The cancer of the mesothelium is known as Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma damages the tissues and other organs of the body and can also affect the cells and spread throughout the body. Asbestos is the main factor for this disease. People in factories or offices who work under the asbestos roof or people who manufacture asbestos sheets or asbestos related products tend to get this disease. Around 70-80 percent cases for mesothelioma are because of asbestos.
However, there are some cases where the person with mesotheliioma has no exposure to asbestos. The tiny particles or asbestos dust float in the air, and when they are inhaled, it leads to health problems. Exposure to asbestos also increases the possibility of lung cancer, and other types of cancers. Smoking as well as exposure to asbestos could lead to cancer in the air passageways.
Before the Internet era it was hard to find any information on mesothelioma. Now, with the advent of Internet, information about the causes, diagnosis, treatments etc can be gained with a click of a mouse. Around 2000 mesothelioma cases are diagnosed in the United States alone every year. In the past 20 years mesothelioma cases have shot up. Mesothilioma mainly affects men rather than women.
Some symptoms of mesothelioma are shortness of breath and chest pain. Mesothelioma is treated by surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy etc.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
How do People Get Mesothelioma ?
Alternative Breast Cancer Treatments
When diagnosed with breast cancer, many people feel helpless and out of control. Suddenly inundated with doctors and treatment decisions that are difficult to understand, it s easy to feel that you no longer control your own health or destiny. More and more, however, breast cancer patients are turning to alternative therapies as an adjunct to traditional treatments.
These are decisions and treatments that the patient can control and even administer themselves, giving back some control over their health.
Few patients opt for alternative therapies alone. The vast majority still undergo chemotherapy or radiation and sometimes a lumpectomy or mastectomy.
But, studies have shown that there are several alternative therapies that can be effective. In particular, these alternative therapies often have the ability to make the traditional treatments more effective.
If you re a breast cancer patient, you may want to consider adding alternative therapies to your current medical regimen. Following are some of the most effective therapies to consider:
Green Tea
Tea leaves contain catechins, part of the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids, which are anti-oxidants. EGCG is one of the catechins contained in tea, and is a potent anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants have been shown to slow down the aging process, and prevent diseases, including cancer.
However, more recent studies have shown that the EGCG and polyphenols in green tea may make traditional breast cancer treatments more effective.
There have been several studies that have shown that chemotherapy drugs commonly used to treat breast cancer appear in higher concentration in cancerous cells when green tea is administered along with the drugs. The green tea makes the cancer cells less resistant to the drug, so that it can be more effective.
Green tea is also helpful for treating cancer because it seems to slow down the progression of the disease. Cancer cells appear to stop growing and replicating when green tea is part of the treatment regimen. It is believed that green tea may be effective in preventing metastasis of cancer.
Diet
Watching your diet carefully while you re undergoing cancer treatment can also be an effective way to treat your disease naturally. First of all, you should ensure that your diet is rich in anti-oxidants.
This includes eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, and including power foods like blueberries, pomegranates, and tomatoes. In addition, as mentioned above, green tea is also a good way to improve the number of anti-oxidants in your diet. It is also important to increase the fiber in your diet.
This will happen automatically if you increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. However, eliminating white flour and replacing it with whole grains will improve your fiber intake as well.
Herbs and Vitamins
Of course, herbs and vitamins have been used for centuries to promote healing. After all, herbs were the very first medicines. There are several herbs and vitamins that can either soothe side effects of cancer treatment or improve the effectiveness of the treatments. Some of the most important are:
Ginger Root While ginger root doesn t appear to affect cancer cells one way or another, it is a powerful tool for reducing the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy.
Calcium D-Glucarate - This vitamin and mineral supplement has been shown to reduce mammary cancer in animals. There are no side effects, so adding this to your diet seems a safe alternative therapy.
Melatonin This is a pineal hormone. It is often used as a natural sleep aid. However, it is also a potent anti-oxidant that has been shown to inhibit estrogen responsive breast cancer cells. It also increases the effectiveness of tamoxifen, a commonly prescribed cancer drug.
St. John s Wort This herb has been relied upon for centuries to reduce anxiety, relieve stress and promote a regular sleep cycle. It has also been used to treat depression.
Because of its possible interaction with your cancer drugs, it is not recommended that you use St. John s Wort while you re going through chemotherapy. However, it may be an effective treatment before and after your chemotherapy treatment.
