The Rarest Cancer is Sarcomatoid mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma can be categorized broadly as: epithelial, sarcomatoid and biphasic.
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the rarest form of cancer, affecting only 10-20% of patients. In this type of mesothelioma, cells transform as spindle-shaped pattern that overlap each other and occurs from support tissues such as cartilage, muscle, bone and fat. When the cancer is only on the membrane surface it can be known as Localized mesothelioma. In advanced stages, it might spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, lymph nodes, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma Symptoms:
Symptoms of mesothelioma might appear several decades after exposure to asbestos. The most common are severe pain due to fluid retention in the pleural area, spinal swelling and cough, weight loss and accumulation of fluid in abdominal cavity, blood clotting abnormality, anemia, and fever are other symptoms.
How to diagnose Sarcomatoid mesothelioma:
Sarcomatoid mesothelioma, is diagnosed by extraction of affected tissue during biopsy, it is usually difficult because symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to those of other diseases. Response to treatment is poor, which might result in fatality within a year of diagnosis.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Mesothelioma Lawsuit and Personal Matters
It is a known fact that anyone with mesothelioma needs assistance and comfort from family members, friends, professionals, support groups and members of the community. It is a very serious disease and, as if this isn't bad enough, the various treatments for mesothelioma can also be very difficult.
It is often helpful to seek the support of a group or organization devoted to the needs of cancer patients and victims of other devastating illnesses. Talk to your doctor about this. You can also get a list of organizations that might help you with their assistance.
Most of us find it unpleasant to contemplate our needs and the needs of our family during a critical illness, but this is something that all of us have to do at some point in our lives. It is found that those sufferers of mesothelioma, who make preparations, are better able to ease the burden on themselves and their loved ones if things get worse.
Arranging for a Durable Power of Attorney for health care and financial management decisions is often invaluable because it eases a lot of stress during a difficult time.
A good planning is also something to consider. It is a good idea for almost everyone to have a will or trust, but it is increasingly important as you get older, if your health deteriorates, or if you have a family.
If you have a will or trust it might be useful to review it to make sure it expresses your desires at this time. If you have a trust, it is necessary to make sure that all assets you wish to include in the trust have been assigned to it. For example, if you pursue a lawsuit related to your illness, and you want recoveries from that lawsuit to become part of your trust, you must formally assign the lawsuit’s proceeds to the trust.
If you do not have a will or trust, you might want to consider drawing one up. This can best be done by an attorney who specializes in wills and trusts. Two good ways to find one of these attorneys are to ask your friends for recommendations, or to call your county or state Bar Association lawyer referral service.
It is often helpful to seek the support of a group or organization devoted to the needs of cancer patients and victims of other devastating illnesses. Talk to your doctor about this. You can also get a list of organizations that might help you with their assistance.
Most of us find it unpleasant to contemplate our needs and the needs of our family during a critical illness, but this is something that all of us have to do at some point in our lives. It is found that those sufferers of mesothelioma, who make preparations, are better able to ease the burden on themselves and their loved ones if things get worse.
Arranging for a Durable Power of Attorney for health care and financial management decisions is often invaluable because it eases a lot of stress during a difficult time.
A good planning is also something to consider. It is a good idea for almost everyone to have a will or trust, but it is increasingly important as you get older, if your health deteriorates, or if you have a family.
If you have a will or trust it might be useful to review it to make sure it expresses your desires at this time. If you have a trust, it is necessary to make sure that all assets you wish to include in the trust have been assigned to it. For example, if you pursue a lawsuit related to your illness, and you want recoveries from that lawsuit to become part of your trust, you must formally assign the lawsuit’s proceeds to the trust.
If you do not have a will or trust, you might want to consider drawing one up. This can best be done by an attorney who specializes in wills and trusts. Two good ways to find one of these attorneys are to ask your friends for recommendations, or to call your county or state Bar Association lawyer referral service.
Why to hire a Mesothelioma Attorney?
Asbestos exposure is the main cause of mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is one of the dangerous forms of cancer, because in most of the cases it is fatal. Treatments available for mesothelioma are very costly and these treatments can only increase your life span to some extend. Complete recovery in mesothelioma is not known until now.
If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, then you must have inhaled the asbestos fibers during working under asbestos related materials, or washing clothes which has been exposed to asbestos fibers. It is the responsibility of companies using asbestos to provide you with proper safety measures. Development of mesothelioma might take 20-30 years if you are exposed to asbestos. As the symptoms of mesothelioma take many years to come up, this may delay your early diagnosis of mesothelioma. In most of the cases mesothelioma is diagnosed at the last stage and there is little that can be done at this time.
If you are wrongly exposed to asbestos you have all right to get compensation from the companies or people responsible for this, which can be used for your treatment and medical expenses. Going to these companies and asking for your compensation won’t get you anything. The companies would never agree with your claim that they were responsible for your disease. You would need to file a case against such companies; it is the only way through which you might get the compensation. Just filing a case is not enough; you should get a profession person who is able to handle legal issues related to filing a mesothelioma case. A good mesothelioma attorney would be the right person who will help you with getting compensation. Asbestos companies have very powerful attorneys to defend them, so you should have a good experienced mesothelioma attorney to fight for your case.
If diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, it’s not easy to fight against companies responsible for your disease with your illness. It can be stressful, time consuming and you will require lot of energy to collect the information and documents required to prove your claim. Doctors will tell you the reason for your disease as asbestos exposure, but to prove this in court you require a valid proof of your exposure. The moment you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should think of hiring a mesothelioma attorney for the betterment of you and your family. Expert mesothelioma attorneys will help you in collecting all the medical evidences, materials and documents to support your claim. A good attorney will help you get maximum compensation, where you won’t even need to go to courts for your trial. The compensation can be used for your treatment and lessen the financial burden of your family.
You should hire a mesothelioma attorney who has a specialized expertise in handing mesothelioma lawsuits, since there are many mesothelioma attorneys. Select a mesothelioma attorney, who has fought many mesothelioma cases and had success in them, you should remember to choose a trusted mesothelioma lawyer. Do some good research before finalizing an attorney.
If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, then you must have inhaled the asbestos fibers during working under asbestos related materials, or washing clothes which has been exposed to asbestos fibers. It is the responsibility of companies using asbestos to provide you with proper safety measures. Development of mesothelioma might take 20-30 years if you are exposed to asbestos. As the symptoms of mesothelioma take many years to come up, this may delay your early diagnosis of mesothelioma. In most of the cases mesothelioma is diagnosed at the last stage and there is little that can be done at this time.
If you are wrongly exposed to asbestos you have all right to get compensation from the companies or people responsible for this, which can be used for your treatment and medical expenses. Going to these companies and asking for your compensation won’t get you anything. The companies would never agree with your claim that they were responsible for your disease. You would need to file a case against such companies; it is the only way through which you might get the compensation. Just filing a case is not enough; you should get a profession person who is able to handle legal issues related to filing a mesothelioma case. A good mesothelioma attorney would be the right person who will help you with getting compensation. Asbestos companies have very powerful attorneys to defend them, so you should have a good experienced mesothelioma attorney to fight for your case.
If diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, it’s not easy to fight against companies responsible for your disease with your illness. It can be stressful, time consuming and you will require lot of energy to collect the information and documents required to prove your claim. Doctors will tell you the reason for your disease as asbestos exposure, but to prove this in court you require a valid proof of your exposure. The moment you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you should think of hiring a mesothelioma attorney for the betterment of you and your family. Expert mesothelioma attorneys will help you in collecting all the medical evidences, materials and documents to support your claim. A good attorney will help you get maximum compensation, where you won’t even need to go to courts for your trial. The compensation can be used for your treatment and lessen the financial burden of your family.
You should hire a mesothelioma attorney who has a specialized expertise in handing mesothelioma lawsuits, since there are many mesothelioma attorneys. Select a mesothelioma attorney, who has fought many mesothelioma cases and had success in them, you should remember to choose a trusted mesothelioma lawyer. Do some good research before finalizing an attorney.
When do you need an attorney?
In normal course of life most of the individuals do not need attorneys. If you are entangled in any legal issue or situation then this is the time you would really require an attorney. Attorneys will help, in sorting out your legal problem in a systematic manner.
When you need legal help, you should hire a best attorney to sort out your legal issues. Attorneys are good at handling a variety of legal issues and also advice people on such matters. You will get specialized attorney to handle different cases. There are many attorneys who are well-specialized and can offer you the best service in receiving maximum compensation.
To fight any legal issues, you need to refer to all the laws mentioned in the law books to know more about laws applicable and sections under that law. It is very hard for an individual to understand these laws and find a particular law which would be applicable in his/her case. On your part, it would be better if you hire an attorney or lawyer during any circumstances when you require filing a case or for any legal issues. An attorney would be competent in handling all legal issues.
Attorneys will have the knowledge to apply the legal theories to solve legal disputes and provide information about the legal issues to their clients who seek legal help. You can clear your doubts about any legal issues by asking a lawyer, who will clear all your queries on a specific legal issue.
Many types of attorneys are available they specialize in different subjects like administration, transportation, tax, wills and probate, adoption, divorce, business laws etc. Attorney directories provide a list of specialized lawyers who can be helpful for you in resolving the legal issues. You should only hire an attorney who specializes in solving those specific legal issues which you have. For example, if you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, a mesothelioma attorney will help you in settlement of mesothelioma lawsuits.
Remember whenever you need an attorney; hire an attorney having a good knowledge about your legal issue with sufficient experience in handling such legal matters.
When you need legal help, you should hire a best attorney to sort out your legal issues. Attorneys are good at handling a variety of legal issues and also advice people on such matters. You will get specialized attorney to handle different cases. There are many attorneys who are well-specialized and can offer you the best service in receiving maximum compensation.
