility in various industries. However, it is a deadly carcinogen too and a mojor cause of mesothelioma and asbestosis.

Asbestos fibers are known to cause cancer of the mesothelium. Asbestos is the fibrous form of several minerals and hydrous silicates of magnesium found under ground. There are 3 types of asbestos, the blue one, the while one and the brown one. Of all these 3 types, the blue one also called amphibole, long and thin in structure is more carcinogenic than white or chrysolite asbestos or the brown one known as amosite.

However, in some cases the brown asbestos has also been found to cause mesothelioma. And it is for this reason that people exposed to asbestos even for a short period are vulnerable to the disease.

Pleural Mesothelioma
Asbestos fibers are very fine and easily make their way to the lungs where they settle down in the parenchyma of the lung and penetrate the pleura that later develops malignant mesothelial plaques.

Pleura, which anchors lungs to the chest cavity, is itself a double-layered membrane. The inner layer called visceral pleura surrounds the lungs, while the outer one, known as parietal pleura, forms the lining of the pleural or chest cavity. The two pleural layers are filled with a fluid that helps them to slide over each other as we breathe. As the disease progresses, the delicate pleural membranes thicken and press the lungs. A fluid secreted by the malignant cells, pleural effusion, may also collect between visceral and parietal pleurae that causes problem in breathing and other complications.

Peritoneum Mesothelioma
The asbestos fibers may also cause cancer in the peritoneum, known as peritoneal mesothelioma. This leads to thickening of the membranes surrounding abdominal organs and collection of a fluid, ascites in the abdominal cavity making it swell.

Though it is yet not clear how peritoneal mesothelioma develops, it is believed that from lungs, the asbestos fibers are transported to abdomen and its organs by the lymphatic system or they may be deposited in the gut through saliva contaminated by the asbestos fibers.

Pericardial Mesothelioma
This is the rarest type of mesothelioma cancer that comprises of only 5% of all the mesothelioma cases. Like other types of mesothelioma cancer, pericardial mesothelioma is also caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust and fibers. The lining of the chest cavity which protects the heart is known as pericardium. It is provided with a natural fluid or mucous that provide continuous lubrication to the heart so that it can work properly and perform its functions.

As the asbestos particles settle further into the lining of the chest or pericardial, the cancer spreads in the body. It destroys the heart tissues and muscles that is very hazardous to life and proves fatal for the patient.

Read the rest of article here…

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Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer that affects the serous membranes surrounding the major organs of the body i.e. the lungs, heart and the abdominal organs, causing these vital organs to inflate with excessive fluid. This fluid further causes the improper functioning of the organs. The only known cause of this cancerous tumor is asbestos exposure. In this disease, malignant cells are built up in the protective linings (serous membranes) of several internal organs known as mesothelium. Different organs in the abdomen cavity can get affected by mesothelioma because of the presence of the protective linings surrounding them. The most common types of mesothelioma include:

* Pleural Mesothelioma,
* Peritoneal Mesothelioma, and
* Pericardial Mesothelioma.

Pleural Mesothelioma:

Pleural Mesothelioma is a tumor in which the lining of the lungs, or lung pleura, gets affected by malignant cells. The pleura is a soft protective tissue that surrounds the lungs in the chest cavity. It helps the lungs in breathing (respiration) by producing a serous fluid that lubricates the pleural surfaces to avoid the teasing of the lungs against the chest wall. The malignant cells, once entered the pleura, begin to spread and affect the surrounding organs and tissues. This leads to further complications resulting pain and severe symptoms.

Mesothelioma affecting pleura is of two categories:

Diffused or Malignant (Cancerous):
It is the serious form of pleural mesothelioma that affects the pleural lining of the lungs and its surrounding organs.

Localized and Benign (Non-cancerous):
It is the non-cancerous form of mesothelioma, which does not affect all parts of the body except the pleura. However, it constricts the lung causing shortness of breath, and in some severe cases, pneumothorax (lung failure).

Peritoneal Mesothelioma:

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is a tumor of the peritoneum membrane or the abdomen lining, affecting many organs in the abdominal cavity including stomach. This form of mesothelioma cancer is less common than the pleural form but is more aggressive, resulting severe symptoms and short life expectancy. Like many other cancers, peritoneal mesothelioma can also be either malignant or benign.

Pericardial Mesothelioma:

Pericardial or Pericardium Mesothelioma is the rarest form of cancer, counting less than 10% of mesothelioma cases. In this form of cancer, fluid gets accumulated in the sac that encloses the heart. The main cause of this disease is the inhalation of asbestos fibers.

Due to the rarity of this disease, doctors and researchers have not clearly understood how the asbestos fibers enter the heart lining or pericardium. The only logical explanation so far about this form of cancer is the possibility of the asbestos fibers, converted into tiny pieces, transported from the lung into the heart by means of blood circulation. Once the asbestos fibers enter the heart, they expand the tissues in the chest cavity and the pericardium with excessive liquid, disrupting the working of the heart and causing chest pains with breathing disorders.

Each year, approximately 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed. At some point of their lives, the patients of mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos that later cause the hideous cancer of mesothelioma. If you, at some point of your life, have worked in an asbestos-rich environment or used any asbestos materials, you should contact a mesothelioma doctor for correct diagnosis and best treatment options available.

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Mesothelioma lung cancer is usually associated with asbestos exposure. In fact there are many other risk factors that cause mesothelioma cancer. One of them is the erionite. Erionite is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that belongs to a group of minerals called zeolites. Zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicates of the alkaline and alkaline-earth metals.

Erionite was used in the past as a noble metal-impregnated catalyst in a hydrocarbon-cracking process. It was studied for use in fertilizers and to control odors in livestock production, because of its ability to selectively adsorb molecules from air or liquids. In many countries erionite blocks were used (and may be are still used) as building material or in stucco pastes and whitewash.
Erionite was mentioned for the first time as a mesothelioma lung cancer risk factor in 1975, when Turkish government presented a study that uncovered a high incidence of a rare malignant mesothelioma in lung tissues of people in certain small villages in the Cappadocia area in Turkey’s central mountainous region. In two small villages the mesothelioma lung cancer accounted for 43% of the deaths during 23 years period of study. Erionite fibers were found in biopsies of lungs of the mesothelioma cancer afflicted people. Comparing this to a 9.7% rate of death from this disease among asbestos insulation installers shows how anomalous this condition was.

Further studies showed erionite causes similar diseases in laboratory animals. When researchers at Mt. Sinai Hospital injected rats with the same dosage of erionite that they used for asbestos, the rats didn’t live long enough to get mesothelioma cancer. At a much-reduced dose, the rats did get cancer. Erionite is probably the most toxic known mineral - a milligram of fibers in the lungs is lethal.

Today erionite is considered so hazardous that the EPA requires any one who intends to manufacture, import or process any article containing erionite to notify the E.P.A. 90 days in advance. This gives the EPA a chance to review, limit or prohibit that activity.

Erionite is no longer mined or marketed for commercial purposes. Although other natural zeolites have many commercial uses (pet litter, soil conditioners, animal feed, waste-water treatment, gas absorbents, etc.) So potential occupational exposure to erionite occurs during the production and mining of other zeolites.

And there are questions:

Are there other mineralogical hazards like erionite and asbestos?

Should we expected mesothelioma lung cancer increases not only from asbestos exposure after another 20 - 30 years?

Read the rest of article here…

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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

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