Mesothelioma Cancer

People who are at risk of getting mesothelioma cancer

2008-02-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

People who are at risk of getting mesothelioma cancer.

Who gets mesothelioma can depend greatly in a number of conditions. Asbestos exposure is not limited to manufacturing work sites. Schools, churches, office buildings, and recreational centers contained significant amounts of asbestos until only a few decades ago. While those who worked in asbestos quarries and manufacturing centers are the most at risk, significant amounts of unrelated people were indirectly endangered. Furthermore, asbestos contamination affected many occupations not directly involved in the asbestos production or construction industries.

Mesothelioma in Military War Veterans – Navy personnel

Military war veterans – Navy personnel in particular - are at risk of developing mesothelioma because they were exposed to significant levels of asbestos in shipbuilding, insulation, and fire retardant materials on ship and at base. Military necessity outweighed health concerns, and thousands of innocent people and their families are now paying the price for this oversight. Even though veterans of the military cannot sue the government because of asbestos-related diseases, there are other ways to take action against those responsible. Furthermore, civilian military workers are also covered by the provisions of many special mesothelioma legal actions.

Mesothelioma in Mechanics and other Workers

Workers are the people at most risk of developing mesothelioma, because they worked directly or indirectly with the deadly materials. There are dozens of at risk jobs, but some are more dangerous than others. These include:

• Automotive mechanics
• Boiler makers
• Bricklayers
• Building Inspectors
• Carpenters
• Electricians
• Insulators
• Iron workers
• Laborers
• Longshoremen
• Maintenance workers
• Merchant marines
• Millwrights
• Painters
• Plasterers
• Plumbers
• Roofers
• Sheet metal workers
• Tile setters
• Welders

Family members of workers exposed to asbestos.

Perhaps the most tragic aspect of mesothelioma is the innocent family members of workers that had no direct exposure to the material but suffer from the disease nonetheless. Workers who dealt with this deadly material often carried microscopic asbestos fibers home with them in their clothes and hair, which caused secondary exposure to their families and friends. Over time, these innocent victims can develop mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other fatal conditions.

Other people that get mesothelioma.

There are other people that get mesothelioma besides other workers and their family members. Because asbestos was used in thousands of different industries in thousands of different locations, people with no exposure to asbestos in the workplace are now suffering from this disease. Asbestos insulation in churches, schools, recreation centers, and shopping centers can be responsible for a mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancers.

Victims of Mesothelioma. If you are an unfortunate victim of asbestos-related mesothelioma, regardless of how you developed it, you may be entitled to take legal action against those responsible for your condition. Asbestos litigation is one of the most potent legal tools for victims of mesothelioma to reclaim the life stolen from them by the greed and deception of asbestos companies. Contact a dedicated and experienced mesothelioma attorney today.

source:resource4mesothelioma

Mesothelioma news - Australia :Victim's family of mesothelioma cancer funds asbestos research

2008-02-20T01:17:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma news

Mesothelioma cancer victim's family funds asbestos research
February 5, 2008 - 2:04PM
source:news.smh.com.au

The family of a man who died four months after winning a record $2.75 million payout from asbestos manufacturer James Hardie, has commemorated his death with a gift.

Tim Lacone died last June aged 58 after a battle with the asbestos-related disease, mesothelioma.

His family has now donated $200,000 to a research fund established by his law firm, Slater & Gordon.

Mr Lacone had reached a multi-million-dollar settlement with James Hardie on February 5 - exactly one year ago.

Mr Lacone's sister-in-law and carer, Meg Bentley, wept on Tuesday as she recalled the pain he suffered before succumbing to the cancer.

She said his death was a great loss.

But before he died, Mr Lacone invented a revolutionary water saving filter for swimming pools, which his family has continued to develop.

"He was a very caring person," Ms Bentley told reporters in Melbourne.

"He had such an inventive mind.

"It's a loss to everybody that Tim is not around any more."

The $200,000 was donated to Slater & Gordon's Asbestos Research Fund, as Mr Lacone had wished.

The firm donated an additional $300,000, bringing the fund's total contributions to $1 million since 2004.

The first $500,000 of the fund has already been spent on a range of research projects.

Lawyer Peter Gordon said advances in treatments and a possible cure for mesothelioma would be assisted if large companies linked to asbestos also donated to research.

He said while some provisions for research funding were made by James Hardie and CSR, more was needed.

"It's a mere fraction of the amount that is spent in compensation," he said.

"I think that whilst Slater and Gordon and Tim's heroic donation are important, it doesn't really compare to the sort of money that would be available if these big companies, whose asbestos liabilities runs into tens of millions of dollars, were prepared to open their pockets.

"We say to them, they should have another look at it."

Ms Bentley said Mr Lacone's invention was currently at the trial stage with filter company Hurlcon.

mesothelioma news

Mesothelioma cancer victims who fight with the cancer

2008-02-18T23:02:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma cancer

Shirley Kaven defied disease to make 14 years of memories
By Jim Sheeler, Rocky Mountain News, August 19, 2004

JOHNSTOWN - Only a few months after the diagnosis, Shirley Kaven stood tall in the back of a pickup truck and decorated the entrance to her new horse ranch. As usual, she was smiling.