To fight any legal issues, you need to refer to all the laws mentioned in the law books to know more about laws applicable and sections under that law. It is very hard for an individual to understand these laws and find a particular law which would be applicable in his/her case. On your part, it would be better if you hire an attorney or lawyer during any circumstances when you require filing a case or for any legal issues. An attorney would be competent in handling all legal issues.
Attorneys will have the knowledge to apply the legal theories to solve legal disputes and provide information about the legal issues to their clients who seek legal help. You can clear your doubts about any legal issues by asking a lawyer, who will clear all your queries on a specific legal issue.
Many types of attorneys are available they specialize in different subjects like administration, transportation, tax, wills and probate, adoption, divorce, business laws etc. Attorney directories provide a list of specialized lawyers who can be helpful for you in resolving the legal issues. You should only hire an attorney who specializes in solving those specific legal issues which you have. For example, if you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, a mesothelioma attorney will help you in settlement of mesothelioma lawsuits.
Remember whenever you need an attorney; hire an attorney having a good knowledge about your legal issue with sufficient experience in handling such legal matters.
Nutritional Supplements for Mesothelioma
Good Nutrition is an important factor in combating any type of disease. The human body needs extra energy to fight disease and this can only be obtained through proper food and nutrition. Mesothelioma patients can have some nutritional supplements along with the traditional treatments. Doctors will usually advise their patients which foods need to be consumed and the foods to be avoided.
One of the treatments for Mesothelioma is Chemotherapy. In some cases this treatment shows side effects like low appetite. Chemotherapy has certain other side effects like constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Eating small and frequent meals rather than large and less frequent meals will help with the diarrhea, fatigue and nausea and vomiting. Constipation can be reduced by eating foods containing a high level of fiber while for diarrhea it is recommended a diet consisting of food with low-fiber content.
Nutritional supplements for individuals suffering from Mesothelioma are multivitamins and multiminerals, B group vitamins, Vitamins A,C,D,E,K, Co-enzyme Q10, Echinacea, Shark cartilage, Fish Oil, Manganese, Copper, Zinc, Calcium, Pro-biotics, Selenium, etc.
Mesothelioma patients can increase soy bean products in their diet. The alpha carotene and lycopene in soy help to revert and reduce tumor growth and metastasis. Other foods like cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, pears, citrus fruits, tomatoes, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, green tea, walnuts, spinach, wheat bran, rice bran, rosemary, garlic, thyme, oregano and onions can also be included in Mesothelioma patients’ diet. These foods should be organic. Reducing the consumption of meat specially grilled or barbecued, dairy food consumption, pickled food, smoked food, alcohol, saturated fats, salt, sun exposure and smoking will help in controlling Mesothelioma.
One of the treatments for Mesothelioma is Chemotherapy. In some cases this treatment shows side effects like low appetite. Chemotherapy has certain other side effects like constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Eating small and frequent meals rather than large and less frequent meals will help with the diarrhea, fatigue and nausea and vomiting. Constipation can be reduced by eating foods containing a high level of fiber while for diarrhea it is recommended a diet consisting of food with low-fiber content.
Nutritional supplements for individuals suffering from Mesothelioma are multivitamins and multiminerals, B group vitamins, Vitamins A,C,D,E,K, Co-enzyme Q10, Echinacea, Shark cartilage, Fish Oil, Manganese, Copper, Zinc, Calcium, Pro-biotics, Selenium, etc.
Mesothelioma patients can increase soy bean products in their diet. The alpha carotene and lycopene in soy help to revert and reduce tumor growth and metastasis. Other foods like cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, pears, citrus fruits, tomatoes, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, green tea, walnuts, spinach, wheat bran, rice bran, rosemary, garlic, thyme, oregano and onions can also be included in Mesothelioma patients’ diet. These foods should be organic. Reducing the consumption of meat specially grilled or barbecued, dairy food consumption, pickled food, smoked food, alcohol, saturated fats, salt, sun exposure and smoking will help in controlling Mesothelioma.
A Medical Boon to Cancer-Relax Therapy
Cancer is a dreadful disease that is spreading in a large quantity now-a-days. The therapeutic touch of massage can give some relief to the people suffering from pain either due to the disease itself or due to the treatments that can be quite invasive.
On the basis of the report put forth by the American Cancer Society, the following statistics were available:
* Approximately 76 million Americans who are now living are prone to the deadly disease-Cancer.
* Cancer kills more children in the one to fourteen age brackets than any other disease.
* One out of every five deaths in the U.S. will be from cancer.
* In the US, one woman in nine will get breast cancer
As you can see from the above report, there is a great probability that many of the people will be suffering from cancer. Although various treatments are available for cancer, but the people have to suffer a lot. Whether there is some way to get rid of this pain? The answer is yes. It is Massage. Massage acts like a miracle for headaches, tight muscles and releasing stress.
Massage therapy gives relief from pain and stress. It improves the quality of life of a person suffering from cancer. In massage therapy there is no need to take the medicines. It helps in healing by releasing the toxins from the body and it develops a feeling of well-being among the people.
On the basis of the report put forth by the American Cancer Society, the following statistics were available:
* Approximately 76 million Americans who are now living are prone to the deadly disease-Cancer.
* Cancer kills more children in the one to fourteen age brackets than any other disease.
* One out of every five deaths in the U.S. will be from cancer.
* In the US, one woman in nine will get breast cancer
As you can see from the above report, there is a great probability that many of the people will be suffering from cancer. Although various treatments are available for cancer, but the people have to suffer a lot. Whether there is some way to get rid of this pain? The answer is yes. It is Massage. Massage acts like a miracle for headaches, tight muscles and releasing stress.
Massage therapy gives relief from pain and stress. It improves the quality of life of a person suffering from cancer. In massage therapy there is no need to take the medicines. It helps in healing by releasing the toxins from the body and it develops a feeling of well-being among the people.
A Recent Research on Mesothelioma
In a current issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a report was found regarding mesothelioma which is as follows. A recent study on mesothelioma by some researchers showed that the condition of a mesothelioma patient suffering from the rare malignant pleural mesothelioma can be much improved by giving him a combination of Tomudex (raltitrexed) and Platinol (cisplatin). By using this combination, the survival rate of the patient is also improved rather than by using Platinol alone. This rare malignant pleural mesothelioma is caused by habitual exposure to asbestos.
The above research findings about mesothelioma were emerged from a randomized phase III trial.
The symptoms of the patient suffering from this rare mesothelioma are listed below:
* Cough
* Pain
* Fatigue
* Loss of appetite
* Shortness of breath,
This rare type of mesothelioma cancer is very difficult to cure. Also, it does not respond to therapies like surgery, chemotherapy on its' own and even when a combination of radiation is used. In such cases, any kind of new researches related to cure the disease becomes more encouraging.
Usually the complication is that the patients do not recognize that they are suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma and when the disease is diagnosed, it has been increased to such an extent where using the treatments like surgery or radiation is not a suitable option.
So it is significant to do more researches in this field and to identify treatments that will improve the condition of mesothelioma patient and also, improve their survival.
The above research findings about mesothelioma were emerged from a randomized phase III trial.
The symptoms of the patient suffering from this rare mesothelioma are listed below:
* Cough
* Pain
* Fatigue
* Loss of appetite
* Shortness of breath,
This rare type of mesothelioma cancer is very difficult to cure. Also, it does not respond to therapies like surgery, chemotherapy on its' own and even when a combination of radiation is used. In such cases, any kind of new researches related to cure the disease becomes more encouraging.
Usually the complication is that the patients do not recognize that they are suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma and when the disease is diagnosed, it has been increased to such an extent where using the treatments like surgery or radiation is not a suitable option.
So it is significant to do more researches in this field and to identify treatments that will improve the condition of mesothelioma patient and also, improve their survival.
Several New Treatments available for Mesothelioma
Scientists are working very to find new treatments for mesothelioma patients. Several treatments are found and tested daily. The most commonly used treatments to cure mesothelioma cancer are radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. Also, they keep on trying the combination of any of these treatments in order to identify the most accurate one. Following is a list of such treatments that are being tried and tested for now.
One new treatment that has been tested is immunotherapy. In this therapy, we use the immune system of the patient to fight the mesothelioma. It makes the use of substances that are found in the immune system of the patient to control the growth of the tumor.
Interferon and interleukin-2 are the substances that have been used in the laboratory studies. These substances have found to be effective in laboratory studies but the immunotherapy has not been effective when these substances are used with malignant mesothelioma and their clinical trials.
Heat therapy is also one of the useful treatments of mesothelioma. In this therapy, the chemotherapy agents are heated before they are injected. Due to this heating of chemotherapy agents or the chemicals before injection, more number of tumor cell are killed. This new useful treatment for mesothelioma patient is also referred to as chemo hyperthermia.
One new evolving therapy is the gene therapy. Some of the scientists believe that it is going to be a most vital therapy in the near future. It involves manipulating the genes that are related to the tumor and contains the virus such as common cold. By knowing the gene involved, we can then make use of antiviral drugs or your own immune system for destroying the cells. Researches and studies are being continued on this therapy while this therapy is found to be effective for the early stages of malignant mesothelioma and some other types of tumor.
Some other therapies are also available for treating the patients of mesothelioma one of which is the Photodynamic Therapy. In this therapy, we inject the light sensitive molecules in the pleural space before surgery. After it, when the surgery is done, light is directly put on the molecules that will kill the tumor cells immediately. This treatment has not proved to be very effective but studies are still continued in order to improve the survival of the patient using this treatment.
