Mesothelioma Lung Cancer News and Information
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops in the tissues of cells that line the lungs, heart and stomach. These tissues are called mesothelial cells and they become infected by inhaling particles of dust from asbestos fibers. Once these cells become infected they dry up the fluids surrounding these major organs of the body and tumors begin to develop. The most common form is pleural mesothelioma which accounts for 75% of all malignant cases however there are two other types peritoneal, and pericardial which you may be interested in reading about.
Understanding Mesothelioma
Dealing with mesothelioma is a very difficult process. It will require a lot of physical and emotional endurance, a strong family and social network, and expert medical and professional advice and assistance. The best way to approach dealing with mesothelioma is to first learn everything that you can about the disease. This should include the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of mesothelioma.
Understanding all of the aspects of mesothelioma will help the patient and their family and caregivers feel less helpless during treatment and give them the hope they need to recover successfully from this terrible disease. There are many sources of information available to help with understanding mesothelioma. They include doctors, nurses and community health care workers. They also include cancer information centers and university teaching hospitals that specialize in mesothelioma.
There are also many books written about the subject of mesothelioma, including ones written by mesothelioma patients, survivors and their families. Some books written by specialists in the field also provide helpful tips for patients and families who are beginning their mesothelioma treatments on what to expect and how to maximize pain management tools and techniques. The Internet has a wide range of websites that promote education and information about mesothelioma and offer suggestions on where to find specialists and other resources.
The relationship between the doctor and patient should be the primary source of understanding mesothelioma for the patient. The doctor has made the preliminary diagnosis and has the experience of dealing with similar situations in the past. To make the most of this important relationship the patient should prepare a list of questions in advance of any meeting or session with the doctor so as to minimize the time required and to get the most accurate information and answers to their questions.
Other people who have been through mesothelioma treatments can also provide helpful suggestions from their own experience on not just what to expect but how to best assist in one's own recovery. These suggestions will probably include tips on pain management but will also likely help the mesothelioma patient to physically and psychologically prepare for possible surgery and the recovery period that will follow.
Mesothelioma patients will require a lot of other support if they are going to successfully navigate the path to recovery. Some time and consideration will need to be given to financial concerns that will arise during the period of treatment and recovery from mesothelioma. This may include meetings and advice from a range of financial and insurance advisors in order to ensure that medical costs are covered and regular bills are paid during this difficult time.
It is certainly not easy to deal with all of the medical, physical, emotional, and financial issues that may be raised when dealing with a serious disease like mesothelioma, but it always better to be prepared.
Malignant Mesothelioma
If you are interested in just the facts on Mesothelioma you may click this link
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that develops in the mesothelial cells. These cells are tissue that surround or line the lungs, heart, and stomach. The mesothelial cells protect these organs by producing a lubricating fluid that allows these organs to move smoothly. There are 2 types of tumors of the mesothelium, "benign" and "malignant". A benign tumor is non-cancerous, which means it does not cause any damage or will not harm you. A malignant tumor of the mesothelial cells is called a malignant mesothelioma. Because tumors of the mesothelium are usually cancerous, malignant mesothelioma is usually just called "mesothelioma". At one time, malignant mesothelioma was considered very rare.
The incidence of malignant mesothelioma, however, has increased at an alarming rate. Today, at least 14 cases per million persons in the United States develop malignant mesothelioma each year. This means that over 3000 persons are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma annually. This number is probably understated because many cases of malignant mesothelioma are not properly diagnosed.
Mesothelioma takes a long time to incubate in the human body, sometimes occurring twenty to thirty years after people have been exposed to asbestos. Many trace the rise in mesothelioma rates to the great building booms of the sixties and seventies, before asbestos was known to be such a health hazard. Men and women who worked in the mining industry, shipbuilding, and construction, especially the insulating industry during that period are now presenting themselves to their doctor’s offices with symptoms of this deadly disease.
It is known as a deadly disease because most patients die within two years of being diagnosed with mesothelioma. They may have had symptoms of this disease before hand but likely thought it was just an asthmatic condition or lung infection. By the time they are properly diagnosed it is often too late. Mesothelioma is also a tragic disease because people were simply going to work without knowing the dangers they were facing and only many years later do they discover that their job in construction, the military or insulating pipes was actually killing them slowly from the inside out.
