Friday, October 31, 2008

Peritoneal Mesothelioma - Cancer In Abdominal Lining

There is a particular type of cancer

that affects the abdominal lining called peritoneal mesothelioma. Exposure to asbestos and asbestos products is the source of this cancer.

Because it is known to affect the lining of the abdomen called the peritoneal, there are issues related to how well the abdomen is able to protect the organs in the region and how well it is lubricated which enables the organs to shift around and function correctly.

Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer help is occasionally known as diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma, which means that the cancer has expanded to surrounding organs. This type of mesothelioma is given credit for approximately ten percent of mesothelioma and is the second most common form of asbestos related mesothelioma. The most common form is called pleural mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is notorious for having a long latency period where it is silently growing but, not affecting health and functioning. In fact, more often than not, symptoms go decades before they become obvious and this unfortunately means that the disease is in an advanced stage before the symptoms start to appear. Many times this delay in diagnosis negatively impacts the prognosis for the patient.

Sometimes there is an additional interval between symptoms and diagnosis because the first symptoms are so non-specific and so much like other diseases and ailments. More than likely a physician is going to look for less serious causes for symptoms and then by ruling these out, the peritoneal mesothelioma diagnosis in ruled in.

Because mesothelioma is rare, a doctor

is not likely to think about it unless somewhere in the medical history taking process there has been mention of working in a field associated with asbestos. Thus, it is imperative to inform a doctor about all possible events that might have led to exposure to asbestos.

As with all cancers, there are a variety of symptoms that are particular to the disease, after the general nonspecific early symptoms evolve. The most common symptoms of this cancer are: abdominal pain, frailness or weakness; loss of weight; nausea and vomiting; loss off appetite; abdominal swelling; and bowel obstruction.

There can be a variety of additional symptoms depending on the location of the tumor. These other symptoms can include: breathing difficulties and extreme pain.
There is an assortment of treatment options with more being developed and tested each day.

Thus, the rate of mortality is getting less each year. Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. When the diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma cancer is final, a physician or team will recommend options for the patient.

These options will be founded on variables like: the magnitude of the disease and its' stage of advancement; the general health condition of the patient will be taken into consideration; the patient's medical history; and age.

As mentioned earlier, there are a range of treatment options and one of them is surgery. If surgery is the treatment of choice, the goal will be to focus on removing enough of the peritoneal lining and diseased tissue from the abdomen so the tumor can be removed. The decision to conduct surgery is based on how far advanced the cancer is, how far it has expanded, and the size of the tumor.

How much tissue is to be removed will be determined by how much spreading has occurred. If the cancer has spread to the diaphragm, parts of that may be removed as well as the tumor.

Another form of treatment is radiation therapy which is a process of targeting the part of the body where the tumor resides and trying to annihilate the cancer cells by blasting it with high energy x-rays. Radiation therapy is typically delivered in one of two ways: externally or insertion.

When external radiation is the course of treatment, a machine is aimed at the tumor and radiation is emitted through the body at the tumor. When internal radiation is the course of treatment, plastic tubes carry the radiation to the affected region of the body. It is also possible that a physician may also place drugs into the body through the inserted tubes.

A final type of treatment is chemotherapy

which is a process of using a drug or combination of drugs to destroy the cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs, in the form of pills, are taken by mouth.

There may be times when chemotherapy is best delivered intravenously into a muscle or a vein with a needle. With this approach, the cancer drug will penetrate the blood stream and permeate through the body.

Article Resource

Thursday, October 30, 2008

How To Cope With Mesothelioma Cancer

Patients suffering from Mesothelioma lose hope and start living with despair. There is an emotional breakdown with physical ailment. And coping with such situation becomes very difficult after a certain point when the diagnosis confirms that death is approaching. But why should you mentally die before your physical death? You must try to cope with such a situation not with a heavy heart but with total spirit of leading life in the liveliest way.