Such types of several new experiments are tried daily in the laboratories and many of the patients keep on trying the clinical trials. Clinical trials refer to the experiments that are carried out daily in order to evolve some new drugs or devices essential for the mesothelioma treatment. Some instances of the clinical trials have proved to be useful. These clinical trials are carried out by the scientists and physicians who have proper and advanced knowledge about the treatments. Sometimes such clinical trials give favorable results and help in improving the condition of the patient suffering from mesothelioma.
One new treatment that has been tested is immunotherapy. In this therapy, we use the immune system of the patient to fight the mesothelioma. It makes the use of substances that are found in the immune system of the patient to control the growth of the tumor.
Interferon and interleukin-2 are the substances that have been used in the laboratory studies. These substances have found to be effective in laboratory studies but the immunotherapy has not been effective when these substances are used with malignant mesothelioma and their clinical trials.
Heat therapy is also one of the useful treatments of mesothelioma. In this therapy, the chemotherapy agents are heated before they are injected. Due to this heating of chemotherapy agents or the chemicals before injection, more number of tumor cell are killed. This new useful treatment for mesothelioma patient is also referred to as chemo hyperthermia.
One new evolving therapy is the gene therapy. Some of the scientists believe that it is going to be a most vital therapy in the near future. It involves manipulating the genes that are related to the tumor and contains the virus such as common cold. By knowing the gene involved, we can then make use of antiviral drugs or your own immune system for destroying the cells. Researches and studies are being continued on this therapy while this therapy is found to be effective for the early stages of malignant mesothelioma and some other types of tumor.
Some other therapies are also available for treating the patients of mesothelioma one of which is the Photodynamic Therapy. In this therapy, we inject the light sensitive molecules in the pleural space before surgery. After it, when the surgery is done, light is directly put on the molecules that will kill the tumor cells immediately. This treatment has not proved to be very effective but studies are still continued in order to improve the survival of the patient using this treatment.
Such types of several new experiments are tried daily in the laboratories and many of the patients keep on trying the clinical trials. Clinical trials refer to the experiments that are carried out daily in order to evolve some new drugs or devices essential for the mesothelioma treatment. Some instances of the clinical trials have proved to be useful. These clinical trials are carried out by the scientists and physicians who have proper and advanced knowledge about the treatments. Sometimes such clinical trials give favorable results and help in improving the condition of the patient suffering from mesothelioma.
Fire-One Serious Cause of Mesothelioma
There are many occurrences of fire in this world. Today or the next day, some place is set on fire. Although there are many of the prevention techniques available to avoid fire, but yet due to carelessness of human being and other such causes, fires occur frequently. Our topic of concern is whether fire can cause cancer? Specially, Mesothelioma Cancer?
Scientists are studying so far to find out whether fire causes mesothelioma. When fire occurs, several toxic substances are produced. A number of by-products existing in the form of carbon particles are created during fire. If you are caught in smoke generated by fire and you have inhaled a large amount of those toxic substances released in fire, this will definitely affect your health.
Just like the smokers who may suffer from cancer due to prolonged period of indulgence, it is not necessary that a person who was involved or caught in a situation of fire can suffer from cancer. But there are chances of causing cancer to a person who may be constantly exposed to fire due to the reasons of occupation and continue to inhale the toxic substances for a long period of time and where no proper personnel protection equipments are provided.
Now here arises a big question that whether mesothelioma cancer is caused due to fire. The answer to this question is Yes. Mesothelioma cancer occurs due to prolonged exposure to asbestos made by-products or materials. If you are involved in a prolonged fire scenario or environment where asbestos substances are present, it will increase the chances of occurrence of mesothelioma cancer. Asbestos is found in your homes or offices in the form of false ceiling panels, sound insulation panel partition walls, raised flooring panels, and many others.
If such a situation of fire occurs, the immediate preventive measures that you should take in order to prevent from mesothelioma cancer are using a breathing apparatus set, if it is available or one most easy and temporary way to protect is to cover your mouth and nose with handkerchief and to stay well below the smoke level by adopting a baby crawl position all the way out of the building. This is one of the minimal precautionary level you can adapt when all else is not available and you're caught in a fire scenario. Besides all this, you should not panic at the situation and start to push everyone around.
Scientists are studying so far to find out whether fire causes mesothelioma. When fire occurs, several toxic substances are produced. A number of by-products existing in the form of carbon particles are created during fire. If you are caught in smoke generated by fire and you have inhaled a large amount of those toxic substances released in fire, this will definitely affect your health.
Just like the smokers who may suffer from cancer due to prolonged period of indulgence, it is not necessary that a person who was involved or caught in a situation of fire can suffer from cancer. But there are chances of causing cancer to a person who may be constantly exposed to fire due to the reasons of occupation and continue to inhale the toxic substances for a long period of time and where no proper personnel protection equipments are provided.
Now here arises a big question that whether mesothelioma cancer is caused due to fire. The answer to this question is Yes. Mesothelioma cancer occurs due to prolonged exposure to asbestos made by-products or materials. If you are involved in a prolonged fire scenario or environment where asbestos substances are present, it will increase the chances of occurrence of mesothelioma cancer. Asbestos is found in your homes or offices in the form of false ceiling panels, sound insulation panel partition walls, raised flooring panels, and many others.
If such a situation of fire occurs, the immediate preventive measures that you should take in order to prevent from mesothelioma cancer are using a breathing apparatus set, if it is available or one most easy and temporary way to protect is to cover your mouth and nose with handkerchief and to stay well below the smoke level by adopting a baby crawl position all the way out of the building. This is one of the minimal precautionary level you can adapt when all else is not available and you're caught in a fire scenario. Besides all this, you should not panic at the situation and start to push everyone around.
Know the Top 5 Problems due to Unrecognized Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is one of the most dreadful diseases caused due to inhalation of asbestos and nowadays it is becoming more famous because more people are being afflicted by the ailment and there are lawsuits being filed linked to the diagnosis. Mesothelioma is most of the times diagnosed in the chest area.
Sometimes mesothelioma is not diagnosed in its initial stages. It takes too long for diagnosis. Due to this several problems arises few of which are listed below.
1. Generally, after being exposed to asbestos it takes up to 20 to 30 years to develop this disease. If this disease is not diagnosed earlier, it causes problem for the mesothelioma patients who are seeking compensation from asbestos firm. As diagnosis of mesothelioma is a difficult process, there are chances that the disease may be diagnosed in its most advanced stage and the patient has only one year to live. If this happens then there is a lesser chance of filing case because mesothelioma victim can file a lawsuit only after the diagnosis of the disease.
2. Are you aware of the time period required for the litigation process? It takes approximately a year or more, before a lawsuit is being taken to the court or at least be given initial hearing. Then, it becomes somewhat difficult for a mesothelioma patient who has only one year left with him to seek proper justice for the damage done to his health.
3. Sometimes, the asbestos damage lawsuits are stopped after the complainant dies. Unless and until, the family of the victim pursue the case, which then becomes harder, more tedious and costly, asbestos damage claims often fails.
4. On the other hand, some patients live to pursue lawsuits. All the mesothelioma cases do not end up in deaths. Some of the patients can overcome or survive the disease. Thus, their chances of seeking compensation and damages against the asbestos companies increase. The fact that their lives have been altered by mesothelioma also makes the case more inclined to be in favor of the complainant. Few of the asbestos firms worldwide have spent most of their corporate lives defending themselves against such lawsuits.
5. While one problem is that, many of the times, the asbestos firm responsible for mesothelioma incidences in an area collapses, then the possibilities of a patient of getting compensation decreases. Luckily, some governments are mindful and responsible enough to handle such cases. The governments either seize the company or assign administrators so the remaining assets would be spend to compensate existing and potential mesothelioma complainants. .
Thus, delay in the diagnosis of the disease often becomes problematic. Therefore, you should do initiatives to monitor your health when you are exposed to asbestos in the past. Also, asbestos firms should be responsible for providing assistance and compensation to the mesothelioma victims.
Sometimes mesothelioma is not diagnosed in its initial stages. It takes too long for diagnosis. Due to this several problems arises few of which are listed below.
1. Generally, after being exposed to asbestos it takes up to 20 to 30 years to develop this disease. If this disease is not diagnosed earlier, it causes problem for the mesothelioma patients who are seeking compensation from asbestos firm. As diagnosis of mesothelioma is a difficult process, there are chances that the disease may be diagnosed in its most advanced stage and the patient has only one year to live. If this happens then there is a lesser chance of filing case because mesothelioma victim can file a lawsuit only after the diagnosis of the disease.
2. Are you aware of the time period required for the litigation process? It takes approximately a year or more, before a lawsuit is being taken to the court or at least be given initial hearing. Then, it becomes somewhat difficult for a mesothelioma patient who has only one year left with him to seek proper justice for the damage done to his health.
3. Sometimes, the asbestos damage lawsuits are stopped after the complainant dies. Unless and until, the family of the victim pursue the case, which then becomes harder, more tedious and costly, asbestos damage claims often fails.
4. On the other hand, some patients live to pursue lawsuits. All the mesothelioma cases do not end up in deaths. Some of the patients can overcome or survive the disease. Thus, their chances of seeking compensation and damages against the asbestos companies increase. The fact that their lives have been altered by mesothelioma also makes the case more inclined to be in favor of the complainant. Few of the asbestos firms worldwide have spent most of their corporate lives defending themselves against such lawsuits.
5. While one problem is that, many of the times, the asbestos firm responsible for mesothelioma incidences in an area collapses, then the possibilities of a patient of getting compensation decreases. Luckily, some governments are mindful and responsible enough to handle such cases. The governments either seize the company or assign administrators so the remaining assets would be spend to compensate existing and potential mesothelioma complainants. .
Thus, delay in the diagnosis of the disease often becomes problematic. Therefore, you should do initiatives to monitor your health when you are exposed to asbestos in the past. Also, asbestos firms should be responsible for providing assistance and compensation to the mesothelioma victims.
