What Causes Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma has just one cause, asbestos exposure. Many are unaware that almost everyone has had some form of exposure to asbestos; however, in the majority of people it does not result in illness. Asbestos is a mineral that occurs naturally and is distinguishable by its long crystal fibers. The mineral’s fibers can be found in the air, water, and a range of products.
Asbestos has had commercial uses in the United States throughout history. Heavy exposure to the fiber can result in asbestos disease, mesothelioma, and other terminal conditions. For more than half a century, thousands of widely used products contained asbestos. Before consumer product regulation of the 1970s, the manufacturing of commonly used items containing asbestos was unregulated. Since that time agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency have outlawed new asbestos uses, however with old ones remaining allowed to a certain degree, asbestos is still used and is still causing many to become fatally ill.
People affected by asbestos exposure typically do not show symptoms until several years after being exposed. This is one reason why manufacturers sometimes manage to escape taking responsibility for causing one to become ill, regardless of whether they knowingly knew of the dangers of using asbestos in manufacturing beforehand.
The most prominent uses of asbestos have been within the construction and automotive industries. Public awareness and initiatives have contributed to a decline in consumption of asbestos in the US, however the attacks at the world trade center during September 11, 2001 have led to recent predictions of an increase in occurrences of diseases like mesothelioma and others linked to this type of toxic exposure.
Unfortunately, because of having such a long latency period, it is difficult to diagnose mesothelioma until its latter stages. The condition is terminal. However, more research and information can be found regarding symptoms and possible treatments. If someone feels they have been exposed to asbestos or may have mesothelioma, it is important to seek the proper medical and legal advice on what steps to take next.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Cancer mesothelioma Treatments
While there is no known cure for mesothelioma, there are treatment options that you can pursue to fight against this asbestos-related disease. This section gives you information about surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, as well as available clinical trials.
Surgery
Surgery is a common treatment of malignant mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. Depending on how far the mesothelioma has spread, a lung also may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
If fluid has collected in the chest or abdomen, the doctor may drain the fluid out of the body by putting a needle into the chest or abdomen and using gentle suction to remove the fluid. If fluid is removed from the chest, this is called thoracentesis. If fluid is removed from the abdomen, this is called paracentesis. The doctor may also put drugs through a tube into the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill mesothelioma cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill mesothelioma cancer cells throughout the body. In mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be put directly into the chest (intrapleural chemotherapy).
Intraoperative photodynamic therapy is a new type of treatment that uses special drugs and light to kill mesothelioma cancer cells during surgery. A drug that makes cancer cells more sensitive to light is injected into a vein several days before surgery. During surgery to remove as much of the mesothelioma cancer as possible, a special light is used to shine on the pleura. This treatment is being studied for early stages of mesothelioma in the chest.
Cancer mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. With rare exceptions, most mesothelioma cancers are considered malignant mesothelioma. 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 prognosis, therapy (including types of chemotherapy) and treatment choices are similar whether the cancer is pleural mesothelioma or peritoneal mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Treatments and Therapies
Standard treatment for all but localized mesothelioma is generally not curative.1 Surgery and radiotherapy have a limited role in highly selected mesothelioma patients and chemotherapy is the only potential treatment option for the majority of people diagnosed with mesothelioma. Sometimes, these mesothelioma therapies are combined. Despite activity of some chemotherapy, the results are still modest, with a median survival of approximately one year. For individual patients, treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. The only FDA approved chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (in combination with cisplatin) is pemetrexed (Alimta). In the key clinical trial that led to its approval for mesothelioma, Alimta was combined with another chemotherapy drug (cisplatin) and compared with cisplatin alone. The median survival for the patients who received both chemotherapy drugs was 12.1 months versus 9.3 months for mesothelioma patients who only received cisplatin.2
Mesothelioma Prognosis and Survival
In general the prognosis of mesothelioma is poor and most studies report median survival of less than a year. However, there are long term mesothelioma survivors (both pleural and peritoneal survivors) who have survived more than 10 years. In fact, in one mesothelioma study, doctors writing about the prognosis of mesothelioma explained that long-term mesothelioma survivors do exist and their prognosis may be independent of the treatment or therapies pursued.3 If this is true, it would suggest that mesothelioma prognosis and survival may be more dependent on individual differences among patients (and perhaps the non-conventional therapies they use) and less dependent upon conventional mesothelioma treatments.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms of mesothelioma may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history and a complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A biopsy is often used to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if the mesothelioma has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
Incidence & Risk Factors
Over 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in the majority of cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney. There is evidence that family members and others living with people exposed to asbestos have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.