The only good news about mesothelioma is that scientists and doctors now know what causes mesothelioma and can ensure that hardly any future workers will be exposed to the dangers of asbestos fibers or the pain and suffering of mesothelioma. This is small comfort to the thousands of Americans who have already lost loved ones from this disease but at least future generations of workers are unlikely to suffer and die in these working conditions.
Anyone who has worked in any industry that caused an exposure to asbestos should have their doctor check for the development of mesothelioma. In some cases early detection can provide alternative treatment procedures that can alleviate and even stop the spread of this dehabilitating disease. There are also many sources of information about mesothelioma within the Mesothelioma Medical website in which anyone can find out more about mesothelioma and the damage it is causing to the health and lives of thousands of Americans and their families.
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Types of Mesothelioma
About Pleural Mesothelioma - A Cancer of the Lining of the Lungs
Pleural Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs, called the "pleura". The "pleura" are fibrous sheets that help to protect the lungs. They produce a lubricating fluid that allow the lungs to move smoothly as we breathe.
Because pleural mesothelioma is uncommon, some doctors misdiagnose the disease as lung cancer. Lung cancer, however, is different from pleural mesothelioma because lung cancer is a malignant tumor that originates in the lungs, whereas pleural mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the lungs.
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma. It accounts for about 75% of all types of malignant mesothelioma.
Find out more about:
Pleural Mesothelioma Symptoms.
Articles / Case Studies on Pleural Mesothelioma or Diffuse Malignant Mesothelioma.
About Peritoneal Mesothelioma Cancer
Peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer in the lining that surrounds the stomach or abdomin, called the peritoneum. The peritoneum are cells that produce a lubricating fluid that protect the stomach. They allow the stomach to move freely when, for instance, you are digesting food.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is much less common than pleural mesothelioma. It accounts for about 10 to 20% of mesotheliomas.
Find out more about:
Peritoneal Mesothelioma Symptoms.
Article / Case Studies on Peritoneal Mesothelioma / Abdominal Mesothelioma.
About Pericardial Mesothelioma Cancer
Pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer in the lining that surrounds the heart, called the pericardium. The pericardium are cells that produce a lubricating fluid that protect the heart. They allow the heart to move freely when, for instance, it is pumping blood to other parts of your body.
Pericardial mesothelioma is the least common form of malignant mesothelioma. It only accounts for 5 to 15% of all mesotheliomas.
The Four Stages of Mesothelioma
After confirming a mesothelioma diagnosis, the next step is called staging. Staging is the process used to find out how far the cancer has spread. Imaging studies, such as CT scans and MRI's, help a doctor to determine the mesothelioma stage. This is important because it affects the treatment and prognosis of mesothelioma.
The most common system used for measuring mesothelioma staging is the Butchart Staging System. This staging procedure is only used for pleural mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lungs) because it is by far the most common type of mesothelioma.
A. Stage 1 - Localized Malignant Mesothelioma
Stage I mesothelioma is the initial stage of mesothelioma. Here, the cancerous tumor is found in the pleura (the lung lining), and may also involvesome tumors in the lung, pericardium (the lining of the heart), or the diaphragm.
B. Stage 2 Mesothelioma
In Stage II mesothelioma, in addition to the presence of mesothelioma in the pleura, mesothelioma has spread to the chest wall, esophagus, or heart. Also, mesotheliomamay have spread to the lymph nodes in the chest.
C. Stage 3 Mesothelioma
In Stage III, mesothelioma has invaded the diaphragm into the peritoneum (the lining of the heart), and may involve lymph nodes outside of the chest.
D. Stage 4 Mesothelioma
In Stage IV, mesothelioma has metastasized, spreading through the bloodstream to other organs of the body.
Mesothelioma Pain Management
Communicating With Your Health Care Provider
Since pain is subjective, it is essential to communicate with your mesothelioma doctor or mesothelioma nurse in order to receive adequate relief. Because of the chronic nature of pain associated with mesothelioma, you should consult with your doctor or nurse as quickly as possible. Also, left untreated, mesothelioma pain often becomes more severe, making it more difficult to control.
You definitely should not let worries of being perceived as a "complainer" prevent you from seeking relief. You are your best advocate for appropriate pain control. Pain is a real experience for the majority of people with mesothelioma cancer, and it is your right to obtain the best relief available.
a)General guidelines when talking to your doctor about mesthelioma pain
If possible, keep written notes or a journal about your pain, and questions you would like answered. These notes should be comprehensive and accurate.