Four Important Biopsy Techniques for Cancer Detection
Biopsy can be referred to as a view of life. It looks like a living tissue and it is a test for cancer detection. All of the tissues and organs in the body can be biopsied. Many techniques can be included in biopsy. Some of these techniques include surgery while some will not even include anesthetic. In each method of the biopsy technique, a part of the tissue is taken out and studied carefully to detect the cancerous cells. Diagnosis of the mesothelioma cancer is done using different techniques; however, different types of biopsies can be grouped. Following are the four important biopsy techniques to detect cancerous cells in human body.
1. Excisional biopsy.
It refers to the surgical removal of the potential tumor growth. In this technique, an organ or a lump is exercised or cut out of the body. This type of biopsies is used for a variety of cancer diagnoses and for some other different reasons also. They are used in osteosarcoma because of the growth rate of potential tumors. For bone cancer, they prefer surgery. Breast cancer is the other type of cancer where many of the surgeons prefer surgery. Thus, this technique makes the detection of cancerous cells most accurately and also helps in treating them. Mesothelioma is also very difficult to detect through other means, and so excisional biopsy is the best course for an accurate diagnosis.
2. Incisional Biopsy.
Here only a section of the lump is removed through surgery. This type is extremely used for soft tissue cancers.
3. Endoscopic Biopsy.
It is the most popular one and the fibreoptic endoscope that is entered into the organ of disruption is used in this technique. The doctor examines the tissue using the endoscope and then cut the infected pieces from it. For mesothelioma, a thoroscopy for endoscopic biopsy under general anesthesia can be used. Reason for this is there is simply no other technique to obtain a tissue sample.
4. Fine Needle Aspiration
Fine needle aspiration is the most popular form of biopsy today. In this technique, a needle is entered into the lump and a large number of cell tissues will be drawn through a syringe. These cells are then studied by the pathologists. In this case, diagnosis can be done at a faster rate. This kind of technique can also be used on hard to diagnose organs like pancreas or lungs.
Many other forms of biopsies are also available but the above mentioned categories are the most popular ones. If a cancer is potential, a patient may endure more than one of these tests through the course of their treatment, depending on how aggressive the medical professional feels it is.
1. Excisional biopsy.
It refers to the surgical removal of the potential tumor growth. In this technique, an organ or a lump is exercised or cut out of the body. This type of biopsies is used for a variety of cancer diagnoses and for some other different reasons also. They are used in osteosarcoma because of the growth rate of potential tumors. For bone cancer, they prefer surgery. Breast cancer is the other type of cancer where many of the surgeons prefer surgery. Thus, this technique makes the detection of cancerous cells most accurately and also helps in treating them. Mesothelioma is also very difficult to detect through other means, and so excisional biopsy is the best course for an accurate diagnosis.
2. Incisional Biopsy.
Here only a section of the lump is removed through surgery. This type is extremely used for soft tissue cancers.
3. Endoscopic Biopsy.
It is the most popular one and the fibreoptic endoscope that is entered into the organ of disruption is used in this technique. The doctor examines the tissue using the endoscope and then cut the infected pieces from it. For mesothelioma, a thoroscopy for endoscopic biopsy under general anesthesia can be used. Reason for this is there is simply no other technique to obtain a tissue sample.
4. Fine Needle Aspiration
Fine needle aspiration is the most popular form of biopsy today. In this technique, a needle is entered into the lump and a large number of cell tissues will be drawn through a syringe. These cells are then studied by the pathologists. In this case, diagnosis can be done at a faster rate. This kind of technique can also be used on hard to diagnose organs like pancreas or lungs.
Many other forms of biopsies are also available but the above mentioned categories are the most popular ones. If a cancer is potential, a patient may endure more than one of these tests through the course of their treatment, depending on how aggressive the medical professional feels it is.
5 Topmost Clinical Trials by National Cancer Institute
Whenever a person is said to suffer from mesothelioma, it is very much essential to find treatment for it as soon as possible before the time expires. As mesothelioma is an incurable disease that is often given a life expectancy of 12 month, it becomes necessary for the patient that should go for a series of clinical trials as if possible any one of them can offer a successful treatment.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has made available a number of clinical trials for mesothelioma cancer patients. Additionally, the NCI claims that those who participate in "cancer clinical trials have an opportunity to contribute to knowledge of, and progress against, cancer," which may save the lives of others someday.
According to the NCI, there are a variety of clinical trials available to participate in, the most important are listed below:
1. Screening trials are conducted in an attempt to detect types of cancers early on, which is extremely important for mesothelioma case studies.
2. Diagnostic trials "study tests or procedures that can be used to identify cancer more accurately," according to the NCI.
3. Prevention trials, which test new medications, vitamins, supplements or approaches to decreasing the risk of certain cancers.
4. Quality-of-life or supportive care trials study the side effects commonly associated with cancers and cancer treatments.
5. Individuals who have cancer can become involved in treatment trials that are developed in a way so participants can better understand and evaluate the effectiveness of a new treatment.
These clinical trials are commonly sponsored by the government agencies so they are safe and much professional. The list of Government Authorities who organize the clinical trials is as follows:
* National Cancer Institute
* National Institutes of Health (NIH)
* The Department of Defense
* Department of Veterans Affairs
Additionally, the NCI reports that individuals who do participate in clinical trials are protected by "strict scientific and ethical principles and that every clinical trial has a protocol, or action plan, which acts like a recipe for conducting the trial."
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has made available a number of clinical trials for mesothelioma cancer patients. Additionally, the NCI claims that those who participate in "cancer clinical trials have an opportunity to contribute to knowledge of, and progress against, cancer," which may save the lives of others someday.
According to the NCI, there are a variety of clinical trials available to participate in, the most important are listed below:
1. Screening trials are conducted in an attempt to detect types of cancers early on, which is extremely important for mesothelioma case studies.
2. Diagnostic trials "study tests or procedures that can be used to identify cancer more accurately," according to the NCI.
3. Prevention trials, which test new medications, vitamins, supplements or approaches to decreasing the risk of certain cancers.
4. Quality-of-life or supportive care trials study the side effects commonly associated with cancers and cancer treatments.
5. Individuals who have cancer can become involved in treatment trials that are developed in a way so participants can better understand and evaluate the effectiveness of a new treatment.
These clinical trials are commonly sponsored by the government agencies so they are safe and much professional. The list of Government Authorities who organize the clinical trials is as follows:
* National Cancer Institute
* National Institutes of Health (NIH)
* The Department of Defense
* Department of Veterans Affairs
Additionally, the NCI reports that individuals who do participate in clinical trials are protected by "strict scientific and ethical principles and that every clinical trial has a protocol, or action plan, which acts like a recipe for conducting the trial."
Tips on Foods for the Mesothelioma Patient to Increase Survival Rate
A recent research by National Cancer Institute provided details on the mesothelioma patients depending upon their dietary habits. A report was created according to this results which was based on the examination of 116 individuals out of which half of the individuals had mesothelioma cancer and half of them do not, although they were exposed to asbestos. Both groups had similar incomes and tobacco usage as well as having comparable exposure to asbestos.
Then, the researchers studied the foods consumed by both groups and found that people suffering from mesothelioma ate cake, candy and pie in a large quantity. On the other hand, people who were reported to be cancer free even after exposure to asbestos ate a large amount of locally/homegrown vegetables and fruits as those stricken with mesothelioma. Those consuming what are known as cruciferous vegetables - such as mustard greens, collards, broccoli, turnip greens, cabbage or brussel sprouts - were likely to remain mesothelioma-free even after exposure to asbestos occurred.
Thus, this reports showed that consuming the right amount of food in right quantity will help in some way to keep away the dreadful disease - Mesothelioma. Thus, the various National authorities and the research centers came to know the importance of eating vegetables and fruits to ensure a healthy lifestyle and to avoid mesothelioma. They realized the fact that dietary habits has a vital role in the struggle against cancer. Following gives the list of foods that are found to be effective under the deadly conditions of the diseases like mesothelioma and asbestosis.
1. Olives, which contain maslinic and oleanolic acids, can promote apoptosis - the death of cancer cells.
2. Cabbage is high in glucosinolates (anticarcinogenic compounds), also raw cabbage contains substances to rid the body of carcinogens.
3. Flaxseeds are filled with lignans and omega-3 fatty acids – potentially capable of lowering the risk of breast cancer in women and colon cancer among both sexes.
4. Raspberries - most berries - are a source of fiber, Vitamin C, ellagic acid and selenium.
5. Mushrooms, which can block aromatase (breast cancer causing enzymes) and suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells.
6. Pumpkin as well as carrots and winter squash all contain high levels of carotenoids
7. Onions contain phenolic compounds that are considered anticancer compounds.
Then, the researchers studied the foods consumed by both groups and found that people suffering from mesothelioma ate cake, candy and pie in a large quantity. On the other hand, people who were reported to be cancer free even after exposure to asbestos ate a large amount of locally/homegrown vegetables and fruits as those stricken with mesothelioma. Those consuming what are known as cruciferous vegetables - such as mustard greens, collards, broccoli, turnip greens, cabbage or brussel sprouts - were likely to remain mesothelioma-free even after exposure to asbestos occurred.
Thus, this reports showed that consuming the right amount of food in right quantity will help in some way to keep away the dreadful disease - Mesothelioma. Thus, the various National authorities and the research centers came to know the importance of eating vegetables and fruits to ensure a healthy lifestyle and to avoid mesothelioma. They realized the fact that dietary habits has a vital role in the struggle against cancer. Following gives the list of foods that are found to be effective under the deadly conditions of the diseases like mesothelioma and asbestosis.
