Mesothelioma, a rare form of lung cancer, continues to remain a challenge for the medical fraternity. This form of cancer is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma can be either malignant or non-malignant in nature. Perhaps the most important concern in mesothelioma is the inability to diagnose it at an early stage, as most people exposed to asbestos usually remain unaware of it. Since almost all cases of mesothelioma can be attributed to exposure to asbestos, it is also known as ‘asbestos cancer.’

Mesothelioma results when the mesothelium cells become abnormal and divide uncontrollably. If not detected at an early stage, the cancer may spread to other body parts. Malignant mesothelioma continues to remain the most critical of all, and curing the disease at this final stage is extremely challenging. Physicians use several techniques to determine mesothelioma, particularly advanced imaging techniques. To determine the stage of mesothelioma doctors use several tested techniques such as the Butchart system, the TNM system, or the latest Brigham System. A definitive diagnosis, however, is still being practiced through techniques of fluid diagnosis and tissue biopsy.

General physicians are not able to treat the disease because of their lack of any special training for the disease. At best, the general physician can suspect mesothelioma and refer the patient to a special group of doctors who are specifically trained in several areas of mesothelioma. Once in the care of the specialist, the patient is taken care of by the pulmonologist, the thoracic surgeon, the medical oncologist, the radiation oncologist, and pathologists and the respiratory therapist, in sync with the agreed line of treatment.

The arduous process of mesothelioma diagnosis is a difficult experience for patients and their near and dear ones. The long-drawn tests, endless consultations and frequent visits to hospitals add to the woes of the sufferer. There are several missions and charitable organizations that understand the plight of the mesothelioma patients and their family members, and offer their services in the form of psychological counseling and other services that seek to mitigate the pains to a large extent.

e-MesotheliomaDiagnosis.com Mesothelioma Diagnosis provides detailed information on Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Malignant Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Mesothelioma Diagnosis Support, Mesothelioma Doctors and more. Mesothelioma Diagnosis is affiliated with e-MesotheliomaAsbestos.com Mesothelioma Asbestos Diseases.

Tags: lung cancer, mesothelioma

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Tags: lung cancer, mesothelioma

A small study revealed that quercentin and curcumin wich are extracted from onions and curry could have a big impact on colon cancer, reducing it significantly.

Five persons were chosen for this study that appeared in August. All five of them had a hereditary disorder called familial adenomatous polyposis that is the cause for the appearing of colon cancer by creating hundreds of colorectal polyps. Ussualy this is treated by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The problem with these drugs are their side really bad side effects like internal ulcers and bleeding.

During the six months the study lasted, each of patients received daily 20 mg of quercetin (extracted from onions) and 480 mg of curcumin (extracted from curry). After this period it was found that the colorectal cancer cells dropped significantly. The number of polyps decreased by 60 percent while the average size of polyps by 51 percent. At one patient the number of polyps increased in the first phase because he didn’t listen to the rules set by his doctors but, but after he started listening to the advices the number of polyps decreased immediately.

For the first time it was shown that curcumin has a similar effect as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in reducing the amount of polyps. Although the effect is similar curcumin is way better because it has minimal side effects.

By simply adding onions to a regular diet a pacient would ingest the quantity of quercetin needed to control the numbers and size of polyps, but the amount of curcumin you could ingest eating cury wouldn’t be enough. That’s why researchers advise using curcuming supplements for an effective cancer treatment.

Although the results where pretty convincing a larger study is required before curcumin and quercetin supplements could be introduced in regular cancer treating.

For greater resources on colon-cancer-center.com/ colon cancer or especially about colon-cancer-center.com/metastatic-colon-cancer.htm metastatic colon cancer please visit this link colon-cancer-center.com/metastatic-colon-cancer.htm colon-cancer-center.com/metastatic-colon-cancer.htm

Tags: cancer treatment, colon cancer, colorectal cancer

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Tags: cancer treatment, colon cancer, colorectal cancer

Multiple enzyme digestive formulas can be taken with meals to aid in digestion. This is especially helpful for women who are undergoing or have recently undergone any form of chemotherapy. The effects of the drugs used will often compromise the function of the digestive tract for some time and therefore will adversely affect the ability to digest foods and nutrients properly and completely. A multiple enzyme digestive formula will aid in the absorption of nutrients, which is important in maintaining health and proper functioning of the body.

Cadmium and magnesium are minerals that are important in helping to maintain and create bone mass. It is particularly important to take them after chemotherapy and radiation treatments. For reasons still unclear, women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy have a significant loss of bone during this period. Because it is difficult to digest, many women find to hard to take calcium during chemotherapy. On the other hand, if it is tolerable, taken during this time it may be beneficial. The chemotherapy drugs may affect the osteoblastic cells that are constantly replacing reabsorbed bone. This loss is small in relation to one’s total bone mass, perhaps 1 to 2 percent, but it is difficult to replace later.

There are several medications to help correct osteoporosis that results from breast cancer chemotherapy. One class of medications is known as bisphosphonates. A group of German doctors recently performed a clinical trial using bisphosphonates in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer. The groups of women receiving the bisphosphonate clodrinate had a significantly lower systemic recurrence rate compared with the women who did not take the medication. Other breast cancer research groups are in the process of repeating the experiment to see if the results can be repeated and reproduced. If so, this would be a major breakthrough in that bisphosphonates have a very low side effect profile.