Feel good

Well saying is very easy but for the person who is really experiencing such a big damage, it is very tough to feel good even under this situation. But you can always try. You must take your ailment as a challenge and for the approaching death; it is the biggest reality of life that everyone has to die one day. So why should you be sacred of facing death?

After you have been given the green signal by the doctors that you are suffering from Mesothelioma cancer help you must take all sorts of medical precautions and continue with your life in the same way you did. Spend time with your family and enjoy life's every precious moment and you should not depress others because you are ill.

Fight for your right with full strength

If it is legally proved that your ailment is due to the bad condition of the work place that you have been serving for years, you can immediately consult with a Mesothelioma lawyer and file a lawsuit against the company. The urge to win over the case will give you strength from within and your challenge itself proves your spirit to fight for your life. The final verdict on your favor is your victory to live and let live because the compensation benefit you win from the case will support your family's financial position even if you are not there.

The winning spree has a life-generating tonic effect and you must cope this adverse situation with such zeal to live.

Share and care

There is nothing to hide from anybody that you are suffering from Mesothelioma. The more you hide, the more you will find it difficult to cope with the situation. Remain free and open with thoughts and feelings. Let the kids too know about the problem because in the latter stage the awareness will help them to remain away from such circumstances that lead to the deadly disease. Your illness will take away your life but you can always become the cause for other's benefit by spreading knowledge and awareness about this fatal disease.

Article Resource

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Mesothelioma Cancer What Is It?

The peritoneal form of this is basic relatively uncommon type of a cancer that also accounts less than quarter of the cases. Pericardial mesothelioma cancer help is also the rarest type of the three forms. There are also several techniques which also can prove useful if its basic is suspected on to the presence of the pleural effusion that are combined with basic a history of occupational or secondary asbestos exposure. It does not usually spread to the bone, brain, or adrenal glands.Moreover, this are not as sensitive to radiation therapy or chemotherapy as are many other tumors. Many thousands cases are now diagnosed in United States each and each year. History of the exposure to the asbestos may Treatment options for management of the malignant its include also surgery, chemotherapy also radiation and also the most treatment. The only known cause of this cancer is asbestos.

Symptoms of the peritoneal. It`s includes abdominal pain and weakness also the lose of weight loss of the appetite also nausea and also abdominal swelling. The most common form of it is pleural. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between malignant and lung cancer. Asbestos exposure is the most important factor. Asbestos and Asbestos cancer, also known as the same is caused by asbestos exposure, typically found in particular asbestos sites. Asbestos exposure is the only known cause of the cancer worldwide. Asbestos is a form of magnesium silicate which can cause cancer. It is also basic often seen on older patients, basic more often men that have a history of the exposure to the asbestos, although other such radiation and certain viruses have occasionally been implicated.This disease is basic the most serious of all the asbestos cancer mesothelioma asbestos related diseases.

Malignant this is basic caused by asbestos exposure in any of its classifications. the lawyer and asbestos attorney guide in these States:. Mesothelioma cancer this is also is a form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Cancer cells may also metastasize spread from their original side to other parts of the body. Cancers can also be classified by stages. Cancer cells can also be spread from their original side to other areas of the body. Cancers of these type can also be classified by stages. it is also basic considered localized if cancer are confined to pleura, or the advanced if it has spread beyond the pleura to other parts of body such as lungs the chest wall and abdominal cavity or the lymph nodes.

Article Resource

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Mesothelioma Cancer Cell Types - Epithelioid, Sarcomatoid & Biphasic

Mesothelioma is one of the deadliest cancers for a number of reasons. It has a prolonged latency period during which it destroys the mucous-producing membrane that lines the outer surface of a number of organs. This membrane allows the organs to move, which in turn allows them to function. Over a period of decades mesothelioma cancer help destroys healthy cells by assaulting them with three main avenues of attack: epithelioid, sarcomatoid, biphasic cells.

Epithelioid mesothelioma cells are the most common and relatively easiest to treat of all types of mesothelioma. This type of cell appears to be a papillary or tubular growth that usually affects the outer membranes and linings of the internal organs and other bodily surfaces. Somewhere between 50 and 70% of all mesothelioma cases belong to this category, and although this cancer is usually extremely difficult to treat, epithelioid mesothelioma is the most likely to respond to treatment.