1. Olives, which contain maslinic and oleanolic acids, can promote apoptosis - the death of cancer cells.
2. Cabbage is high in glucosinolates (anticarcinogenic compounds), also raw cabbage contains substances to rid the body of carcinogens.
3. Flaxseeds are filled with lignans and omega-3 fatty acids – potentially capable of lowering the risk of breast cancer in women and colon cancer among both sexes.
4. Raspberries - most berries - are a source of fiber, Vitamin C, ellagic acid and selenium.
5. Mushrooms, which can block aromatase (breast cancer causing enzymes) and suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells.
6. Pumpkin as well as carrots and winter squash all contain high levels of carotenoids
7. Onions contain phenolic compounds that are considered anticancer compounds.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Mesothelioma: Diagnosis Of Mesothelioma Cancer
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma cancer is very difficult in many cases, because its symptoms can be associated with other diseases too. Hence patient's medical history is quite important to know, since if there was an exposure to asbestos from the sick person, the risk factors for developing Mesothelioma are greater.
The doctor will order you a physical examination, including chest and abdomen x-rays, and lung function tests. A computerized tomography (CT) or a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan may be useful, along with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The CT scan allows a computer x-rays machine to create a series of detailed pictures of inner body areas. The MRI allows to obtain detailed images of areas inside the body through a powerful magnet linked to a computer.
The way to confirm a Mesothelioma diagnosis is a biopsy, in which an oncologist or a doctor specialized in diagnosing and treating cancer pathologies takes a sample of tissue from the patient to examine it under a microscope.
The biopsy may be performed in various ways. In a thoracoscopy the name of the biopsy if the cancer is in the chest the doctor makes a small cut through the patient's chest and introduce a tube called thoracoscope to look inside and take tissue samples.
In a peritoneoscopy if the cancer is in the abdomen the doctor makes the same procedure but in the patient's abdominal cavity to obtain tissue for examination.
The stage of the disease is important to know if cancer is metastasized to other parts of the body, and to apply the best treatment for the patient.
The disease will be 'localized' if the cancer is found only on the surface of the membrane, but it will be 'advanced' if it has spread to other parts of the body, such as lungs, abdominal organs, chest wall, lymph nodes.
The doctor will order you a physical examination, including chest and abdomen x-rays, and lung function tests. A computerized tomography (CT) or a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan may be useful, along with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The CT scan allows a computer x-rays machine to create a series of detailed pictures of inner body areas. The MRI allows to obtain detailed images of areas inside the body through a powerful magnet linked to a computer.
The way to confirm a Mesothelioma diagnosis is a biopsy, in which an oncologist or a doctor specialized in diagnosing and treating cancer pathologies takes a sample of tissue from the patient to examine it under a microscope.
The biopsy may be performed in various ways. In a thoracoscopy the name of the biopsy if the cancer is in the chest the doctor makes a small cut through the patient's chest and introduce a tube called thoracoscope to look inside and take tissue samples.
In a peritoneoscopy if the cancer is in the abdomen the doctor makes the same procedure but in the patient's abdominal cavity to obtain tissue for examination.
The stage of the disease is important to know if cancer is metastasized to other parts of the body, and to apply the best treatment for the patient.
The disease will be 'localized' if the cancer is found only on the surface of the membrane, but it will be 'advanced' if it has spread to other parts of the body, such as lungs, abdominal organs, chest wall, lymph nodes.
Mesothelioma Staging Systems-How Do You Stage Mesothelioma
Most known cancers have various staging systems which have been developed to aid doctors and physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of individual cases of cancer.
Pleural mesothelioma is the only form of mesothelioma that has been successfully staged as it is the commonest type of the disease.There are three different staging systems used to determine the extent of pleural mesothelioma, each one of these three different staging systems measure different aspects of the cancer,including the size of the tumor, the level of spreading{metastases}and the probable involvement of lymph nodes.
The stage of mesothelioma at the time of diagnosis determines to a very large extent the type of treatment prescribed by the doctor.
Butchart System
The Butchart System is the oldest staging system for malignant mesothelioma and is the one most commonly used by doctors and specialists to diagnose and treat the tumor. The Butchart System is based on the tumor size (mass) and divides malignant mesothelioma into four stages:
• Stage 1 - Malignant mesothelioma has affected the right or left side of the chest cavity (pleural lining) and may be seen in the diaphragm.
• Stage 2 - Malignant mesothelioma has been found in the pleura on both sides of the body and may have also moved into the heart, stomach, or esophagus on both sides. Lymph nodes may be affected.
• Stage 3 - Malignant mesothelioma has reached the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). Lymph nodes past the chest may be affected.
• Stage 4 - Malignant mesothelioma has reached other organs and has entered the blood stream.
TNM System
The TNM System is a more modern staging system for malignant mesothelioma. The TNM System is based on the extent of the tumor, metastasis, and lymph node involvement. Again, the TNM System divides malignant mesothelioma into four stages:
• Stage 1 - Malignant mesothelioma is present in the left or right chest cavity (pleura) and may have metastasized to the lung, the sac around the heart (pericardium) or the diaphragm on the same side. Lymph nodes at stage 1 are not involved.
• Stage 2 - Malignant mesothelioma has reached from one side of the chest cavity to a lymph node near the lung area on the same side as the cancer. The cancer has metastasized to the diaphragm, pericardium (sac around the heart), or the lung on the same side as the primary tumor.
• Stage 3 - Malignant mesothelioma has penetrated the chest lining, heart, esophagus, muscle, ribs and vital organs within the chest cavity on the same side as the cancer. Lymph nodes may or may not be involved during this stage.
• Stage 4 - Malignant mesothelioma has metastasized to the pleural area and the lymph nodes on the opposite side of where the cancerous tumor is located. It may also have reached the chest cavities or lungs on both sides, or may have spread to the abdomen.
Brigham System
The Brigham System is the most modern of the three malignant mesothelioma staging systems. The Brigham System looks at different variables such as the involvement of the lymph nodes and the surgical ability to remove a malignant mesothelioma tumor (resectability). For this reason, it is not used very often to stage mesothelioma, as the cancer is rarely operable. The Brigham System divides malignant mesothelioma into four stages:
• Stage 1 - Malignant mesothelioma tumor is still resectable (able to be removed surgically) and the lymph nodes are not affected.
• Stage 2 - Malignant mesothelioma tumor is still resectable, but the lymph nodes are now affected.
• Stage 3 - Malignant mesothelioma tumor is not resectable and the malignant mesothelioma has penetrated the heart, chest wall, abdominal cavity or diaphragm. Lymph nodes may or may not be affected.
• Stage 4 - Malignant mesothelioma tumor is not resectable and has completely metastasized (spread throughout the body).
Process of Staging Malignant Mesothelioma
When mesothelioma is diagnosed by a physician or specialist, they must determine the extent of the cancer and how far it has spread. Most often, they will use imaging procedures to see inside the chest or abdomen to help determine the staging of the malignant mesothelioma. The imaging options physicians may use include:
• Chest X-ray
• CT scan of the chest and/or abdomen
• MRI scan of the chest and/or abdomen
• PET of the chest and/or abdomen
Pleural mesothelioma is the only form of mesothelioma that has been successfully staged as it is the commonest type of the disease.There are three different staging systems used to determine the extent of pleural mesothelioma, each one of these three different staging systems measure different aspects of the cancer,including the size of the tumor, the level of spreading{metastases}and the probable involvement of lymph nodes.
The stage of mesothelioma at the time of diagnosis determines to a very large extent the type of treatment prescribed by the doctor.
Butchart System
The Butchart System is the oldest staging system for malignant mesothelioma and is the one most commonly used by doctors and specialists to diagnose and treat the tumor. The Butchart System is based on the tumor size (mass) and divides malignant mesothelioma into four stages:
• Stage 1 - Malignant mesothelioma has affected the right or left side of the chest cavity (pleural lining) and may be seen in the diaphragm.
• Stage 2 - Malignant mesothelioma has been found in the pleura on both sides of the body and may have also moved into the heart, stomach, or esophagus on both sides. Lymph nodes may be affected.
• Stage 3 - Malignant mesothelioma has reached the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). Lymph nodes past the chest may be affected.
• Stage 4 - Malignant mesothelioma has reached other organs and has entered the blood stream.
TNM System
The TNM System is a more modern staging system for malignant mesothelioma. The TNM System is based on the extent of the tumor, metastasis, and lymph node involvement. Again, the TNM System divides malignant mesothelioma into four stages:
• Stage 1 - Malignant mesothelioma is present in the left or right chest cavity (pleura) and may have metastasized to the lung, the sac around the heart (pericardium) or the diaphragm on the same side. Lymph nodes at stage 1 are not involved.
• Stage 2 - Malignant mesothelioma has reached from one side of the chest cavity to a lymph node near the lung area on the same side as the cancer. The cancer has metastasized to the diaphragm, pericardium (sac around the heart), or the lung on the same side as the primary tumor.
• Stage 3 - Malignant mesothelioma has penetrated the chest lining, heart, esophagus, muscle, ribs and vital organs within the chest cavity on the same side as the cancer. Lymph nodes may or may not be involved during this stage.
• Stage 4 - Malignant mesothelioma has metastasized to the pleural area and the lymph nodes on the opposite side of where the cancerous tumor is located. It may also have reached the chest cavities or lungs on both sides, or may have spread to the abdomen.
Brigham System
The Brigham System is the most modern of the three malignant mesothelioma staging systems. The Brigham System looks at different variables such as the involvement of the lymph nodes and the surgical ability to remove a malignant mesothelioma tumor (resectability). For this reason, it is not used very often to stage mesothelioma, as the cancer is rarely operable. The Brigham System divides malignant mesothelioma into four stages:
• Stage 1 - Malignant mesothelioma tumor is still resectable (able to be removed surgically) and the lymph nodes are not affected.
