Mesothelioma treatment options depend on many internal factors such as: stage, location, and the patient’s age and desires. Important external factors to consider include the experience level of the oncologist with mesothelioma cases and whether or not a rural dweller would have to be transferred to a larger city for aggressive treatment or palliative care.

Patient survival rate is determined to be up to a year; while some leading cancer centers have reported life expectancy after diagnosis to be as much as five more years.

Screening

Imaging tests allow doctors to see a picture of the cancer site. These tests could include x-rays, CT scans (computed tomography), or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

New Screening Instrument: The Mesomark Test

The Food and Drug administration has just approved (January 2007) the world’s first in-vitro test for mesothelioma. The Mesomark assay test, developed by Fujirebio Diagnostics is administered to patients diagnosed with biphasic or epithelioid mesothelioma by a simple blood test. The test measures proteins within the blood that reflect changes in the patient’s tumor volume, a key factor for monitoring patient status and response to therapies.

Traditional Treatment Types

Surgery, removal of the entire lung and a part of the chest lining, the diaphragm and part of the sac surrounding the heart.

Thoracoscopy is the insertion of an endoscope which is a small narrow tube, containing a tiny cameria into the pleural cavity to look directly at the tumor. Pathologist’s perform a biopsy to collect a tissue. Often, chemical pleurodesis (draining fluid in the intrapleural space), can be accomplished during the same procedure.

Mediastinoscopy, another type of surgical incision is sometimes used to stage the extent of disease when enlarged nodes are seen using imaging techniques.

Laproscopy is used in mesothelioma patients when imaging techniques suggest that the tumor has penetrated through the diaphragm. This information is important in evaluating a patient for potential pleurectomy or extrapleural pneumonectomy.

Radiation Therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells.

Radiation - Although mesothelioma tumors are highly resistant to radiotherapy, these treatments are sometimes used to relieve symptoms arising from tumor growth, such as obstruction of a major blood vessel.

Radiotherapy is commonly applied to the sites of chest drain insertion, in order to prevent the growth of the tumor along the track in the chest wall.

Chemotherapy – is used to stop the cancer cells from growing and dividing.

Immunotherapy: Heated Intraoperative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy requires the removal as much of the tumor as possible followed by the direct administration of a heated between (40 and 48°C) chemotherapy agent, into the abdomen for 60 to 120 minutes and then drained.

Palliative Procedures

Pleuroperitoneal Shunt is a procedure where a catheter is placed under the skin from the pleural to the peritoneal cavity. This procedure raising concerns as the catheter can cause damage by embedding itself into the abdomen.

Pleurectomy, a palliative procedure, may be performed when more extensive surgery is not an option. The procedure does not effectively remove all tumors. It is considered the most effective means of controlling pleural effusion (fluid buildup) in cases where the lung’s expansion is restricted by the mesothelioma.

Potentially Curative Procedures

These procedures are performed with “curative intent”.

Pleurectomy/Decortication is usually performed on patients with early stage pleural mesothelioma disease (Stage I and selected Stage II), and attempts to remove all gross tumor.

Extrapleural Pneumonectomy is surgery to remove a diseased lung, part of the pericardium, part of the diaphragm and part of the parietal pleura. This type of surgery is used most often to treat malignant mesothelioma and is combined with traditional chemotherapy and/or radiation, gene therapy, immunotherapy or photodynamic therapy.

Cytoreductive Surgery removes visible tumors in the peritoneal cavity. The remaining cancer cells are treated by Intra-Peritoneal Hyperthermic (heated) Chemotherapy (IPHC) and then delivered to the abdominal cavity.

New or Experimental Therapies

Gene Therapy: The best known tumor suppressor gene is called p53. If this gene is damaged or non existent oncogenes or cancer genes multiply at an abnormal rate. The main focus of gene therapy for mesothelioma involves injecting a virus that has been modified in the laboratory. The virus is injected into the pleural space in the chest, where mesothelioma develops as an attempt to kill the cancer cells.

Drug or Vaccine Therapy

Patients with mesothelioma have much higher levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) a chemical controlling blood vessel than people with any other type of cancer. Trials are being conducted to see if VEGF can be blocked, thus stopping the growth of blood vessels feeding the mesothelioma tumors.

Bevacizumab is a drug vaccine currently in use. One trial recently reported that this drug may increase survival for patients with lung cancer. An American phase 2 trial tested bevacizumab for mesothelioma, in combination with chemotherapy drugs. Bevacizumab is still in the experimental phase and much larger trials are needed before we will know how effective it will be in treating mesothelioma and other types of cancers.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

In Photodynamic therapy a drug called a photosensitizing agent is injected into the bloodstream and absorbed by the body’s cells rendering the cells sensitive to light. When the area to be treated is exposed to laser light, the cells are killed. PDT has to be combined with surgery to treat patients in the early stages of mesothelioma. PDT is still in the trial stages and very experimental.