"This is a woman who's just been told she's going to die," said her husband, Jerry Kaven, as he looked at a photo of his wife.

The smiling woman in the photo would go on to travel the world and roll on the floor with new grandchildren. She would pilot a boat, fly in a glider and parasail. She would raise and ride horses and share her skills with other people whom nobody ever expected to sit in a saddle.

"For 14 years, you couldn't tell she was sick. Everyone would look at her and say, 'She doesn't even look sick,' " Jerry Kaven said. "But it was inside, eating her away."

Shirley Jean Kaven died Aug. 11 of complications from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by inhalation of asbestos. She was 66.

She spent the first part of her life in the shadows of the auto factories of Dearborn, Mich. She married her high school sweetheart, Jerry Kaven, and by 19 she had their first child. Neither would go to college; they would both learn life on the job.

For Mrs. Kaven, that didn't take long.

In 1968, amid racial turmoil in nearby Detroit, the Kavens and their four children moved to Colorado, and Jerry Kaven soon co-founded Accurate Plastics in Longmont. From the onset, Mrs. Kaven was an integral part of the firm, primarily in bookkeeping. Over the years the company grew to more than 140 employees.

In 1989 - only months after retirement - Mrs. Kaven said she had trouble breathing.

She may have been exposed to asbestos while she helped build the family's first home in Colorado, her husband said. The diagnosis: six to 18 months.

Shirley Kaven dug in, still smiling.

"She said if you don't start from your heart and have a positive attitude, your body's not going to follow," Jerry Kaven said. "She said, 'You gotta take charge and be the captain of your own ship.' She was not going to let it take her without a fight."

She began a barrage of therapies, both holistic and traditional.

For the first few years, she seemed to have kicked the cancer. The family moved to a 35-acre equestrian ranch, where she shared horses with her children and grandkids. She volunteered at the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, where the woman with the terminal disease was the one teaching disabled kids to ride.

Inside their home Tuesday, Jerry Kaven flipped through photo albums filled with memories that medical experts said she would never have - including nearly five years of living in a motor home while traveling across the United States. They eventually built a new home in the Florida Keys but returned to Colorado last year as she continued to weaken.

Soon she was also battling inoperable heart and lung conditions. Still, she refused to leave every doctor's office without one of her trademark hugs.

Hours before her death in the hospital, her family realized what was happening. She lived the last few hours of her life as she had lived since the first diagnosis.

"She looked up," recalled her daughter, Susan Stewart, "and she said, 'Am I that sick?' "

mesothelioma cancer
source:mesotheliomaweb

Mesothelioma stories 7- Fight with the cancer

2008-02-18T23:01:00.001-08:00

Mesothelioma stories

Margie Levine: she taught how to live with cancer

By Katie Curley, Globe Correspondent, March 7, 2004

Margie P. (Plotka) Levine of Chestnut Hill and Cape Cod was told she had only months to live after she was diagnosed with the deadliest form of lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma, at the age of 43. Instead she lived another 14 years and published an influential book, "Surviving Cancer, One woman's story and her inspiring program for anyone facing a cancer diagnosis."

Mrs. Levine died yesterday at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She was 57.

After receiving treatment for the cancer in 1989, Mrs. Levine began speaking at hospitals such as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, promoting a blend of conventional medicine and holistic therapies that included following a specific diet, meditating, and seeking joy. A health education teacher, social worker, and therapist, Mrs. Levine conducted mind-body seminars for cancer patients throughout the country. In 1999 she spoke Cancer Association, and after her book was published in 2001 she went on two national book tours.

"I vowed that if I lived, I would dedicate the rest of my life to empowering other cancer patients who feel desperate to harness their coping skills," Mrs. Levine said in a 1999 Globe article.

Born in Utica, N.Y., Mrs. Levine graduated from Rider College in New Jersey and earned a master's degree in education from Boston University. She taught sex education and worked as a social worker in Braintree public schools for 15 years.

After her diagnosis, she became a student of her disease, traveling from Boston to New York to consult with specialists. She worked with her surgeon, Dr. David Sugarbaker, and the medical team at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to develop her own protocol.

She became the first in Boston to undergo an aggressive treatment that involved chemotherapy drugs being poured in her chest during surgery.

Her recovery continues to be influential in mesothelioma treatment. In the introduction to her book, Dr. Sugarbaker says, "every doctor wishes he had a Margie Levine as a patient." She was the longest survivor of the disease.

Mrs. Levine was dedicated to holistic medicine, and throughout her treatment she created own healing program.

"When you give, you get. And this girl gave," her husband, Ralph, said yesterday. "What she got back from patients was intangible. Even in her worst state, she would go up to a patient and ask them what they were eating."

In addition to counseling patients from around the world by phone, Mrs. Levine was the director of the Boston chapter of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, an organization that promotes the mind-body connection in medicine.

Mrs. Levine split her time between Chestnut Hill and Cape Cod.