New Directions for Treating Mesothelioma
Because conventional therapies are not curative for the overwhelming majority of mesothelioma patients, researchers are investigating new types of mesothelioma treatments and therapies. One approach that may yield promising results is anti-angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenesis is a form of therapy that uses drugs or other substances to stop tumors from making new blood vessels. Without a blood supply, the cancers cannot grow effectively. Today, there are several hundred clinical trials of anti-angiogenesis drugs under way. For example, Veglin is an anti-angiogenesis drug undergoing clinical trials at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. Under the supervision of Parkash S. Gill, M.D. and financed by grants from the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America, a Phase I study of Veglin has demonstrated some success in patients suffering from lymphoma, sarcoma, and colon and lung cancers. Phase II studies are on-going with the hope they will demonstrate continued clinical efficacy in mesothelioma and other cancers.
Prostate Cancer Symptoms
Signs and symptoms
Prostate cancer usually doesn't produce any noticeable symptoms in its early stages, so many cases of prostate cancer aren't detected until the cancer has spread beyond the prostate. For most men, prostate cancer is first detected during a routine screening such as a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test or a digital rectal exam (DRE).
When signs and symptoms do occur, they depend on how advanced the cancer is and how far the cancer has spread.
Early signs and symptoms of prostate cancer can include urinary problems, caused when the prostate tumor presses on the bladder or on the tube that carries urine from the bladder (urethra). However, urinary symptoms are much more commonly caused by benign prostate problems, such as an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) or prostate infections. Less than 5 percent of cases of prostate cancer have urinary problems as the initial symptom. When urinary signs and symptoms do occur, they can include:
- Trouble urinating
- Starting and stopping while urinating
- Decreased force in the stream of urine
Cancer in your prostate or the area around the prostate can cause:
- Blood in your urine
- Blood in your semen
Prostate cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes in your pelvis may cause:
- Swelling in your legs
- Discomfort in the pelvic area
Advanced prostate cancer that has spread to your bones can cause:
- Bone pain that doesn't go away
- Bone fractures
- Compression of the spine
What are tumors
umors are a dense collection of cells that are created when the orderly process of cell division goes out of control and cells begin to multiply to quickly. When a person is diagnosed with having a tumor in some part of the body, tests will be done to determine if it is either benign or malignant.
Benign Tumours
Benign tumors are not cancerous
In fact the word benign means harmless. A benign tumor is created by slower growing cells that clump together to form a lump that usually has a smooth surface. Benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body and they are almost never life threatening. The only time that they could be life threatening is when they are located in an area of the body such as the brain where they could interfere with vital body functions. Although surgical removal is often recommended, once the benign tumor is removed it usually does not come back.
Malignant Tumors
Malignant Tumors are Cancerous
Malignant tumors are created by the growth of cells that clump together to form a lump that does not have distinct borders especially at a later stage of it's development when it will have roots that tend to stick out from the central lump. Tumors can develop in any part of the body. The one exception where cancers do not form a tumor is for Leukemia which is a cancer of the blood and organs that are responsible for the formation of blood including the lymph system, bone marrow and the spleen.