Clinical Trials and Eligibility

Clinical Trials provide research by using a sampling of people affected by the cancer. The National Cancer Institute states that the purpose of most listed clinical trials is to test new cancer treatments or new methods of diagnosing, screening for or preventing cancer.

Eligibility requirements for clinical trials are not the same; each study has specific guidelines for participation. Some trials allow participation after other treatments have failed, while others require that the patient did not have prior treatment. Choosing a clinical test should only be done after a medical consultation.

Prevention trials - study ways to reduce the risk, or chance, of developing cancer. Most prevention trials are conducted with healthy people who have not had cancer. These trials use drugs, vitamins or diet to reduce risk of cancer. Some trials are conducted with people who have had cancer and want to prevent the return of cancer (recurrence), or reduce the chance of developing a new type of cancer.

Screening Trials - study ways to detect cancer. They are often conducted to determine whether finding cancer before it causes symptoms decreases the chance of dying from the disease. These trials involve people who do not have any symptoms of cancer.

Diagnostic Cancer Trials - develops new tests or scans

Treatment Trials – studies new drugs or combinations of drugs; new ways of giving treatment, and new types of treatment

Quality of life trials explore ways to improve the comfort and quality of life of cancer patients and cancer survivors. These trials may study ways to help people who are experiencing nausea, vomiting, sleep disorders, depression, or other effects from cancer or its treatment.

Genetics Study Trials - are sometimes part of another cancer clinical trial. The genetics component of the trial may focus on how genetic makeup can affect detection, diagnosis, or response to cancer treatment.

Clinical trials are conducted in 4 phases:

Phase 1 trials look at whether a trial treatment drug is safe or has any harmful effects and attempts to establish the right dosage required.

Phase 2 trials look at the effectiveness of the treatment.

Phase 3 trials test a new treatment against the existing standard treatment. If it yields better results, it may become the new standard treatment.

Phase 4 trials are carried out after a drug has been licensed. They collect information about side effects, safety and the long term risks and benefits of a drug.

Ongoing research attempts to improve mesothelioma treatment options but clinical trials will not all result in new and better treatment. After testing, it may be discovered that the treatment being tested does not work, or that it has worse side affects than existing treatments. But, to researchers and doctors, and in the end for patients, it is crucial to keep this research going.

About the Author:

Dave Casey is a medical writer for Mesothelioma-Adviser.com, an informational guide for mesothelioma-adviser.com/ mesothelioma cancer victims. The site provides guidance on mesothelioma-adviser.com/mesothelioma-treatment-options.html
mesothelioma treatment options and mesothelioma-adviser.com/asbestos-legal-information.html asbestos legal information.

Copyright 2007 Mesothelioma-Adviser.com

Tags: cancer patient, cancer treatment, chemotherapy, lung cancer, mesothelioma, oncogenes, pleural mesothelioma

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Tags: cancer patient, cancer treatment, chemotherapy, lung cancer, mesothelioma, oncogenes, pleural mesothelioma

I am not a doctor, so I am writing this to the best of my ability to explain things so that other people can ask questions they might not have asked and explore areas of concern they might not have known to be concerned about. I thank-you in advance for sharing this article with as many people as possible so that more will know it’s details. I am blesses that my husband survived the Prostate Cancer and that I can open up with you about sex.

My husband has been Cancer -free for more than six years. He is lucky because first, he procrastinated in going to a doctor when he was experiencing a change in his ability to have erections.

He wanted more sex and better functioning and finally went to the doctor to ask about how to improve his sexual capabilities. To his horror, he was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer and required surgery to have the prostate removed.

His doctor told him that first and foremost concern was to remove all the Cancer, then if at all possible, to spare the nerves in the surgery to give at least the possibility that his body would return to normal over time and our sex lives would be much closer to normal.

When he asked how long it could take, he was told to expect between three and five years. Also, he would experience the need for protective pants due to urine leakage for about six months. Sex, would be different. Actually, to his shock, no longer any messy ejaculation, because there would not be any ejaculation. Feeling of the orgasmic experience could return but you wouldn’t see the result if you know what I mean.

Frustration filled many hours of the three years. The first signs of returns to normalcy were a decline in the frequency of the urine leakage. At first, it was noticeable that sex would be influenced by how tired or stressed he was feeling. If he was tired, his body would cooperate very well.

Initially, after being rested, in the mornings, upon waking. His body was ready and responded. It took almost another six months from that point and then evening activities were much better.

We learned that sensuality was so important. We learned to hug more, touch more, take more time, and to cater more to each other in pampering. loving, sensual ways. Thanks for letting us share.

Lori Wilk, MBA, is a high-energy motivational speaker, author, and producer of television, radio, and live events. Her internet talk show called “Successipes” is on success-talk.com success-talk.com

See you at Successipes2008 in Las Vegas. If you enjoyed this article go to loriwilkarticles.com loriwilkarticles.com and sexafterprostatecancer.com sexafterprostatecancer.com soon

c.2007 Lori Wilk. All rights reserved Worldwide. Reprint rights: You may reprint this article if you do not alter it any way, give author name credit, keep all links active, and follow ezine articles guidelines for publishers.