"She was earthy and genuine." said her son, Daniel, of Colorado."

Her home was filled with flowers and often friends, who would drop by unannounced. Her passions were picnics in the backyard, and gourmet dinners on the beach with friends."

In the last months, Mrs. Levine and her family organized a fund in her name to buy her book from her publisher. The fund will publicize the book and work toward keeping it in bookstores and doctors' offices.

In addition to her husband and son, Mrs. Levine leaves another son, Randy, of Florida; and two grandchildren.

mesothelioma stories

source:mesotheliomaweb

Mesothelioma stories 6- Fight with the cancer

2008-02-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

WILLARD DAHL OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON --1998

Getting the Bad News

When my doctor first told me I had mesothelioma it didn't completely surprise me. For several years off and on I'd had trouble with my breathing.

In 1992 I asked my doctor if Lichen planus (a disease of the skin which I have) can affect the lungs, and he said no. So I knew something else was wrong. The date of diagnosis was the last part of July '96, and it was a real shocker (to the family). I suppose if I had been 10/20/30 years younger it would have been tougher, but now that our children have children of their own and other problems as well it makes it easier for everybody.
Battling

This battle I have with cancer has just begun, and we still don't know what the outcome will be. I'm not the type to say "I'll lick this thing" "too macho."

In the mean time I do the things I've always done -- walk my two miles every day like clock work, take my wife to town every day for lunch, talk to our kids on the phone and see them when we can and keep things as normal as possible. Since I've had my lungs talcumed I don't have the quick energy. My lungs don't respond as before. But no complaints.

I saw Dr. Loveli on Feb. 23rd and he's very happy with my progress. My Mother died at age 92, and her older sister died at age 105. My Dad's sister lived well into her 90's so my chances of living a long life were pretty good. With that in mind, I feel the asbestos industry blind-sided me.
Hope

I know the fact that I've never smoked has played a part in my ability to fight this disease.

Next year my wife and I will celebrate our 50th.

---Willard Dahl

NOTE: Mr. Dahl and his wife did celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on March 26, 1999. Sadly, after a valiant three-year fight, he lost his battle with mesothelioma in July a few months later.

source:mesotheliomaweb

Mesothelioma stories 5- Fight with the cancer

2008-02-18T22:56:00.000-08:00

BOB HARTHCOCK OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, 1999
A Hard Worker and Responsible Manager

From 1952 to 1982, Bob worked at the ARMCO Steel Plant in Houston, the largest steel plant west of the Mississippi. During those 30 years, Bob and his wife Jean raised three children, who are now married with children of their own. Bob worked hard during those years. He started out as a helper and worked his way up including duty on the night shift for nine years and as step-up foreman on weekends. Yet he still made the time to coach little league for both his boys every year. He got merit increases every year and eventually became maintenance foreman in charge of several hundred men.

Bob Harthcock believed that responsible management meant hands-on management. Hands-on management meant arriving at work at 5:30 a.m. to meet with the night shift before they went home. It meant walking 9 miles a day to make sure that each and every worker was doing his job and lending a helping hand if necessary. Ironically, it was Bob Harthcock’s strong work ethic and hands-on management that exposed him to deadly asbestos fibers that led to this disease.
The Exposure and the Disease

Bob Harthcock had no earthly idea that the asbestos fibers he breathed in daily as part of his job, were in fact a ticking time bomb, that would one day cause the deadly cancer mesothelioma. He had no earthly idea that the white powdery substance that he brought home on his work clothes would endanger his family. He had no clue that when Jean shook out his clothes before doing laundry, this would one day cause her to suffer from asbestosis and lose 40% of her lung’s diffusing capacity.
Coping and Surviving

Bob and Jean are people that anyone would be proud to have as neighbors. They are totally devoted to each other, to their fellow man and to their faith. They have made the best of their situation.

For the last 10 years they have been full time volunteers, not earning a penny and even paying their own expenses. They have traveled all over Texas and Mexico helping build homes for the homeless and churches for the poor. They have volunteered in hospitals and in ambulances as paramedics. They have taught English and Bible classes, and helped prepare food for the poor in Mexico and Central America, and for the Apache Indians in New Mexico.

Like Bob, many people with this disease are told they will survive 6 to 8 months after diagnosis. Bob has been breaking records with a seven year survival as of 1999. His doctors at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston are perplexed. Bob, who is a religious man has told them "try prescribing prayer".

NOTE: Bob Harthcock lost his valiant battle with mesothelioma on May 28, 2000, after helping many others deal with this disease. Bob's great-grandson was born on the day of his death.

source:mesotheliomaweb

Mesothelioma stories 4 - Fight with the cancer

2008-02-18T22:43:00.000-08:00

BELLE MCGUCKIN OF MANITOBA, CANADA, 1999
The Symptoms and Diagnosis

In July of 1998, I had a heavy, bronchial-type cough. My doctor said if the cough did not go away completely to come back and see him. At that time, he gave me a chest x-ray, which showed a pleural thickening on my right lung. I was sent to a respirologist who in turn sent me to a thoracic surgeon for an open chest biopsy. It was three months from when I first went to my G.P. with the cough to when I was diagnosed on Oct. 23rd with metastatic mesothelioma.