Mind, Body and Soul Treatments
Participating in activities that help you relax and that relieve pain and other physical symptoms can also be very effective at helping your body respond to your medicine. When undergoing chemotherapy, it s not unusual to feel tired and nauseous.
Any treatments you can find to help relieve these symptoms can help you get better over the long haul by keeping your body strong. Some of the most popular treatments are:
Acupuncture- This ancient healing practice is known to be very effective at relieving chemotherapy induced nausea and it is also effective at reducing pain.
Yoga, Meditation and Hypnosis All three of these techniques are associated with reducing stress. A reduction in stress may alleviate side effects that occur from cancer treatment and contribute to an overall sense of well being. Keeping our stress in check is helpful in healing our bodies from any ailment.
It s important to evaluate all your options when you re battling cancer. It s critical to keep your doctor informed of any alternative treatments you d like to include in your therapy. However, if your doctor is aware, you should feel free to explore the many alternative therapies that can be used to enhance your cancer treatments or relieve your side effects.
If you d like to read more about the therapies mentioned here, as well as other alternative treatments, take a look at this article from HerbClip .
By: Jon M. Stout
Jon Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, black tea and wholesale tea go to the Golden Moon Tea website
Mesothelioma Cancer: Early Warning Signs and Causes
What is Mesothelioma?
Chances are you may never have heard of mesothelioma cancer unless you or a relative have the disease. Still considered as a rare cancer, it has been popularized by its linkage to asbestos.
Exactly what is mesothelioma cancer or malignant mesothelioma? Malignant mesothelioma is a deadly cancer of the mesothelium, or lining of the lung and chest cavity. However, it sometimes can be a deadly cancer of the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen). It is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, and is slow forming often taking between 20-50 years to develop after exposure to asbestos.
Malignant Mesothelioma Symptoms
Symptoms of malignant mesothelioma in the lung and chest cavity are as follows:
Shortness of breath
Cough
Weight Loss
Chest Pain
Symptoms of malignant mesothelioma in the abdomen are as follows:
Abdominal swelling and pain
Weight Loss
Wondering How You Could Have Gotten Mesothelioma Cancer?
Several diseases are associated with exposure to asbestos. They include: malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural effusion, pleural plaques and thickening, and lung cancer.
Prior to 1975 asbestos fibers were commonly used. You could have been exposed to asbestos while working at any number of different industries. Chief among the possibilities would be jobs at asbestos mining and milling plants, shipyards, fireproofing and heating, construction, automotive repair, insulation, pipefitting and boilermaking.
If you did not work in one of these industries or another that used asbestos, it is also possible that you could have been exposed if someone in your household worked with asbestos and carried asbestos fibers home on his or her clothing, hair or body. You may also have been exposed indirectly by living near asbestos mines.
Although it is true that most patients with malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer or other asbestos-related diseases likely had prolonged exposure to asbestos over a long period of time, it is also possible for one to develop one of these diseases from a brief exposure to asbestos.
The odds of developing lung cancer from smoking also increases significantly from exposure to asbestos. Although most people with lung cancer are told that their lung cancer was caused from smoking, if you or someone you know has lung cancer and also worked in an environment that gave you exposure to asbestos, it is highly recommended that you contact an attorney that specializes in handling mesothelioma and lung cancer cases caused by exposure to asbestos. The justice system has been very generous in its rewards to people who suffer diseases caused by asbestos exposure.
To learn more about mesothelioma cancer I recommend you visitMesothelioma Cancer Online when searching for web resources covering mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma-Cancer-Online.com is an excellent resource center that offers recommendations and directory listings for numerous websites related to mesothelioma cancer, along with articles and books about mesothelioma cancer.
Causes and Symptoms of Esophageal Mesothelioma Cancer
Esophageal mesothelioma cancer occurs in about 11,000 Americans per year. This accounts for less than 1% of all cancers. However, the incidence of esophageal cancer is increasing.
Cancer can develop in any part of the esophagus. It can spread to surrounding lymph nodes, the windpipe, and the large blood vessels in the chest, and other nearby organs. Treatment for esophageal mesothelioma cancer depends on a number of factors, including its exact location, size, extent, and type of cancer cells. It's also important to consider age and general health to develop a treatment plan to fit each patient's needs.