The cells that first begin to lump together create what is called the primary tumor. The grouping together of cells to form a cancerous tumor often takes place very slowly so that the tumor does not exhibit any detectable symptoms for many months or in some individuals or types of cancer, even for many years. Eventually though, the tumor will continue to develop and when it does one of two things will happen; the tumor will either spread (metastasize) or it will not spread.
One very important characteristic of a cancer that has metastasized and spread from it's place of origin to a different part of the body, is that although it is now located in two parts of the body, it does not become a new type of cancer. For example if a cancer that started in the lungs and has been diagnosed as lung cancer later spreads to the stomach. It is still a lung cancer and not a stomach cancer. This fact is very important for treatment since a lung cancer that spread to the stomach or other part of the body will still be treated as a lung cancer and not as a stomach cancer.
Although any malignant tumor can eventually spread to other parts of the body, this is less likely to happen for tumors that start in the brain. Malignant brain tumors often do not spread (metastasize) and if they do it is almost always just from the original site of the brain tumor to other parts of the brain or to the spine. On the other hand, tumors formed in other parts of the body can spread to the brain.Lung Cancer signs and Symptoms
Signs and Symptoms
People often decide to visit the doctor only after they have been bothered by certain complaints over a period of time. Individuals who have lung cancer frequently experience symptoms such as the following:
Cancer mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. With rare exceptions, most mesothelioma cancers are considered malignant mesothelioma. 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 prognosis, therapy (including types of chemotherapy) and treatment choices are similar whether the cancer is pleural mesothelioma or peritoneal mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Treatments and Therapies
Standard treatment for all but localized mesothelioma is generally not curative.1 Surgery and radiotherapy have a limited role in highly selected mesothelioma patients and chemotherapy is the only potential treatment option for the majority of people diagnosed with mesothelioma. Sometimes, these mesothelioma therapies are combined. Despite activity of some chemotherapy, the results are still modest, with a median survival of approximately one year. For individual patients, treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. The only FDA approved chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (in combination with cisplatin) is pemetrexed (Alimta). In the key clinical trial that led to its approval for mesothelioma, Alimta was combined with another chemotherapy drug (cisplatin) and compared with cisplatin alone. The median survival for the patients who received both chemotherapy drugs was 12.1 months versus 9.3 months for mesothelioma patients who only received cisplatin.2
Mesothelioma Prognosis and Survival
In general the prognosis of mesothelioma is poor and most studies report median survival of less than a year. However, there are long term mesothelioma survivors (both pleural and peritoneal survivors) who have survived more than 10 years. In fact, in one mesothelioma study, doctors writing about the prognosis of mesothelioma explained that long-term mesothelioma survivors do exist and their prognosis may be independent of the treatment or therapies pursued.3 If this is true, it would suggest that mesothelioma prognosis and survival may be more dependent on individual differences among patients (and perhaps the non-conventional therapies they use) and less dependent upon conventional mesothelioma treatments.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma
Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms of mesothelioma may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history and a complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A biopsy is often used to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if the mesothelioma has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
Incidence & Risk Factors
Over 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in the majority of cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney. There is evidence that family members and others living with people exposed to asbestos have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.
New Directions for Treating Mesothelioma
Because conventional therapies are not curative for the overwhelming majority of mesothelioma patients, researchers are investigating new types of mesothelioma treatments and therapies. One approach that may yield promising results is anti-angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenesis is a form of therapy that uses drugs or other substances to stop tumors from making new blood vessels. Without a blood supply, the cancers cannot grow effectively. Today, there are several hundred clinical trials of anti-angiogenesis drugs under way. For example, Veglin is an anti-angiogenesis drug undergoing clinical trials at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. Under the supervision of Parkash S. Gill, M.D. and financed by grants from the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America, a Phase I study of Veglin has demonstrated some success in patients suffering from lymphoma, sarcoma, and colon and lung cancers. Phase II studies are on-going with the hope they will demonstrate continued clinical efficacy in mesothelioma and other cancers.
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