I was told many times how I don’t fit the profile –generally men in there 60s and 70s who’ve worked in asbestos-related industries. But I had it and I was told there was nothing that could be done as mesothelioma is always incurable and fatal.
Belle’s Reaction

Many of us wonder what we’d do if told we had a terminal disease. It had crossed my mind in the past especially when I’d heard of people I know who had been given such devastating news. Of course, I couldn’t imagine what they’d be going through – but now I can.

My first reaction was disbelief. I told the surgeon, "How can you tell me I’m going to die? I don’t feel sick." To which he responded, "You soon will." And there were tears. I think it was harder on my family than it was on me. I guess they felt helpless and full of despair.

The first three days after diagnosis were the worst. I cried constantly. I didn’t eat. Then on the third day I received my first ray of hope.
Finding Hope and Help

My sister and two friends had started cruising the Internet looking for information on mesothelioma. One of the women found the Mesothelioma Web. After a 20 minute conversation the clouds started to clear away.

I became encouraged to pursue a cure or treatment. I was told that there are survivors of this disease and people who were living with it. I was advised to look into the various research that is going on.

This conversation gave me what nobody else had – HOPE –and I was buoyed. I was also hungry, all of a sudden, and I tucked into a big meal of steak and onions, potatoes, peas and carrots.

From then on, I wanted as much information as I could get – the latest up-to-date information. Not having a computer, I relied totally on my sister, Malveen, and the two friends, Judith and Rosemary. They found all sorts of information and I spent a part of each day sifting through papers, contacting doctors, researchers, and others diagnosed with the disease.

The more knowledgeable I became, the more empowered I felt. Of course, there were still plenty of tears and days when I felt that I was never going to find an answer.
Choosing a Physician

Finally, after researching, I decided the doctor I wanted to try and cure me was Dr. David Sugarbaker, chief of Thoracic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. I spoke to him on the phone at the end of November. He told me of a new protocol he had recently started and invited me to come to Boston for an assessment , and to see if I fit the criteria for this trial. My appointment was for Jan. 5, 1999 – approximately 2 ½ months from diagnosis.

I was very nervous while sitting in the waiting room that Tuesday. I knew I fit most of the criteria. My heart was strong; my blood was good; all my other organs were normal; I had no chronic diseases or ailments – but I didn’t know if I was in Stage I or if I was beyond, which would make me ineligible for that particular trial.
Miracles Happen

Then a miracle happened. One of Dr. Sugarbaker’s staff came to tell me that a man that was to be operated on Thursday couldn’t because his disease had progressed too far. Others on the waiting list couldn’t get to Boston on time for this operating room opening. So they were offering the spot to me! Dr. Sugarbaker had looked over my reports, MRI, etc. and I fit! I felt like I’d won the lottery. I met with the doctor and spent the rest of the day doing all the hospital pre-op necessities.

The operation is called an extra-pleural pneumonectomy followed by an intraoperative heated wash. My pleura, lung, diaphragm, and pericardium were removed. Then I was washed out for an hour with a drug call Cisplatin that was heated up to 4 degrees above body temperature. A new pericardium and diaphragm were reconstructed with gortex before I was sewn up 5 ½ hours later.
Recovering

This was a very heavy operation and there is a long recovery period. I know I’m not out of the woods yet – that there may be microscopic mesothelioma cells that weren’t eliminated and have started to divide and reproduce.

But can anyone be sure that something similar is not happening in their body or that when they leave the house this morning that they will come back tonight?

What I do know is that my prognosis is infinitely better than it was at the beginning, which was 0%. Every week I notice myself becoming stronger. My stamina is increasing. To look at me you’d never know I had major surgery. The 14 ½" incision is fading. A doctor told me I’d be able to wear a bikini. That’s great news because I’ve never worn one before! Dr. Sugarbaker told me that I’ll be able to continue scuba diving but, "wait six months."
Perspective

I feel a very lucky and truly blessed woman. The road was made much easier with the strength of my family. My friends, community, total strangers and new friends helped or encouraged me.

I found knowledge was a big factor in dealing with my disease. But HOPE was the biggest inspiration!

--Belle

source:mesotheliomaweb

Mesothelioma stories 3

2008-02-18T03:21:00.000-08:00

This is a story about Sarah on her battle against cancer (source:youtube)

Mesothelioma stories 2

2008-02-18T03:01:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma stories - Mesothelioma lawyer depose witnesses in an asbestos exposure case.

2008-02-18T02:06:00.001-08:00

Asbestos Exposure Deposition

Mesothelioma Treatment Part 4

2008-02-14T14:18:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma treatment

The treatment of pleural mesothelioma is difficult. When mesothelioma is diagnosed early, these treatment options are more successful. It should try to advance medical science to make new innovations in the treatment of mesothelioma. There are three options for treatment depending on severity of disease. One of the option treatment for mesothelioma cancer is radiotheraphy.