• Stage 2 - Malignant mesothelioma tumor is still resectable, but the lymph nodes are now affected.
• Stage 3 - Malignant mesothelioma tumor is not resectable and the malignant mesothelioma has penetrated the heart, chest wall, abdominal cavity or diaphragm. Lymph nodes may or may not be affected.
• Stage 4 - Malignant mesothelioma tumor is not resectable and has completely metastasized (spread throughout the body).
Process of Staging Malignant Mesothelioma
When mesothelioma is diagnosed by a physician or specialist, they must determine the extent of the cancer and how far it has spread. Most often, they will use imaging procedures to see inside the chest or abdomen to help determine the staging of the malignant mesothelioma. The imaging options physicians may use include:
• Chest X-ray
• CT scan of the chest and/or abdomen
• MRI scan of the chest and/or abdomen
• PET of the chest and/or abdomen
Sunday, August 30, 2009
California Mesothelioma Attorneys Work Tirelessly For Asbestos Stricken Workers
What is in store for an individual who has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer of the protective lining around the internal organs? Mesothelioma typically attacks the lungs and heart, with alternate organs less often. Mesothelioma is a needless and preventable disease.
California mesothelioma attorneys are stepping up to assist the victims of Mesothelioma. The majority of California mesothelioma victims are life long laborers, working in California factories, construction sites, demolition zones, and the automotive industry. Their daily sweat earned them a paycheck and a virtual death sentence. California mesothelioma attorneys are there to help them understand how the law can work for them, despite the government's attempts to change the laws in favor of big business.
Mesothelioma victims have been fighting back since the 1930s, suing companies who knowingly and negligently exposed their employees to high levels of toxic asbestos. The government was certainly slow enough in addressing asbestos laws to attempt to protect workers from the threat of Mesothelioma.
The laws, of course, are not stringent enough and in most states the penalties for companies who are in violation if current asbestos regulations are not nearly punitive enough. Mesothelioma is a deadly disease of negligence and the direct cause of corporate executives who are entirely out of touch with the value of the American worker.
California mesothelioma attorneys have seen the atrocity with their own eyes and have worked tirelessly for their clients, feeling the family's devastating loss in the end. These California mesothelioma attorneys have undergone the necessary education to provide sound, quality advice for people who are facing such an uncertain future.
Mesothelioma victims are reclaiming their dignity along with their rights via Mesothelioma settlements and Mesothelioma lawsuits. These settlements and lawsuits not only help to cover their medical expenses and leave their families financially secure, but they are paving the way for more stringent California mesothelioma laws and asbestos regulations.
While the government is trying to address the concerns of big business by restricting the victims of Mesothelioma right to sue, California mesothelioma attorneys are filing as fast as they can to create harsher penalties for companies who do nothing but expose their employees to the dangers of asbestos.
The families of Mesothelioma victims are retaining counsel and petitioning California mesothelioma attorneys for assistance in wrongful death lawsuits, changes in asbestos laws, and changes in the penalties for these companies. The government, however, has found it in their best interest to find ways to limit these claims as quickly as possible.
The government would entirely benefit from laws restricting California mesothelioma lawsuits. Mesothelioma attorneys are already petitioning the courts to restrict these laws to benefit the citizens of California rather than big business and governmental agencies.
Integrity for the victim has not been lost on the filing of Mesothelioma lawsuits. These are not frivolous or ridiculous lawsuits, these are lawsuits which are necessary in order to hold U.S. companies accountable for their business practices. These lawsuits are shaking up the government and proving that the American people are not willing to be victimized, especially not by our own government.
California mesothelioma attorneys are bringing to light the destructive nature of this disease and are announcing unequivocally that this preventable disease is no longer a casualty of big business. This country was built on the backs of laborers and veterans. Mesothelioma settlements are the green signal which screams from the headlines that those who have built this country are not to be left behind.
"There is no free lunch." So often the perception of worker's compensation lawsuits are misconstrued, the little guy doesn't want to work any longer so he sues his company. The tables have turned, and asbestos related illnesses are the pivotal postcard sent to big business that no, sir, there is in fact, "no free lunch." Companies and governmental agencies nationwide need to raise their level of human consciousness.
California mesothelioma attorneys are stepping up to assist the victims of Mesothelioma. The majority of California mesothelioma victims are life long laborers, working in California factories, construction sites, demolition zones, and the automotive industry. Their daily sweat earned them a paycheck and a virtual death sentence. California mesothelioma attorneys are there to help them understand how the law can work for them, despite the government's attempts to change the laws in favor of big business.
Mesothelioma victims have been fighting back since the 1930s, suing companies who knowingly and negligently exposed their employees to high levels of toxic asbestos. The government was certainly slow enough in addressing asbestos laws to attempt to protect workers from the threat of Mesothelioma.
The laws, of course, are not stringent enough and in most states the penalties for companies who are in violation if current asbestos regulations are not nearly punitive enough. Mesothelioma is a deadly disease of negligence and the direct cause of corporate executives who are entirely out of touch with the value of the American worker.
California mesothelioma attorneys have seen the atrocity with their own eyes and have worked tirelessly for their clients, feeling the family's devastating loss in the end. These California mesothelioma attorneys have undergone the necessary education to provide sound, quality advice for people who are facing such an uncertain future.
Mesothelioma victims are reclaiming their dignity along with their rights via Mesothelioma settlements and Mesothelioma lawsuits. These settlements and lawsuits not only help to cover their medical expenses and leave their families financially secure, but they are paving the way for more stringent California mesothelioma laws and asbestos regulations.
While the government is trying to address the concerns of big business by restricting the victims of Mesothelioma right to sue, California mesothelioma attorneys are filing as fast as they can to create harsher penalties for companies who do nothing but expose their employees to the dangers of asbestos.
The families of Mesothelioma victims are retaining counsel and petitioning California mesothelioma attorneys for assistance in wrongful death lawsuits, changes in asbestos laws, and changes in the penalties for these companies. The government, however, has found it in their best interest to find ways to limit these claims as quickly as possible.
The government would entirely benefit from laws restricting California mesothelioma lawsuits. Mesothelioma attorneys are already petitioning the courts to restrict these laws to benefit the citizens of California rather than big business and governmental agencies.
Integrity for the victim has not been lost on the filing of Mesothelioma lawsuits. These are not frivolous or ridiculous lawsuits, these are lawsuits which are necessary in order to hold U.S. companies accountable for their business practices. These lawsuits are shaking up the government and proving that the American people are not willing to be victimized, especially not by our own government.
California mesothelioma attorneys are bringing to light the destructive nature of this disease and are announcing unequivocally that this preventable disease is no longer a casualty of big business. This country was built on the backs of laborers and veterans. Mesothelioma settlements are the green signal which screams from the headlines that those who have built this country are not to be left behind.
"There is no free lunch." So often the perception of worker's compensation lawsuits are misconstrued, the little guy doesn't want to work any longer so he sues his company. The tables have turned, and asbestos related illnesses are the pivotal postcard sent to big business that no, sir, there is in fact, "no free lunch." Companies and governmental agencies nationwide need to raise their level of human consciousness.
Important Tips About Filing a Mesothelioma Lawsuit in California
Filing a California mesothelioma lawsuit is a reasonable response to being diagnosed with Mesothelioma as it is common knowledge that this disease is only caused by asbestos exposure.
However, there are a few things that Mesothelioma victims should be aware of prior to attempting to file a California mesothelioma lawsuit. A qualified Mesothelioma lawyer can help walk a suffering victim through the process.
A Mesothelioma lawsuit can be filed after diagnosis or a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed if a family member has died from Mesothelioma. Most people who are diagnosed with Mesothelioma have worked in jobs that carry a high likelihood for asbestos exposure. People often hesitate to file a Mesothelioma lawsuit because there is the possibility of being exposed to asbestos in several locations during their various employments.
A California mesothelioma lawyer can often help to resolve this scenario just by knowing which questions to ask to narrow down the possibilities. In rare cases, a private investigator may be acquisitioned to determine the source of the asbestos.
It is imperative that you are able to produce some form of proof that you worked for the company in question during the time period in question. There are serious issues related to individuals who held under the table positions, illegal positions, and positions which for some reason did not require the proper paperwork previously to filing.
Only a Mesothelioma lawyer can truly advised a client as to whether or not there is any recourse for Mesothelioma victims with a questionable work history.
Selecting a California mesothelioma attorney is a little more difficult than simply plucking the first name you find out of the phone book. It is recommended that you sit down in front of the computer and really do some solid research on the law firm or the Mesothelioma lawyer you are considering for the position.
You want someone who will represent you aggressively and fairly, someone who isn't afraid to step out on the courtroom floor and deliver a performance worthy of a standing ovation. Lawsuits are unfortunately always about just the evidence. Powerful people make powerful statements. Selecting a Mesothelioma lawyer that can make that powerful statement is equally as important as selecting one who is knowledgeable and compassionate.
Diagnosis and prognosis updates are imperative. These things are not always comfortable to talk about in a professional setting, but it is very important that your Mesothelioma lawyer understand where you are with your current health condition in order to adequately direct your Mesothelioma lawsuit in the direction that he feels will suit you best. You are simply going to have to trust your Mesothelioma lawyer to work on your behalf.
Even if your employer informed you of the risk of asbestos exposure when or after you were hired, chances are that you still have a case. It is likely that if the company informed employees about the dangers of asbestos they did not do so in an adequate fashion.
Employers and company owners were far more aware of the dangers of asbestos and the danger in which it posed, including the possible contraction of Mesothelioma before the general public was made aware of just how deadly this material really was. If the company you worked for presented the information in a manner that made it acceptable to expose yourself to the potential risks of asbestos, they are still liable for misleading you and creating a hazardous work environment.