Ask questions. As with other aspects of your treatment, it is very important that you fully understand the basis of your pain and your relief options.
During discussions with your health care provider, have a loved one take notes for you. For most people, it is difficult to talk about your pain, ask questions, and take notes at the same time. This will allow you to focus your concentration on your discussion. (The same can be said for discussing mesothelioma treatment options.)
Make sure you express your views. Do not hesitate to offer an opinion about what may be causing or contributing to your pain. No one knows your body as well as you, and your insights are very valuable to your health care providers.
b) What your mesothelioma doctor should know
How the pain feels (use descriptive words such as dull, aching, throbbing, stabbing, piercing, pinching, sharp, aching, burning, tingling).
The intensity of your pain, when it is worst, and how the intensity changes through the day and night.
The frequency of the pain; when you have the pain (all the time or occasionally).
How quickly the pain comes on (suddenly or intermittently), how long it lasts (a few minutes or several hours), and how often it occurs.
What makes the pain worse. Describe conditions when the pain becomes more intense, such as moving, walking, talking, coughing, laying down, eating, going to the bathroom.
What eases the pain. Talk about anything that has helped you, including medications you have been using and the amounts you are taking.
Medications you are taking. Tell them about your pain medications, including any over-the-counter pain relievers, any alternative medications like herbs, and any medications you may be taking for other health conditions not related to cancer.
How the pain is affecting your life and what activities you no longer are able to perform, such as effects on your appetite and your ability to sleep.
c) Questions to ask your doctor about available medications for mesothelioma pain
What types of medications are available?
What are the side effects of these medicines?
How often and how long will I take it?
Are there harmful reactions with other drugs I am taking?
Can you suggest any non-drug methods to relieve my pain?
Medical professionals, however, are not the best source of knowledge on non-drug or alternate therapies for pain control. Therefore, we have included a section on alternative/complementary methods of pain control based on the literature (both printed and electronic) and anecdotal reports from patients about what has worked for them. Click on to the alternative therapy section to learn more about these approaches.
Mesothelioma Oncologists and Cancer Treatment Centers
There are mesothelioma related hospitals and doctors located all over the country. These are normally located in areas with university teaching and research facilities and are dedicated to treating mesothelioma cancers as well as conducting research and clinical trials on treatment and pain management methods for mesothelioma patients.
You can find a mesothelioma related research facility in most states of the union from Alabama to Washington. University mesothelioma facilities are located in the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Colorado in Denver, the University of South Florida in Tampa, Loyola University in Mayword, Illinois, the University of Maryland in Baltimore, the University of Mississippi in Jackson, and at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Specialized mesothelioma clinics and treatment centers are also located in many of the country’s most prestigious universities. They include the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of Los Angeles, the Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Therapeutic Radiology as well as mesothelioma treatment sections at the University of Chicago, John Hopkins University, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, Creighton University and the Cancer Research and Treatment Center, University of New Mexico.
Another source of information, treatment and research of mesothelioma is the network of cancer clinics that is spread all over the United States. These cancer centers focus on all aspects of cancer research, treatment, education and support to cancer patients and their families. Some of these centers are generic cancer centers whose main role is to research the causes of mesothelioma and other forms of cancer. Others carry out specialized research which zeroes in on the basic causes of mesothelioma and carries out clinical trials to test medications and other treatments. Still others put their efforts towards not only research but concentrate on education, support and treatment.
These cancer centers are the hub around which all mesothelioma research and clinical trials rotate. They let individuals seek specialized treatment for their disease but they also serve as a connecting point for doctors, scientists and researchers who are seeking better treatments and ultimately a cure for the ravaging disease of mesothelioma. These centers house teams of experts in oncology, pathology and radiologists that can track mesothelioma from its root causes to its eventual impact on the human body.
The doctors who affiliate themselves with both the universities and cancer centers are then able to tap into this vast body of knowledge that is being developed and evaluated on a daily basis. This ensures quality and up to date diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma patients and also provides the information and resources required to support their families and caregivers. This network of researchers and doctors provide the best possible source of information and treatment of mesothelioma that is available anywhere in the world today.
