Mesothelioma - Is Cancer Hibernating In You?

Imagine a disease that lays eggs inside your lungs. These eggs do not produce discomfort or coughing, they don't cause outbreaks or rashes or anything of the sort. In fact these eggs don't do anything except sit in your lungs and germinate for 30 to 40 years. After this time you begin to have a slight cough, a fever, maybe some cold sweats. You write it off as the flu and continue as usual until it goes away. 3 weeks later the flu is back but this time you're coughing up blood. You visit your doctor and hope he can prescribe something to kick this crazy flu. Your doctor runs a few tests and sends you home. A week later your brought into his office and he lays the devastating news on you...you have Mesothelioma a cancer of the lungs.

This is the reality for roughly 2000 men and women residing here in the United States every year. These are people who often time have lead healthy lives. In the article, "Mesothelioma Victims - Survival Stories" Kathleen writes:

"At 42, I never thought that I would be facing a terminal illness, especially one relating to the lungs. I've never smoked and have lead a relatively healthy life. I have two beautiful daughters who will be heading to college soon - and I may not be alive to see their graduation."

The primary cause of mesothelioma cancer is linked to exposure to asbestos fibers which are breathed into the lungs or swallowed. Asbestos is a material that was used heavily for many years in hundreds of products. Asbestos was primarily used due to the fact that it is strong, resists fire and corrosion, and has very effective properties for insulation.

In modern day, asbestos has many uses such as thermal pipe and boiler insulation, floor coverings, ceiling tiles, spray-applied fire proofing and sound proofing, roofing materials and "transite" pipe and sheeting. Though major public use was discontinued in the late 70s, asbestos continues to be a material used in countries outside of the U.S., and due to the fact that we trade for many of these countries goods it is necessary that we educate ourselves as to the materials used in production of the products and items we use daily.

Many more cases of mesothelioma, due to asbestos exposure, are beginning to surface today. First, because our understanding and ability to recognize the disease has increased by leaps and bounds over the years, and second, because this particular cancer lays dormant within the carriers system for 30 to 40 years. With the widespread use of asbestos during the 20th century we are starting to see the consequences of exposure to this toxic material.

Due to the fact that asbestos was in heavy concentration in the industrial and building trades during the mid 1900s, most carriers of mesothelioma cancer are men who where working around asbestos during that time. However, mesothelioma has been reported not only in cases of direct exposure, but also indirect, such as the families of these men, as they often returned home with asbestos fibers on their clothing. Even in today's day and age where asbestos has been all but removed from our lives, it is still possible to be diagnosed with mesothelioma as cases of this cancer have been diagnosed without the presence of asbestos exposure.

It is also important to note that smokers who have been exposed to asbestos carry a far greater risk of mesothelioma. Some figures suggest as much as 3 times the percentage of a non-smoker with the same level of exposure. If you feel that you have been exposed to asbestos set an appointment with your physician to go over your chances of mesothelioma developing. The best thing a mesothelioma patient can do is to detect the presence of this disease early on, as it will increase your chances considerably.

To find out the symptoms of mesothelioma and get more information about this deadly form of respiratory cancer visit: http://www.rarereviews.com/mesothelioma-cancer

About the author:
Mike Andrews is a research specialist who writes informative and news worthy articles focused on providing the public with unbiased views and quality information. These articles stand to improve public relations and branding for the businesses they are associated with.

Catching a Killer - New steps Taken in Treating Mesothelioma

There’s a silent killer out there. It creeps up on its victims, attacks them quietly and unsuspectingly, and initiates a wound that develops over many years before it eventually causes pain. This unstoppable murderer is known as mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor that develops on the mesothelial cells of either the lungs, heart or abdominal organs, and plagues those who have been exposed to asbestos for a prolonged period of time. Many who fall victim to this disease are people who have worked in specific trades or fields prior to the 1970s, such as blacksmiths, electricians, millwrights, and oil refinery workers.

Since it can take up to forty years for symptoms to surface, mesothelioma-related deaths are higher than ever in the 21st century. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that 1,493 people died from asbestos in 2000, compared to 77 people in 1968.

Mesothelioma treatment methods differ depending on the stage of the cancer upon detection, as well as the patient’s age and personal choice of treatment. The four distinct stages of the disease are a factor in determining the type of mesothelioma treatment that can be carried out. The first stage is when the tumor has had limited growth on the pleural lining (the lining of the lungs). At this stage, an attempt can be made to surgically remove the entire tumor. However, if the tumor is detected at a later stage when it has invaded surrounding areas, it is considered incurable.