The second type of mesothelioma is sarcomatoid mesothelioma. This type is the most serious form of the disease, as it is the least likely to respond to treatment. These spindle-shaped pattern of cells that appear to overlap each other are also fortunately the rarest type of the cancer, with approximately 10-20% of all mesothelioma cases falling into this type. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is so dangerous because it attacks and arises from the support tissues of the body, such as bone, cartilage, fat, and muscle, and cancers in these areas are notoriously difficult and painful to treat. Patients with this form of cancer rarely live longer than six months after diagnosis.

The final condition, biphasic mesothelioma, is not an independent type of mesothelioma, but a combination of sarcomatoid and epithelioid. It is also a mixed bag of conditions in that it can take the good and bad aspects of the other two types, and almost 20-35% of all mesothelioma cases fall into either mixed or biphasic areas.

Without a doubt, mesothelioma is one of the most devastating types of cancer. Most people rarely live beyond a year after their initial diagnosis, and few victims reach five years. Mesothelioma is almost always caused by asbestos exposure, and millions of people have had contact with this deadly substance.

Article Resource

Monday, October 27, 2008

Mesothelioma Cancer And Alternative Medicine

Mesothelioma cancer is a rare form of the disease in which cancerous cells develop in the pleura, peritoneum, or pericardium – the linings of the chest, abdomen, and area around the heart. This form of cancer is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos. Peritoneal mesothelioma

cancer makes up a fifth to a third of cases that are diagnosed. Symptoms of this type of mesothelioma include weight loss and swelling and pain in the abdomen due to fluid buildup. Sufferers of other types of mesothelioma may develop chest wall pain; fluid around the lungs; anemia, shortness of breath, or symptoms of anemia; a cough or tendency to wheeze, and may cough up blood. In severe cases, tumors can form in the lungs or abdominal cavity, causing the lungs to collapse.

While only a short period of asbestos exposure, as little as a month or two, is required for this cancer to occur, it can take a long time for symptoms to show up. People who were exposed as long ago as the 1940s are only now being diagnosed, because mesothelioma cancer help has a long latency period. If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, the prognosis will vary according to how early it was discovered. Research in alternative medicine and conventional therapies to treat this disease continues. Conventional drugs which are used to combat mesothelioma cancer include Alimta and other chemotherapy drugs, surgery to remove tumors, and radiation therapy.

In addition to these 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.

Article Resource

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma cancer is a rare form of cancer. in this form of cancer, cancer cells are found in the mesothelium (a protective sac covering almost all the body’s internal organs). Most of the mesothelioma cancer cases are considered to be malignant mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma and malignant mesothelioma are two major types of mesothelioma. These two forms of mesothelioma are related to the mesothelium membrane that surrounds the lungs. Peritoneal mesothelioma cancer help is a form which is related to the mesothelium layer covering the organs in the abdominal cavity.

Treatments and therapies for mesothelioma cancer:

The bitter fact is that localized mesothelioma is not curative. Even the most successful therapies such as surgeries and radiotherapy have a restricted role. However chemotherapy is one good treatment through which cancer cells can be reduced, kill and restricted. At times, the treatments and therapies for mesothelioma are given in combinations.

Diagnosis and survival of mesothelioma cancer:

Generally the diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer and its survival rate is poor. Nevertheless there are certain long term mesothelioma survivors who have managed to survive for more than 10 years. There are a number of therapies and treatments but as mesothelioma is a fatal disease therefore rarely anyone can survive it.

Symptoms of mesothelioma cancer:

The major and first symptom of mesothelioma cancer is shortness of breath which is caused due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura. Weight loss and abdominal pain are symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma. Moreover, other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma could be bowel obstruction, anemia, fever and clotting abnormalities. Other symptoms include pain, trouble in swallowing, swelling on the neck or face.

Article Resource