RADIATION THERAPY

Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, treats cancer by using penetrating beams of high energy or streams of particles called radiation. In treating mesothelioma, radiation may be used aggressively in combination with surgery, or palliatively to control symptoms.

In an aggressive combined modality approach, radiation is used to attack microscopic or residual disease remaining in the chest cavity after extrapleural pnuemonectomy. An example of this is Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which uses x-rays of varying intensities in conjunction with computer generated images to deliver targeted radiation directly to cancer cells while reducing the amount of radiation to surrounding healthy tissue. More on Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT).

Used palliatively, radiation can help control metastases (spread) of the tumor along tracks left by invasive procedures such as thoracoscopy, needle biopsy and chest tube drainage, or to control disease symptoms, such as pain or shortness of breath.

An exciting new development in radiation oncology is tomotherapy. A brief description of steps in the helical tomotherapy process.

source:mesotheliomaweb

Mesothelioma Treatment Part 3

2008-02-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma treatment

CHEMOTHERAPY

Chemotherapy is defined as the treatment of cancer using chemical substances. When cancer occurs, abnormal cells continue to divide uncontrolled. Anticancer, or chemotherapy drugs, work to destroy cancer cells by preventing them from multiplying. Read more on types of chemotherapy medicines.

Purposes of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy may be used to achieve different goals, depending on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis and the age and health of the patient. Since chemotherapy for mesothelioma is not considered "curative", the goal is:

· To control the cancer by stopping its spread or slowing its growth.

· To shrink tumors prior to other treatments, such as surgery. This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

· To destroy microscopic disease which may remain after surgery. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy.

· To relieve symptoms, such as pain. This is called palliative chemotherapy, and is given in cases when a drastic reduction in the tumor is not expected.

The most common use for chemotherapy in mesothelioma patients, is as an option for those who are not surgical candidates, however, various cancer centers are now conducting trials using the neoadjuvant approach. Alimta (pemetrexed) is a new drug recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use with Cisplatin in the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma whose disease is either unresectable or who are not candidates for curative surgery. Alimta is the first drug approval specific to mesothelioma.

The Alimta/Cisplatin chemotherapy regimen is the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatment specifically for malignant pleural mesothelioma. This is currently considered the most effective first-line treatment for mesothelioma patients who are not surgical candidates. A multi-targeted antifolate drug, Alimta works by blocking the enzymes necessary for DNA copying and cell division. During the clinical trial process, Alimta/Cisplatin improved median survival for pleural mesothelioma patients by approximately three months over treatment with Cisplatin as a single agent. Eli Lilly's information on treatment with Alimta.

As with any medical treatment, it is important to discuss the use of Alimta with your doctor. This conversation should include all pertinent information regarding effectiveness, administration and possible side effects of the drug combination. It is also important to begin vitamin supplementation of B12 by injection during the week prior to treatment (to be repeated every 9 weeks), and folic acid by mouth daily (to be continued until 21 days after the last cycle of Alimta). Additionally, you will be given an oral steroid medication to minimize the risk of skin rash or other possible side effects. Your doctor will have information on the correct dosages of each medication. Be sure to tell your doctor of any other medications you are taking (including non-prescription drugs) so he may be aware of any adverse interactions.

Alimta/Cisplatin is administered to patients on an outpatient basis every 21 days. This cycle of treatment involves a 10-minute IV infusion of Alimta followed by a 2 hour infusion of Cisplatin. How many cycles of treatment you receive will be dependent on your response rate to the drug (regression of the tumor or halt to progression of the disease) and the side effects you might experience.

Side effects of Alimta/Cisplatin are mild to moderate for most mesothelioma patients, i.e., nausea, vomiting and fatigue, and can usually be managed by your doctor. For some patients, however, side effects may be debilitating, and may require a decrease in dosage or removal from the program. All potential side effects should be mentioned to your doctor. Never assume any complaint is minor.

Administration of Chemotherapy

The most common way to administer chemotherapy is intravenously, or through a vein. A thin needle is inserted into a vein in the hand or in the lower arm. Intravenous administration of drugs allows for rapid entry into the blood stream. Drugs may also be delivered via catheters and/or ports.

· Catheters are soft, thin, flexible tubes placed into a large vein in the body. They remain in place for as long as they are needed.

· The catheter may sometimes be attached to a port, a small round plastic or metal disc placed under the skin on the chest. Ports also remain in place for as long as necessary.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy may also be delivered through a catheter or a port. The catheter is inserted through the abdominal wall. Chemotherapy drugs can then be infused directly into the abdominal cavity. Ports may also be placed under the skin of the abdominal wall and the catheter tunneled between the skin and muscle into the peritoneum.

Side Effects of Chemotherapy

Cancer cells grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells, but some normal cells also multiply quickly, particularly those in the digestive tract, reproduction system, and hair follicles. It is the damage done to normal cells that causes side effects. The type of side effects you might experience and how severe they are, depend on the type of chemotherapy you are receiving, the dosage given and how your own body reacts. Before beginning any chemotherapy treatment, you will be asked to sign a consent form. Before signing the form, be sure your doctor informs you of all the facts regarding the treatment he/she will be administering, including information about the particular drug or combination of drugs to be used, the possible risks or side effects, the number of treatments you will receive and how often, and whether it will be given during a hospital stay or on an outpatient basis. More on anti-nausea treatment for chemotherapy patients.