Causes of Esophageal Mesothelioma Cancer
Esophageal mesothelioma cancer occurs in the larynx (voice box) and oropharynx that is the part of the throat at the back of the mouth. There is sufficient to suggest that asbestos exposure is a cause of laryngeal cancer. There is insufficient evidence at this time to prove that asbestos is a cause of pharyngeal cancer.
Types of Esophageal Cancer
Squamous cell carcinomas occur in the cells that line the esophagus. Adenocarcinomas occur in the glandular tissue in the lower part of the esophagus and can spread to other parts of the body.
Symptoms of Esophageal Mesothelioma Cancer
Difficulty in swallowing, a feeling of fullness, pressure, or burning as food goes down the esophagus, a feeling of food getting stuck behind the breastbone.
Methods of Diagnosis
Esophagram (also called a barium swallow), is a series of x-rays of the esophagus. To prepare for this test, the patient drinks a barium solution. The barium, which shows up on x-rays, coats the inside of the esophagus for easier viewing. Esophagoscopy is a thin, flexible, lighted instrument (an endoscope) which is passed through the mouth and down the throat to the esophagus to view where the esophagus joins the stomach. Biopsy is a removal of a small amount of tissue through the endoscope to test for the presence of cancer.
Staging
The nature of the tumor is primarily evaluated by a CT scan of the chest. A CT scan reveals if the tumor has travelled into the trachea (windpipe) and large blood vessels or lymph nodes.
Esophageal ultrasound is similar to esophagoscopy, but with the addition of a built-in ultrasound devise.
PET scanning can also be used to evaluate esophageal cancer.
Treatment of Esophageal Mesothelioma Cancer
Treatment for esophageal cancer is contingent upon a number of factors, including its exact location, size, extent, and type of cancer cells. The doctor also considers the patient's age and general health to develop the best treatment plan.
Surgical resection (removal) of the tumor is the preferred treatment. Recently, surgeons have been using minimally invasive surgical techniques to remove esophageal cancers.
Chemotherapy and radiation are also frequently used, either in conjunction with surgery or independently.
Several additional options are available, including laser treatment, tumor stenting, or photodynamic therapy. For most patients, their ability to eat can be restored satisfactorily using these procedures.
A multidisciplinary team: gastroenterologist, surgeon, oncologist (cancer specialist), radiation oncologist, nurse, dietitian, and social worker join in the facilitation of patient treatment and care.
The In Depth Study of Mesothelioma Part 2 - Peritoneal Mesothelioma
If you ve not read my first part about the three main branches of mesothelioma, then that s fine. I would recommend you find it and read it, but I am writing these in such a manner as have them stand alone. This article is on the second common type of mesothelioma cancer.
The second common type of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma. Peritoneal mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the thin cell membrane around the abdomen. This part of the body is called the peritoneum. Peritoneal Mesothelioma is the second most common type of Mesothelioma cases. The percent of which is about 10% of the total amount of asbestos related cancers.
Peritoneal mesothelioma is unfortunately terminal, though there is the possibility of slowing the progress of the cancer in order to prolong life. Although this is a more rare form of mesothelioma peritoneal mesothelioma claims many lives each year and thus far there is no cure for this disease. Peritoneal mesothelioma is just another rare and aggressive asbestos-related malignancy.
As told in my previous description of pleural mesothelioma, the mineral called asbestos is the main cause of most mesothelioma cases. Although some cases of peritoneal mesothelioma have also been reported following exposure to erionite and Thorotrast. The majority of mesothelioma patients were exposed to asbestos.
Although at this time incurable, treatment options are currently the same as other mesothelioma cases: radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and constant draining of fluid in the body. Since treatment for peritoneal mesothelioma varies so much, and is dependent upon a number of factors, it is recommended that research be done to find the best option for treatment.
In conclusion, I would like to add that the finding of malignant mesothelioma such as peritoneal mesothelioma have increased dramatically over the last 20 years, but despite this, mesothelioma is still a comparatively rare form of cancer, and should not be feared. But take fair warning that you guard yourself if you re working with any asbestos related products, and know your rights if you are ill prepared or warned.
Diet and Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a cancer of the glandular breast tissue. Breast cancer affects one in eight women during their lives. Breast cancer may be one of the oldest known forms of cancer tumors in humans. Breast cancer kills more women in the United States than any cancer except lung cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. While the majority of new breast cancers are diagnosed as a result of an abnormality seen on a mammogram, a lump or change in consistency of the breast tissue can also be a warning sign of the disease. Breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between the ages of 45 and 55.