One of the richest food sources of calcium is seaweed. It can be eaten daily as a salad, vegetable, condiment, or seasoning. Other rich sources are dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale, collards, beet greens, cabbage, and broccoli. Additional sources of calcium include tofu, molasses, and almonds.

Essential fatty acids are critically important but are largely absent in American food sources, since they are damaged or destroyed during modern food processing. As a result, most Americans are chronically deficient. It is recommended to take both flaxseed oil and evening primrose oil, alternating every two weeks to facilitate replenishment of damaged and hydrogenated fat that has been used by all cells in the body in the absence of high quality fats. The dosage should be up to 1,000 mg of evening primrose oil or one tablespoon of flaxseed oil per day.

Until more research is done on diet and breast cancer, it is impossible to say how much soy and flaxseeds a woman should take following the consultation of her conventional Western treatments. One estimate is that 200 mg of soy equals 0.3 mg of pharmaceutical estrogen. Another estimate is that a half cup of soybeans and two soybean snacks are equivalent to about 200 mg of plant estrogen.

Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant that provides protection to all lipid-rich tissues in the body, including the skin; the mucous membrane of the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs; the soft tissue and linings of the digestive tract, kidney, and bladder; and breast tissue. Several studies have shown that an increase in dietary beta carotene may significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer. Carotene is abundant in carrots, but it is present in even higher concentrations in green leafy vegetables such as beet greens, spinach, and broccoli.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to breast-cancer.treatment-and-guides.com/ Breast Cancer

Tags: breast cancer, chemotherapy

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Tags: breast cancer, chemotherapy

Here’s a look at the current prevention, detection and treatment options for the four most common types of cancer—and what might be available in the next five years.

Breast Cancer Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and results in some 178,000 new cases and 40,000 deaths annually.

Prevention Maintaining a healthy weight through menopause, exercising, and limiting alcohol consumption may reduce a woman’s risk. As for hormone replacement therapy, there are differing opinions; talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits.

Detection If there’s a family history of breast cancer, get tested to see whether you carry the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 genes. Perform breast self-exams and have regular mammograms. These can catch precancerous cells and small tumors before they spread.

Treatment The options include surgery and radiation; chemotherapy; anti-estrogen medications such as tamoxifen; aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole; and targeted drugs such as trastuzumab.

Coming next Breast MRIs and ultrasound may become the standard for early detection. Treatment may be more focused, with less-invasive surgical techniques and better, more targeted radiation treatments. Prostate Cancer Some 219,000 cases of prostate cancer—the most common type of cancer in men and the second-leading cause of all cancer deaths—are diagnosed every year.

Prevention Restricting fat intake may help prevent the disease. The ACS says a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in red meat may cut the risk.

Detection The American Cancer Society recommends regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests and digital rectal exams starting at age 50—age 45 for African-American men and those with a first-degree relative diagnosed with the disease before age 65. But it’s not a perfect test.

Treatment Hormonal therapy that reduces the production of testosterone slows tumor growth and may prolong survival. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are also used.

Coming next New drugs currently in trials could reach the market within five years.

Lung Cancer Lung cancer is responsible for nearly 30 percent of all cancer deaths. In 2007, new cases may exceed 213,000, while deaths may top 160,000.

Prevention The biggest risk factor is smoking, which accounts for about 87 percent of new cases. Next on the list: exposure to secondhand smoke, asbestos and radon gas.

Detection A spiral computer tomography (CT) scan is being tested to see if it can pick up tumors at an earlier, more treatable stage. Scientists are also studying whether early detection prolongs survival.

Treatment Surgery, radiation and conventional chemotherapy are used. Two targeted drug therapies, erlotinib and bevacizumab, attack cancer cells only, leaving most healthy ones alone.

Coming next In about five years they may have a genetic test (“lung metagene model”) to predict a person’s prognosis.

Colorectal Cancer In the U.S., more than 52,000 deaths related to cancer of the colon or rectum occur each year; almost 154,000 new cases are diagnosed.

Prevention Most colon cancer arises from polyps. But it takes 8 to 12 years for a polyp to turn into cancer, so the earlier polyps can be removed, the more colon cancer risk is reduced.

Detection Colorectal screenings should begin at 50, along with an annual fecal occult blood test and a flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or a colonoscopy every 10 years. African-Americans should begin colorectal screening at 45.

Treatment Surgery—alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiation—is the common treatment. Newer targeted drugs, such as bevacizumab and cetuximab, keep cancer cells from growing and improve overall survival rates.

Coming next Fecal DNA analysis, in which stool is tested to identify genetic mutations, may help in prevention and diagnosis. The test is expected to be available in two to four years. Researchers continue to make progress in preventing, managing and treating cancer– and that’s welcome news for all of us.

Writer: Jo Cavallo ©REMEDY, Summer 2007

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer risk, chemotherapy, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, treatment of cancer

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Tags: breast cancer, cancer risk, chemotherapy, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, treatment of cancer