Click here if you are interested in learning more about chemotherapy for mesothelioma and the types of questions you should ask your doctor.

source:mesotheliomaweb

Mesothelioma Treatment Part 2

2008-02-14T14:08:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma treatment

Every year, doctors and scientists worldwide are developing new treatments and making new discoveries that help to improve the chance of survival and the patient’s quality of life. All persons are advised to consult with a medical doctor concerning treatment of mesothelioma or any illness. Surgery to remove the cancer can be done in a few patients but most patients are treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and supportive treatments such as painkillers and appetite-boosting tablets. Whatever treatment options a mesothelioma patient chooses, treatment is expensive.

SURGERY

Diagnostic Procedures

As previously mentioned in the "Symptoms" section of this website, a diagnosis of mesothelioma from fluid is many times inconclusive. Given this fact, diagnostic surgery becomes a necessary next step in confirming and staging mesothelioma.

Thoracoscopy enables a physician to evaluate the pleural cavity and to conduct multiple tissue biopsies under direct vision. In up to 98% of cases, a definitive diagnosis can be obtained. Often, chemical pleurodesis aimed at relieving the accumulation of fluid in the intrapleural space, can be accomplished during the same procedure. It is also possible to gauge the extent of the tumor, and make a determination of surgical resectability. While less invasive than an open biopsy, it can only be performed on patients where tumor has not obliterated the pleural space.

VATS, or video-assisted thoracic surgery is an alternative to thoracoscopy, although because of its more invasive nature, concerns of tumor seeding increase. By utilizing small incisions, the physician can view the pleural space with the assistance of a camera, and obtain sufficient tissue samples for analysis by a pathologist. Extent of the tumor (i.e., pleural involvement, chest wall invasion) may also determined, and recommendation as to the type of debulking procedure necessary can be made at this time.

Mediastinoscopy is sometimes used as an aid in staging extent of disease when enlarged nodes are seen using imaging techniques.

Laproscopy is used in mesothelioma patients in cases where imaging techniques suggest possible invasion of the tumor through the diaphragm. This information can be important in evaluating a patient for potential pleurectomy or extrapleural pneumonectomy.

Palliative Procedures

Palliative surgical procedures are those which treat a symptom of mesothelioma, without aggressively treating the disease itself.

Chest Tube Drainage and Pleurodesis is considered the most common of palliative treatments. Fluid build-up, or pleural effusion, is most often the first symptom which will prompt mesothelioma patients to seek medical attention. Once this effusion has occurred, it is many times persistent, returning rapidly after initial thoracentesis (draining of the fluid). In order to eliminate this problem, the pleural space must be closed. This is accomplished by use of a talc slurry or other sclerosing agent which produces an adhesion.

Thoracoscopy and Pleurodesis is done in conjunction with VATS using a powdered form of talc versus talc slurry. Both this and chest tube drainage and pleurodesis will be only effective if there is no tumor encasing the lung which restricts its expansion.

Pleuroperitoneal Shunt plays a limited role in palliation for several reasons. It involves placement of a catheter run under the skin from the pleural to the peritoneal cavity. Obstruction of the catheter and possible seeding of the tumor into the abdominal cavity may be concerns.

Pleurectomy, used as a palliative procedure, may be performed where more extensive surgery is not an option. In these cases, it is understood that all visible or gross tumor will not be removed. It is considered the most effective means of controlling pleural effusion in cases where the lung's expansion is restricted by disease.

Potentially Curative Procedures

These procedures are performed with "curative intent". Their goal is removal of all gross disease, with the knowledge that microscopic disease will most likely remain. Adjuvant therapy (another form of treatment in addition to the primary therapy) is typically aimed at eliminating residual disease.

For Pleural Mesothelioma:

· Pleurectomy/Decortication is usually performed on patients with early stage disease (Stage I and selected Stage II), and attempts to remove all gross tumor. If it is found that all tumor can not be removed without removing the lung, this may be done at the same time and is called pneumonectomy.

· Extrapleural Pneumonectomy is considerably more radical than other surgical approaches, and should be carried out by surgeons with great expertise in evaluating patients and performing the procedure itself. (See Finding Specialists.) Because in the past surgery alone has failed to effect a cure, or even to help prolong life for any extended period of time, it is currently being combined with traditional chemotherapy and/or radiation, or other new approaches such as gene therapy, immunotherapy or photodynamic therapy.