Although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men. Breast cancer usually begins with the formation of a small, confined tumor. Some tumors are benign, meaning they do not invade other tissue; others are malignant, or cancerous. Malignant tumors have the potential to metastasize, or spread. Some risk factors, such as your age, and family history, can't be changed, whereas others, including weight, smoking and a poor diet, are under your control.
A woman's risk of breast cancer is higher mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer. The risk can actually be lower if you have a short menstrual life, large family or first child before age 18 years. Men have a lower risk of developing breast cancer (approximately 1.08 per 100,000 men per year), but this risk appears to be rising. Other risks include being overweight, using hormone replacement therapy, taking birth control pills, drinking alcohol, not having children or having your first child after age 35 or having dense breasts. Alcohol appears to increase the risk of breast cancer, though meaningful increases are limited to higher alcohol intake levels. Breast cancer constitutes about 7.3% of all cancers. Symptoms of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in size or shape of the breast or discharge from a nipple. Most breast lumps are benign , that is, they are not cancer. Benign breast tumors are abnormal growths, but they do not spread outside of the breast and they are not life threatening.
Treatment of breast cancer include Radiation Therapy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, and Immune Therapy. Certain foods, vitamins, or minerals may interfere with cancer treatment. Drink plenty of fluids but avoid drinks during meals because they may cause a bloated feeling. Proteins: May provide protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Meats, beans, nuts, and seeds provide these benefits. Some seeds, like almonds, are good sources of vitamin E. Dairy products: Milk and cheese provide calcium, protein, and vitamin B12. Grains: Breads, pasta, rice, and cereals provide carbohydrates and B vitamins. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy. Eat cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, bok choy, and brussel sprouts - which contain plant phytochemicals that lower blood estrogen levels by increasing the estrogen detoxification capacity of the liver. Try cool foods. Warm foods may worsen nausea. Do not eat or drink until vomiting is under control.
Breast Cancer Treatrment and Diet Tips
1.Eat a diet lower in fat, ideally no more than 18% of your daily caloric intake.
2. Use "good" fats -- monounsaturated and omega-3 fats - from olive oil, flax seed oil, almond oil and canola oil, as well as fats from deep-sea fish.
3. Eat cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, bok choy, and brussel sprouts.
4. Eat a diet high in fiber, with plant-based sources of protein.
5. Soy, aim for 1 to 2 servings of soy products per day.
6. Tea (black or green), aim for 3 to 5 servings per day.
7. Nitrates and nitrites, avoid cured meats when possible.
8. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy.
About the Author
Juliet Cohen writes articles on diseases and conditions and women health care. More information on health related topics visit our site at http://www.health-care-articles.info.
The Best Prostate Cancer Treatment Is Early Treatment
Prostate cancer is a serious affliction that affects upwards of 200,000 men each year. Risk factors for prostate cancer can include age, race and health history. If diagnosed with prostate cancer your treatment options will be determined by these factors. Just like with any other form of cancer, the best prostate cancer treatment is available at the early stages.
Once diagnosed with prostate cancer, two main options will be presented. Choices are either surgery or radiation. Neither treatment has conclusively been found to be better. Chances are when faced with prostate cancer treatment options; your doctor will simply present the option they are most comfortable with as the best prostate cancer treatment. A consultation with a hospital oncologist should strongly be considered. An oncologist's expertise mainly centers on drug therapies like chemotherapy in treating cancer. Since prostate cancer (localized) cannot be treated with a drug therapy, you are sure to get an unbiased opinion as to your treatment options. One positive aspect of prostate cancer compared to other cancers, is the fact that it is remarkably slow. You may have several years before prostate cancer begins to spread, while naturally you are not going to take years to decide on a treatment plan, it is nice to know you have some time to make the right choice.
A hospital that centers on cancer treatment is going to provide the most treatment options and will have specialists in each field to render the best care. Don't settle for just one opinion. With a condition like prostate cancer, many doctors suggest waiting to see what the cancer will do. While "waiting" may sound like a bad idea when it comes to cancer, prostate cancer will usually afford you enough time to make a well thought out decision. Don't rush, but take time to do research as to what will be the best prostate cancer treatment for you.