Traditionally, the later stages of mesothelioma have been treated with either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells while radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

Although mesothelioma treatment methods have been proven to prolong patients’ lives, they cannot cure the disease. Ongoing clinical trials are dedicated to overcoming this debilitating illness. Current experimental treatments include the following:

Drug Therapy: A drug called Alimta, developed by Eli Lilly, has been shown to significantly increase the life expectancy of patients and decrease symptoms of the disease. It is the only chemotherapy drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Gene Therapy: This mesothelioma treatment is currently in the experimental stages. The process involves inserting a "suicide gene" directly into the tumor. This gene makes the cells sensitive to a normally ineffective drug called glanciclovir which destroys all the cancer cells and leaves the healthy cells unharmed.

Photodynamic Therapy: Still in its experimental stage, photodynamic therapy uses light to kill cancerous cells. The patient first receives a photosensitizer that only collects in cancerous cells. Fiberoptic cables are then placed in the body in order to focus the right frequency of light on the tumor. The photosensitizer is then caused to produce a toxic oxygen molecule that kills the cancer cell.

Immunotherapy: Also referred to as biological therapy, this mesothelioma treatment uses the body's personal immune system to defend itself against mesothelioma. It has been discovered that the immune system is capable of deciphering healthy cells from cancerous cells, and can thus eradicate those cells that cause cancer.

While treatment methods are still in the developmental or experimental stages, there is hope that one day all mesothelioma victims will be freed from the murderous hands of this fearsome disease.

About The Author

Maggie Kay is a freelance writer from Montreal and is the head researcher and content manager of www.maacenter.org.

Mesohelioma - The Disease that Strikes 40 Years Later

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. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.

In his article called Knee Deep in Asbestos - http://www.mesotheliomaadvisors.com/2.html - freelance writer Phil Jones relates how when he was a teenager he worked for a brief time in an asbestos mine in the Yukon. One of the features of daily life was the constant presence of asbestos dust in the air. As Jones writes,

"There were employees that worked in the mill whose sole job was to sweep up the dust that fell on the floor. There was so much of it that this was a constant ongoing job. The asbestos dust in the mill actually fell almost like snow and covered the floor completely. Without sweepers there would probably have been several inches of asbestos dust on the floor within an hour or so. In fact, I remember seeing sweepers go by pushing their wide brooms and the new dust settling onto the floor behind them as they walked."

This story illustrates a number of the more sinister aspects of the whole mesothelioma story.

First, over the course of many decades, countless workers were placed in work environments where they were exposed to high levels of asbestos fibre with little protection. Their exposure to asbestos fibres was constant and often took place over a very long period of time - in most cases, over many years.

Second, the owners and managers of these work places were often either unaware of the risk of mesothelioma, or they actively attempted to hide or cover up those risks.

Third, since the effects of exposure to asbestos fibre often do not become apparent for 30 or 40 years after prolonged exposure, there often appeared to be no immediate health risk in these work environments. This made it very difficult for workers or their representatives to make a convincing case that worker health was being sacrificed on the altar of corporate profits.

About the author:
For more information about mesothelioma, the causes of mesothelioma, the effects of mesothelioma, and the legal courses of action open to mesothelioma victims, visit Mesothelioma Advisors at http://www.mesotheliomaadvisors.com

Rick Hendershot is a writer and founder of The Linknet Publishing Network. To learn how you can benefit from original articles see our article writing and distribution service at http://www.sbo-linknet/products/article-program.shtml

How Is Mesothelioma Treated

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. However, they may have been been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways. This could include working with asbestos or by home renovation using asbestos cement products or even by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos. The resulting disease is 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.

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. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer.

There are various procedures used for the treatment of mesothelioma. The type of treatment depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health.

A common treatment of the disease is by means of surgery by the removal of part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura, a lung 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.

Another method is Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy. This involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found .

Anticancer drugs can be used to kill cancer cells throughout the body. This is known as chemotherapy and involves the administration of the drugs by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Currently, doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen.

Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments


About the author:
Looking for information about Mesothelioma?
Go to: http://www.mesotheliomalegalreview.com
'Mesothelioma Legal Review' is published by Linda Woodhouse -
The complete resource directory for Mesothelioma related information, legal services, and products
Check out more Mesothelioma articles at: http://www.mesotheliomalegalreview.com/archive

Asbestos and Cancer

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos related cancer, you may want to seek legal advice. Typical legal settelements can reach five million dollars.

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. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.

What is the mesothelium?

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.

How common is mesothelioma?

Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 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.

What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?

Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.

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.

Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.

About The Author

Karen Brown
http://asbestos-attorney-mesothelioma.net

Prostate Cancer

Introduction:

Prostate is a glandular organ present only in males. It surrounds the neck of bladder & the first part of urethra and contributes a secretion to the semen. The gland is conical in shape and measures 3 cm in vertical diameter and 4 cm in transverse diameter.It has got five lobes anterior,posterior,two lateral and a median lobe.Since the first part of the urethra pass through it any lesion in the prostate will produce difficulty in passing urine.

Diseases of the prostate gland:

1) Prostatitis:

This is the inflamation of the prostate gland due to bacterial infection.