There really is no justification for exposing employees to asbestos. It is just another example of how large, profitable businesses place company welfare above company employee welfare.
Asbestos exposure is the exploitation of businesses taking advantage of the American worker's need for employment. Mesothelioma is the result of careless business practices.
Victims of Mesothelioma in California are entitled to compensation not only for their medical bills, but for their pain and suffering. No amount of money can ever replace a person's health, as without health there really is very little else. Unfortunately, in most cases, Mesothelioma settlements and awards do little more than allow the Mesothelioma victim to pass away knowing that their family members will be provided for.
It is a truly sad state of affairs. Mesothelioma patients typically only survive 24 months after diagnosis. It typically takes at least half that to come to an agreeable Mesothelioma settlement or to bring the responsible parties to the courtroom.
However, there are a few things that Mesothelioma victims should be aware of prior to attempting to file a California mesothelioma lawsuit. A qualified Mesothelioma lawyer can help walk a suffering victim through the process.
A Mesothelioma lawsuit can be filed after diagnosis or a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed if a family member has died from Mesothelioma. Most people who are diagnosed with Mesothelioma have worked in jobs that carry a high likelihood for asbestos exposure. People often hesitate to file a Mesothelioma lawsuit because there is the possibility of being exposed to asbestos in several locations during their various employments.
A California mesothelioma lawyer can often help to resolve this scenario just by knowing which questions to ask to narrow down the possibilities. In rare cases, a private investigator may be acquisitioned to determine the source of the asbestos.
It is imperative that you are able to produce some form of proof that you worked for the company in question during the time period in question. There are serious issues related to individuals who held under the table positions, illegal positions, and positions which for some reason did not require the proper paperwork previously to filing.
Only a Mesothelioma lawyer can truly advised a client as to whether or not there is any recourse for Mesothelioma victims with a questionable work history.
Selecting a California mesothelioma attorney is a little more difficult than simply plucking the first name you find out of the phone book. It is recommended that you sit down in front of the computer and really do some solid research on the law firm or the Mesothelioma lawyer you are considering for the position.
You want someone who will represent you aggressively and fairly, someone who isn't afraid to step out on the courtroom floor and deliver a performance worthy of a standing ovation. Lawsuits are unfortunately always about just the evidence. Powerful people make powerful statements. Selecting a Mesothelioma lawyer that can make that powerful statement is equally as important as selecting one who is knowledgeable and compassionate.
Diagnosis and prognosis updates are imperative. These things are not always comfortable to talk about in a professional setting, but it is very important that your Mesothelioma lawyer understand where you are with your current health condition in order to adequately direct your Mesothelioma lawsuit in the direction that he feels will suit you best. You are simply going to have to trust your Mesothelioma lawyer to work on your behalf.
Even if your employer informed you of the risk of asbestos exposure when or after you were hired, chances are that you still have a case. It is likely that if the company informed employees about the dangers of asbestos they did not do so in an adequate fashion.
Employers and company owners were far more aware of the dangers of asbestos and the danger in which it posed, including the possible contraction of Mesothelioma before the general public was made aware of just how deadly this material really was. If the company you worked for presented the information in a manner that made it acceptable to expose yourself to the potential risks of asbestos, they are still liable for misleading you and creating a hazardous work environment.
There really is no justification for exposing employees to asbestos. It is just another example of how large, profitable businesses place company welfare above company employee welfare.
Asbestos exposure is the exploitation of businesses taking advantage of the American worker's need for employment. Mesothelioma is the result of careless business practices.
Victims of Mesothelioma in California are entitled to compensation not only for their medical bills, but for their pain and suffering. No amount of money can ever replace a person's health, as without health there really is very little else. Unfortunately, in most cases, Mesothelioma settlements and awards do little more than allow the Mesothelioma victim to pass away knowing that their family members will be provided for.
It is a truly sad state of affairs. Mesothelioma patients typically only survive 24 months after diagnosis. It typically takes at least half that to come to an agreeable Mesothelioma settlement or to bring the responsible parties to the courtroom.
Facts Concerning Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients in California
About 10% of all Mesothelioma cases that are diagnosed in the United States today are cases of Peritoneal Mesothelioma. There are nearly 3000 newly diagnosed cases of it diagnosed every year, which means that about 300 cases of Peritoneal Mesothelioma are diagnosed annually.
The human body has numerous protective linings which encase various internal organs. Mesothelioma is the name given to the cancer which attacks this protective lining, which is only known to be cause by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is used as a fire resistant, cost effective, building material which lingers in factories, the automotive industry, the construction industry, destroyed buildings, and some older, smaller building that have been converted into office buildings usually found in cities and house small business personally owned and operated by small business entrepreneurs.
Asbestos related diseases are a horrific scar on the humanity of our free commerce society. Business owners neglectfully and reprehensively allowed the continuous exposure of their employees to the cancer causing asbestos without regard for their welfare, future health, or the potential consequences. The effects of asbestos were known as early as the 1920s, although there have been reports which speculate that the hazards of asbestos were well known as early as the late 1890s. One of the greatest human tragedies of wrongful infliction is the fact that asbestos laws which restricted (not eliminated) the use of asbestos weren't passed until 1980. Apparently the American government wasn't all that concerned with the fate of its laborers.
Mesothelioma is known to attack the protective lining of various organs in three different areas of the body, the heart, the lungs, and the abdominal organs such as the spleen, liver, kidneys, and intestines. Mesothelioma that attacks the lining of the lungs, which is the most common type of Mesothelioma, is known as Pleural Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma which attacks the lining that protects the heart, is the rarest form of it, is known as Pericardial Mesothelioma. Pericardial Mesothelioma is also considered the deadliest form of it with the shortest life span after diagnosis. The form of Mesothelioma which attacks the lining which protects the abdominal organs is known as Peritoneal Mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma in all forms if often very difficult to detect, and diagnosis is often made too late to effectively offer hope of life after it. Even the best Mesothelioma doctors typically can not offer hope of survival since it is typically diagnosed well after the onset of symptoms when the disease has progressed beyond the early, more treatable stages of it.
Regardless, patients diagnosed with Mesothelioma should seek out the best doctors available. Cutting edge technology and cancer research may still offer hope one day. Doctors are intimately involved with the progression of Mesothelioma as well as medical research progress and will be the first to be able to offer new and innovative treatments.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma often mimics other rare diseases, and without the information of previous long term asbestos exposure, many doctors who are not specialists are unaware that they should be considering the possibility of Mesothelioma when diagnosing the accompanying symptoms. Patients with undiagnosed or diagnosed Peritoneal Mesothelioma may experience symptoms which include abdominal swelling, bowel obstructions and other bowel issues, fever, weight loss, weakness, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma patients may choose to spend their time fighting the disease and undergoing treatments which may involve surgery, palliative therapies, chemotherapy, and radiation therapies. Treating Peritoneal Mesothelioma leads to great physical difficulty and challenges beyond the disease itself, and often patients who are treating Mesothelioma with conventional methods find the treatment process too exhaustive.
Other Peritoneal Mesothelioma patients find that they would rather spend their remaining time as comfortable as possible and with as much quality time with their families and friends as possible. It takes decades to expose itself after asbestos exposure, and sometimes there are legal avenues which patients decide to follow in an effort to hold the responsible company accountable for its neglectful attitudes on asbestos exposure.
Other patients decide that are filing Mesothelioma lawsuits are not a valuable way to spend their time. In some cases, the government has limited a Mesothelioma victim's ability to decide whether or not filing a lawsuit is in their best interest.
Regardless of how a Mesothelioma victim decides to spend their time, the fact of the matter remains that it is a needless and horribly distressing disease that could by all reasonable means be prevented. There is simply no reasonable excuse for the continuation of diagnoses.
The human body has numerous protective linings which encase various internal organs. Mesothelioma is the name given to the cancer which attacks this protective lining, which is only known to be cause by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is used as a fire resistant, cost effective, building material which lingers in factories, the automotive industry, the construction industry, destroyed buildings, and some older, smaller building that have been converted into office buildings usually found in cities and house small business personally owned and operated by small business entrepreneurs.
Asbestos related diseases are a horrific scar on the humanity of our free commerce society. Business owners neglectfully and reprehensively allowed the continuous exposure of their employees to the cancer causing asbestos without regard for their welfare, future health, or the potential consequences. The effects of asbestos were known as early as the 1920s, although there have been reports which speculate that the hazards of asbestos were well known as early as the late 1890s. One of the greatest human tragedies of wrongful infliction is the fact that asbestos laws which restricted (not eliminated) the use of asbestos weren't passed until 1980. Apparently the American government wasn't all that concerned with the fate of its laborers.
Mesothelioma is known to attack the protective lining of various organs in three different areas of the body, the heart, the lungs, and the abdominal organs such as the spleen, liver, kidneys, and intestines. Mesothelioma that attacks the lining of the lungs, which is the most common type of Mesothelioma, is known as Pleural Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma which attacks the lining that protects the heart, is the rarest form of it, is known as Pericardial Mesothelioma. Pericardial Mesothelioma is also considered the deadliest form of it with the shortest life span after diagnosis. The form of Mesothelioma which attacks the lining which protects the abdominal organs is known as Peritoneal Mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma in all forms if often very difficult to detect, and diagnosis is often made too late to effectively offer hope of life after it. Even the best Mesothelioma doctors typically can not offer hope of survival since it is typically diagnosed well after the onset of symptoms when the disease has progressed beyond the early, more treatable stages of it.