Tags: prostate cancer

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Ocular lymphoma, also referred to as intraocular large cell lymphoma, is a subtype of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma that primarily affects the central nervous system. The incidence of ocular lymphoma among the global population has known a pronounced decrease since 1960, although paradoxically it has slightly increased in the last few years. Although there isn’t enough evidence to support this theory, medical scientists believe that the recently increased incidence of the disease is mainly caused by prolonged treatments with immuno-suppressing drugs. However, in the absence of conclusive findings, this supposition has been disregarded by most oncologists.

Ocular lymphoma has the highest incidence among the male gender, and predominantly affects people with ages over 50. The categories considered to present the highest risk of developing this subtype of lymphoma are patients diagnosed with AIDS, patients who have suffered complicated surgeries and persons with native impairments of the immune system – especially people affected by the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. The implication of lymphoma at ocular level generally occurs in the incipient stages of the disease at brain level. Recent studies have revealed that in the majority of cases, ocular symptoms precede the occurrence of symptoms at the central nervous system level.

Patients diagnosed with Non-Hogkin’s Lymphoma at the level of the central nervous system may either present with intracranial nodules, meningeal or periventricular lesions, retinal affections or localized spinal malignant excrescences. Ocular lymphoma generally produces symptoms such as decreased vision, and inflammation of the eye. Despite the fact that ocular lymphoma may cause serious decreases in visual acuity and pronounced inflammation, pain is a rare symptom of this variety of lymphoma. Ocular lymphoma may at first affect only one eye, affecting both eyes in later stages of disease. Although this lymphoma subtype can be overcome with the aid of existing treatments, its occurrence often announces the occurrence of serious impairments at brain level, problems that are more difficult to cure. Thus, ocular lymphoma can be considered a major indicator for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at brain level, allowing doctors to timely intervene in order to minimize the development of further complications.

Patients with suspected ocular lymphoma need to go through a series of neurological investigations. The presence of symptoms such as headache, reduced vision, poor concentration, confusion or memory loss, corroborated with clinical signs of ocular lymphoma clearly point to involvement of the central nervous system in the disease. In order to slow down the progression of the lymphoma and to reduce the risks of complications, doctors often prescribe a series of medication treatments and therapies. Radiation therapy is generally recommended to patients with ocular lymphoma and in more severe cases, this form of therapy is combined with chemotherapeutic drugs.

So, if you want to find out more about

Tags: lymphoma

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To be happy, all you need is the simple ABC of wellbeing
solutions. That would prevent depression, and loneliness.
In return; you’ll have the following positive results:

Gain peace of mind. Worries free from side effects. No
addiction from substance abuse. Live longer - healthier -
happier lives. Defeat depression, and loneliness. Defeat
fear of change. Improve your life. Feel and look good.

Secrets

1. - Avoid discussion.

2. - Prevent argument.

3. - Do not get irritated.

4. - Avoid rushing.

5. - Take one thing at the time.

6. - Quit smoking. Plan your daily activities.

7. - Smile. Try to smile more.

8. - Laugh. Relax. Be cool.

9. - Control your emotions.

10. - Visit your physician regularly on a follow-up
basis to check:

a) Your blood pressure.

b) Your blood sugar.

c) [Your
prostate (have a PSA ) to see if you’re prostate
gland was inflamed or not. By doing this; you won't have
painful urination (dysuria), frantic surgery, impotence or
death.] That gland is like a balloon ready to pop due to
its inflammation. It is the male invisible menstruation.
Why? Because it has only one function - to grow.
[Watch out male 40yr and over!]

So, tomato juice (Lycopene) plus Zinc 50mg
supplement -1 tablet per day will be very helpful. Don’t just sit there.
This is serious. The more you wait is how much you’ll cry
your tears out from pain. Discuss this with your doctor today.
I don’t want you to suffer.

d) Have your mammogram test (female)
if you’re 40yr and over.
You’ll avoid the breast cancer. Folks, listen,
whatever how tough your problems are; don’t give up. Life
is worth living. Think it could be worse. Tomorrow will be
better. You got to believe it.

Turn your radio or stereo ON to 94.9FM to listen to (The
Oldies). Let’s spread this word out. Be happy. 2/09/07

About the Author:

Richard Bousseau, Author, Philosopher has been helping humanity to
cope with their afflictions of life through E-Books, CD’s, Workbook with his background in Philosophy, Sociology, Ethics, Business Ethics, Business Communications -with help of personal life experiences of burden ordeals he survived.

He has been devoted his life to helping others to cope with their tribulations of life, in order they can be free from side effects; and they could live a healthier/happier lives better.

abcwellbeingsolutions.com abcwellbeingsolutions.com; mailto:info@abcwellbeingsolutions.com info@abcwellbeingsolutions.com

(C) 2006-2007 Richard Bousseau

Tags: breast cancer

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