2) Benign enlargement of the prostate:

This is a non cancerous tumor of the prostate seen after the age of 50. 3,Cancer of the prostate:-This is the 4th most common cause of death from malignant diseases in males.

Cancer of the prostate.

Cancer of the prostate is directly linked with the male sex hormones(androgens).If the levels of sex hormone increases the growth rate of cancer also increases.It is found that after the removal of testes there is marked reduction in the size of tumor.

Site of tumour:

Prostate cancer is seen mainly in the posterior lobe.Non cancerous enlargement is seen in other lobes.

Changes in the gland in cancer:

The gland becomes hard with irregular surface with loss of normal lobulation .Histologically prostate cancer is an adeno carcinoma(cancer of the epithelial cells in the gland)

Growth :

Growth rate is very fast in prostate cancer .The tumour compresses the urethra and produce difficulty in urination.

Spread of tumour:

Metastasis in cancer of prostate is very early.

1) Local spread:

From the posterior lobe the cancer cells go to the lateral lobes and seminal vesicles.Tumour cells also move to the neck and base of the urinary bladder.

2) Lymphatic spread:

Through the lymph vessels cancer cells reach the internal and external illiac group of lymph nodes.From there cells move to retroperitonial(Behind the peritonium) and mediastinal lymph nodes(in the chest)

3) Spread through the blood:

Spread of cancer cells takeplace through the periprostatic venous plexus and reaches the vertebral veins while coughing and sneezing and finally enders the vertebral bodies of the lumbar vertebrae.

Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer:

Signs and symptoms depend upon the stage of the cancer. The following symptoms may be seen.

1) No symptoms:

Tumour is small and only in the posterior lobe. This is diagnosed accidentely.

2) Slight difficulty in urination:

Here the tumour is enlarged and urethra is slightly compressed.Shortly there will be frequent urge for urination with difficult urination.

3) When the tumour spread to all nearby areas including neck of bladder and urethra there will be painful urination with bleeding.Urine comes drop by drop.

4) Retention of urine:

When the urethra is completely compressed there will be retention of urine.This can lead to hydronephrosis, renal failure ect.In this condition patient may get convulsions due to renal failure and finally coma.

5) Signs of metastasis:

Some patients come with the signs and symptoms of metastasis.

a) Lumbo sacral pain due to spread of cancer cells to lumbar and sacral vertebrae.

b) Fracture of spine due to cancerous growth in the spine.

c) Swelling, pain and fluid collection in the abdomen due to lesion in the abdomen.

d) Respiratory complaints due to cancer of mediastinal lymphnodes and lungs.

e) General weakness due to spread of cancer to different parts of the body.

f) Anaemia due to involment of bone marrow and increased destruction of RBCs.

Clinical examination :

Includes per rectal examination to feel the prostate gland,palpation of abdomen to feel the swelling in kidneys and any tumours.Patient is examined from head to foot to find out any lesions.

Investigations:

1) Complete blood investigations;

RBC,WBC,Platlets,ESR,bleeding time ,clotting time ect.

2) Urine analysis:

Microscopic examination to detect pus cells,occult blood,casts,Crystals ect.

3) Renal function tests:

Blood urea level,serum creatinine level,electrolyte level ect.

4) Serum acid phosphatase:

Increased in cancer of prostate.

5) x-ray of the spine:

To detect any tumour or fracture.

6) Ultra sonography;

Gives idea about prostate,bladder,kidney ect.

7) C T scan:

More detailed information about organs and tumour.

8) MRI of the spine:

Gives detailed information about spine ,disc and nearby soft tissues.

9) Lymphangiography:

Gives idea about lymphatic spread of cancer.

10) Biopsy to confirm cancer:

Biopsy is taken from the tumour and is send for histopathological examination under the microscope.This will detect the presence of cancer cells.

Treatment:

1) If there is retention of urine catheterisation is needed.
2) Dialysis if kidney failure.
3) If there is coma monitoring of all vital functions along with parentral nutrition and electolyte supply.
4) Specific treatment is prostatectomy(removal of prostate)

Partial prostatectomy :

Here only the affected lobe is removed.

Radical prostatectomy :

Total removal of prostate along with nearby lymphnodes.

5, Hormone therapy :

Stilbestrol is given to reduce tumour growth.Since this treatement increases the chance for cardiovascular disease phosphorylated diethyle stilbesterol is used nowadays.

6) Chemotherapy:-Drugs like cyclophosphamide, cisoplatim ect are given.

7) Radiotherapy is also done for some cases.

8) Homoeopathy:

Homoeopathic drugs like carcinocin, conium, sabal, crotalus, thuja, iodum, selinium, staphysagria, sulphur ect can be given according to symptoms.Constitutional homoeopathic medicine will give great relief and can increase the life span.

9) Yoga and meditation is also healpful.