General Patient Selection Criteria for Extrapleural Pneumonectomy

Extrapleural pneumonectomy is a serious operation, and doctors experienced in this procedure choose their patients carefully. It is up to each individual surgeon to advise the patient on its feasibility and to conduct whatever tests he/she feel are necessary to optimize the patient=s chances for survival and recovery. Following is a general list of patient selection criteria. This list may not be all inclusive, and may vary according to the preference of the surgeon.

o Karnofsky Performance Status score of >70. This score relates to what symptoms of disease the patient may be experiencing and how well they are able to conduct their daily activities. Some surgeons may require a higher performance status than others.

o Adequate renal (kidney) and liver function tests; no significant kidney or liver disease.

o Normal cardiac function per electrocardiogram and echocardiography.

o Adequate pulmonary function to tolerate the surgery.

o Disease limited to the ipsilateral hemithorax (the same side of the chest in which the mesothelioma is located) with no penetration of the diaphragm, extension to the heart or extensive involvement of the chest wall.

o Age of the patient is taken into consideration, but may not be as important as their overall status.

Surgeries of this nature should always be done with a complete understanding of the possible benefits and risks involved. If you are considering surgery as a treatment option, speak openly with your doctor about your concerns, and be sure all of your questions are answered to your satisfaction.

For Peritoneal Mesothelioma:

· Cytoreductive Surgery is aimed at removing all or nearly all of the gross or visible tumor in the peritoneal cavity. In order to treat any remaining cancer cells, Intra-Peritoneal Hyperthermic (heated) Chemotherapy (IPHC) is then delivered to the abdominal cavity. The type of chemotherapy drug used may vary according to the physician’s preference. Click here for more on treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma.

source:mesotheliomaweb

Mesothelioma Treatment Part 1

2008-02-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma treatment

Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease.

Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma. Doctors said that the reason for his long survival rates stem from an early diagnosis and aggressive treatment. No particular course, or type of treatment for any person is suggested. All persons are advised to consult with a medical doctor concerning treatment of mesothelioma or any illness.

TRADITIONAL CARE

There are three traditional kinds of treatment for patients with malignant mesothelioma:

Surgery (taking out the cancer)
Chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer)
Radiation Therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells)

Often two or more of these are combined in the course of treatment.

MESOMARK BLOOD TEST

NEW! In January 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the MESOMARK assay to help monitor response to treatment in epithelial and bi-phasic malignant mesothelioma patients. A specific protein, or biomarker, called Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptide (SMRP), may be released into the blood by mesothelioma cancer cells. By measuring the amount of SMRP in a blood sample, doctors may be able to better monitor a patient's progress. Based on the limited amount of data currently available, use of this test may be beneficial, but effectiveness has not been determined at this time. The MESOMARK blood test has NOT yet been approved for the early diagnosis of mesothelioma.

This test has been approved as a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD), meaning that physicians must follow certain procedures to qualify their patients for testing. Once the physician is certified, informational brochures will be sent to be distributed to each applicable patient.

Those wishing to take part in MESOMARK testing will be asked to provide one or more samples of blood. The blood samples will then be sent to a national reference laboratory for testing. In conjunction with other clinical and laboratory data obtained by your doctor, decisions regarding your treatment and care may be simplified. You may discontinue testing at any time.

The costs associated with the MESOMARK blood test may not be covered under health insurance, therefore, you may be required to pay all or part of the costs out of pocket. It is recommended that you check with your insurance carrier to determine whether coverage is available under your policy.

source:mesotheliomaweb

People who are at risk of mesothelioma cancer

2008-02-14T13:13:00.000-08:00

What are the risk factors for mesothelioma cancer.

It has been identified that the main risk factor for developing mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. People who may be at risk for occupational asbestos exposure include some miners, factory workers, insulation manufacturers, railroad workers, ship builders, gas mask manufacturers, and construction workers, particularly those involved with installing insulation. The risk of lung cancer among people exposed to asbestos is increased by 7 times, compared with the general population.The affects from exposure to asbestos regardless their age, sex or races, they are at risk of contracting cancer as well as other diseases.

There are several studies have shown that family members of people exposed to asbestos at work have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, because asbestos fibers are carried home on the clothes of the workers.Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma cancer, and possibly other asbestos related diseases. As a result, each year 3,000 Americans and many thousands more worldwide develop mesothelioma, and millions of us are at risk.

Some work areas have been more susceptible to asbestos in the past. The following occupations have traditionally been area where risk of exposure to asbestos is great, and the numbers of people in such occupations contracting asbestos disease have been high.

Insulators
Boilermakers
Shipfitters
Steel Workers
Maintenance Workers
Pipe Fitters
Brake Mechanics
Demolition Workers
Building Survayers

reference:themesothelioma.org

Trades at high risk for developing mesothelioma include:

* Metal plate workers (including shipbuilding)

* Vehicle body builders (including rail vehicles)

* Plumbers

* Gas fitters

* Carpenters

* Electricians

* Construction workers

* Plasterers

* Builders

* Handymen

* Steel erectors

* Painters

* Sheet metal workers

* Welders

What types of products typically contained asbestos?

The following products commonly contained varying degrees of asbestos. This list is not all inclusive, and is meant only as general information.

* Molded or preformed lagging used in thermal insulation of pipes and boilers

* Sprayed asbestos used as fire protection in ducts, firebreaks, panels, partitions, soffit boards, ceiling panels and around structural steel work

* Insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts

* Asbestos packing used in firebreaks in ceiling voids

* Millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment; asbestos paper may also be used as a fireproof facing on wood fiberboard

* Asbestos cement products in both flat and corrugated sheets used as roofing or wall cladding; cement products were also used in gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks

* Textured coatings (such as Artex)

* Bitumen roofing material

* Vinyl or thermoplastic floor tile

Source: mesotheliomainternational

This does not mean that if you or a loved one has worked in any of these trades that you have likely contracted mesothelioma. However, if any of the symptoms do show up go see a doctor immediately. Early detection is often the best medicine.

In some cases just a very small exposure to certain types of the fibre can be very serious. Always get a specialist company to do tests.

risk factors for mesothelioma cancer

Mesothelioma treatment

2008-02-14T02:47:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma treatment.

Between 2,000 and 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer in the United States each year. Men are more likely to develop mesothelioma cancer than are women. It's more common in older adults — most people with mesothelioma are 65 and older — though mesothelioma can be diagnosed at any age. Experts predict that mesothelioma diagnoses will continue to increase in the United States for at least another 10 to 20 years. One study of asbestos insulation workers reported a mesothelioma death rate up to 344 times higher than the general population. By the year 2030 there are estimates that asbestos will have caused 60,000 instances of mesothelioma and around 250,000 other cancers that result in death.

How long does it take after exposure for mesothelioma to show up. An asbestos exposure of as little as one or two months can result in mesothelioma cancer 30 or 40 years later. People exposed in the 1940s, 50s, 60s, and 70s are now being diagnosed with mesothelioma because of the long latency period of asbestos disease. It is extremely difficult to secure accurate statistics about how many individuals suffer from mesothelioma because in the early stages, the symptoms are quite similar to various other conditions. Diagnosis of asbestos mesothelioma can be difficult due to the fact that the symptoms are similar to other respiratory diseases.

You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to an existing treatment. If you or a loved one had been diagnosed to mesothelioma cancer, may be facing the reality that mesothelioma cancer treatment is really necessary. Search for the latest treatment options and mesothelioma clinical trials information. Each mesothelioma case is considered individually and there is no right or wrong treatment for the disease.

Diagnostic tools such as x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and biopsies will be used to determine these factors and these tests will assist the doctor and/or oncologist in determining the best mesothelioma treatment for the patient in question. Your doctor will recommend one treatment or a combination of therapies that are best for your situation and overallprognosis. Even when mesothelioma treatment is possible, it is very expensive, sometimes costing between $400,000 and $800,000 for oxygen, drugs, pain medicine and other forms of treatment.

More and more victims are coming forward and until recently, have found that treatment for the disease in its advanced stages was prohibitively expensive. On the open market, however, cost to many consumers was $20,000 for six treatments. All persons are advised to consult with a medical doctor concerning treatment of mesothelioma or any illness. Every year, doctors and scientists worldwide are developing new treatment for asbestos mesothelioma and making new discoveries that help to improve the chance of survival and the patient’s quality of life.

Mesothelioma treatment

How mesothelioma lung cancer begins

2008-02-14T01:14:00.000-08:00

Lung cancer caused by mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer begin by long period exposure to asbestos and it is difficult to diagnose and treat. Mesothelioma is a cancer involving the mesothelium, a protective lining that encloses most of the body's internal organs. It is a type of cancer that attacks the mesothelial cells of the body. Mesothelioma typically affects the pleural mesothelium but in some cases, patients develop peritoneal mesothelioma in the abdomen.

Some people with only brief asbestos exposure can develop mesothelioma.Mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years after the first exposure to asbestos.That means that if you worked around asbestos 50 years ago, you could be developing mesothelioma now. This then causes family members to become exposed to asbestos and makes those family members at risk for contracting mesothelioma also.

They are three major types of mesothelioma cancer and their symptoms.

1. Pleural mesothelioma, which accounts for 75% of cases and starts in the chest cavity. The cancer affects the lungs and the protective lining and cavity of the lungs. The symptoms of pleural mesothelioma result from pleural effusion, which is increasing in fluid between the lung lining and the chest cavity. Sufferers of pleural mesothelioma may experience some or all of the following symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, difficulty in swallowing, shortness of breath, persistent coughing, weight loss, fever, coughing up of blood, and rasping.

2. Peritoneal mesothelioma, which accounts for about 10-20% of cases and the cancer starts in the abdomen and stomach. The cancer begin in the abdominal part and extend to other parts of the body, but the tumors that push against the wall of the abdomen can caused symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, breathing problems, chest pain, bowel obstruction, anaemia, fever, and blood clotting abnormalities.

3. Pericardial mesothelioma, which is rare and starts in the heart. The tumors affect pericardial mesothelioma patients can develop bad symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, persistent coughing, and palpitations.

A history of exposure to asbestos may increase clinical suspicion for mesothelioma. Because little was known about mesothelioma, victims and their families were unable to seek mesothelioma support. Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. As tests are developed that may help to diagnose mesothelioma at an earlier stage, surgery may become more of an option in the future.