Regardless, patients diagnosed with Mesothelioma should seek out the best doctors available. Cutting edge technology and cancer research may still offer hope one day. Doctors are intimately involved with the progression of Mesothelioma as well as medical research progress and will be the first to be able to offer new and innovative treatments.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma often mimics other rare diseases, and without the information of previous long term asbestos exposure, many doctors who are not specialists are unaware that they should be considering the possibility of Mesothelioma when diagnosing the accompanying symptoms. Patients with undiagnosed or diagnosed Peritoneal Mesothelioma may experience symptoms which include abdominal swelling, bowel obstructions and other bowel issues, fever, weight loss, weakness, nausea, and abdominal pain.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma patients may choose to spend their time fighting the disease and undergoing treatments which may involve surgery, palliative therapies, chemotherapy, and radiation therapies. Treating Peritoneal Mesothelioma leads to great physical difficulty and challenges beyond the disease itself, and often patients who are treating Mesothelioma with conventional methods find the treatment process too exhaustive.
Other Peritoneal Mesothelioma patients find that they would rather spend their remaining time as comfortable as possible and with as much quality time with their families and friends as possible. It takes decades to expose itself after asbestos exposure, and sometimes there are legal avenues which patients decide to follow in an effort to hold the responsible company accountable for its neglectful attitudes on asbestos exposure.
Other patients decide that are filing Mesothelioma lawsuits are not a valuable way to spend their time. In some cases, the government has limited a Mesothelioma victim's ability to decide whether or not filing a lawsuit is in their best interest.
Regardless of how a Mesothelioma victim decides to spend their time, the fact of the matter remains that it is a needless and horribly distressing disease that could by all reasonable means be prevented. There is simply no reasonable excuse for the continuation of diagnoses.
Facing Mesothelioma Without a California Mesothelioma Attorney
The diagnosis of Mesothelioma will leave a victim in California in a state of perpetual challenges. Mesothelioma is a gravely difficult disease to contend with, and there are numerous issues which will unfortunately arise along the way.
The absolute best chance a California mesothelioma victim has at minimizing stress and discouragement is finding the best Mesothelioma team available. This includes Mesothelioma doctors and a top notch California mesothelioma lawyer.
Finding the best mesothelioma attorney in California can be a challenge, and the more information you are armed with, the better the chances you have of finding the Mesothelioma lawyer that is right for you. One of your top priorities is knowledge.
Knowing everything there is to know about Mesothelioma, the current California mesothelioma laws which will apply to you and your Mesothelioma case, and knowing what other people in your area have determined about their Mesothelioma representation can paint the picture of what your Mesothelioma attorney should be able to do for you.
While California mesothelioma attorneys should definitely be more knowledgeable than you when it comes to Mesothelioma law, having enough information to know whether or not the Mesothelioma lawyer you are interviewing has a solid knowledge base can help you determine the attorney's credentials.
Searching for a good Mesothelioma lawyer is exactly that, a search. Searching entails things like the use of the internet, meeting with several California mesothelioma lawyers, and determining which Mesothelioma lawyer has the best chance of representing you within the confines of the law and aggressively as possible while holding your best interests as their top priority.
So often, whether it is doctors, lawyers, or counselors we pull a name from the phone book, make an appointment, and just assume that we have found a quality professional to handle our needs. Finding a highly qualified specialist takes more effort than that. Keep in mind that there are two types of Mesothelioma attorneys. California mesothelioma lawsuits tend to be awarded or settled quite high.
Jury awards for California mesothelioma lawsuits have historically been very high. Some Mesothelioma lawyers are interested in finding justice for their clients, and they are naturally compassionate and caring about the process and sensitive to becoming the best Mesothelioma lawyer they can possibly become. The second type of Mesothelioma lawyer is interested mostly in their share of those very high Mesothelioma settlements and awards.
This type of Mesothelioma lawyer will be lacking compassion and sensitivity to a Mesothelioma victim's journey and their needs. It is usually noticeable right away whether or not you are greeted professionally but compassionately to discuss your Mesothelioma case or if you are greeted with callousness and a lack of basic integrity. Good Mesothelioma lawyers understand the disease, the complications, and most often the difficulties you are going to face even more than you do. A disassociated Mesothelioma attorney has simply plastered the words "Mesothelioma attorney" under his or her name in the phone book.
Word of mouth is an excellent form of Mesothelioma attorney research. For the most part, Mesothelioma victims can offer each other advice about finding a capable California mesothelioma attorney. Bear in mind that every case is different and each personality is unique, and there are instances where a referral from a fellow Mesothelioma victim just doesn't suit you. That's okay. Most of the time, however, Mesothelioma victims can be truly beneficial in helping each other find these very highly recommended Mesothelioma lawyers.
It is perfectly appropriate to insist the Mesothelioma attorney provides an accurate case history that can allow you to evaluate their basic performance record. Researching their self proclaimed results can be a little time consuming, but when it is a question of integrity and honesty, the research is very important. Mesothelioma lawyers are basically honest, but you don't want to risk ending up with the laughing stock of the profession.
Researching your selections for a Mesothelioma lawyer may take some time, and Mesothelioma victims and their families do not have ample time, but the time it takes to research the quality of a Mesothelioma lawyer is invaluable considering the time and financial resources which can be lost when the research is not completed.
Facing Mesothelioma with a California mesothelioma attorney you can not trust will simply make the challenges which lay ahead in dealing with Mesothelioma more difficult. You may need your Mesothelioma to speak on your behalf in the event that you are not capable of doing so, and not having an established and trusted relationship with a Mesothelioma attorney to begin with may make that an impossible situation.
This is not the time to pull a random name from a phone book. Treating the search for a California mesothelioma attorney much like the search for the perfect employee is the only way to feel confident enough to allow you to focus on other issues regarding your health rather than babysitting your attorney.
The absolute best chance a California mesothelioma victim has at minimizing stress and discouragement is finding the best Mesothelioma team available. This includes Mesothelioma doctors and a top notch California mesothelioma lawyer.
Finding the best mesothelioma attorney in California can be a challenge, and the more information you are armed with, the better the chances you have of finding the Mesothelioma lawyer that is right for you. One of your top priorities is knowledge.
Knowing everything there is to know about Mesothelioma, the current California mesothelioma laws which will apply to you and your Mesothelioma case, and knowing what other people in your area have determined about their Mesothelioma representation can paint the picture of what your Mesothelioma attorney should be able to do for you.
While California mesothelioma attorneys should definitely be more knowledgeable than you when it comes to Mesothelioma law, having enough information to know whether or not the Mesothelioma lawyer you are interviewing has a solid knowledge base can help you determine the attorney's credentials.
Searching for a good Mesothelioma lawyer is exactly that, a search. Searching entails things like the use of the internet, meeting with several California mesothelioma lawyers, and determining which Mesothelioma lawyer has the best chance of representing you within the confines of the law and aggressively as possible while holding your best interests as their top priority.
So often, whether it is doctors, lawyers, or counselors we pull a name from the phone book, make an appointment, and just assume that we have found a quality professional to handle our needs. Finding a highly qualified specialist takes more effort than that. Keep in mind that there are two types of Mesothelioma attorneys. California mesothelioma lawsuits tend to be awarded or settled quite high.
Jury awards for California mesothelioma lawsuits have historically been very high. Some Mesothelioma lawyers are interested in finding justice for their clients, and they are naturally compassionate and caring about the process and sensitive to becoming the best Mesothelioma lawyer they can possibly become. The second type of Mesothelioma lawyer is interested mostly in their share of those very high Mesothelioma settlements and awards.
This type of Mesothelioma lawyer will be lacking compassion and sensitivity to a Mesothelioma victim's journey and their needs. It is usually noticeable right away whether or not you are greeted professionally but compassionately to discuss your Mesothelioma case or if you are greeted with callousness and a lack of basic integrity. Good Mesothelioma lawyers understand the disease, the complications, and most often the difficulties you are going to face even more than you do. A disassociated Mesothelioma attorney has simply plastered the words "Mesothelioma attorney" under his or her name in the phone book.
Word of mouth is an excellent form of Mesothelioma attorney research. For the most part, Mesothelioma victims can offer each other advice about finding a capable California mesothelioma attorney. Bear in mind that every case is different and each personality is unique, and there are instances where a referral from a fellow Mesothelioma victim just doesn't suit you. That's okay. Most of the time, however, Mesothelioma victims can be truly beneficial in helping each other find these very highly recommended Mesothelioma lawyers.
It is perfectly appropriate to insist the Mesothelioma attorney provides an accurate case history that can allow you to evaluate their basic performance record. Researching their self proclaimed results can be a little time consuming, but when it is a question of integrity and honesty, the research is very important. Mesothelioma lawyers are basically honest, but you don't want to risk ending up with the laughing stock of the profession.
Researching your selections for a Mesothelioma lawyer may take some time, and Mesothelioma victims and their families do not have ample time, but the time it takes to research the quality of a Mesothelioma lawyer is invaluable considering the time and financial resources which can be lost when the research is not completed.
Facing Mesothelioma with a California mesothelioma attorney you can not trust will simply make the challenges which lay ahead in dealing with Mesothelioma more difficult. You may need your Mesothelioma to speak on your behalf in the event that you are not capable of doing so, and not having an established and trusted relationship with a Mesothelioma attorney to begin with may make that an impossible situation.
This is not the time to pull a random name from a phone book. Treating the search for a California mesothelioma attorney much like the search for the perfect employee is the only way to feel confident enough to allow you to focus on other issues regarding your health rather than babysitting your attorney.
The Truth About California Mesothelioma Settlements And Awards
Understanding what a Mesothelioma diagnosis means takes much longer than the brief time your doctor spent with you as they broke the news to you that you were suffering from it. Understanding a diagnosis and what to do and how to react will take some time.
Unfortunately, it is fatal in all but a few rare cases. It can be detected in three various parts of the body, and those three areas have their own specific name for Mesothelioma. Pericardial Mesothelioma strikes the heart's mesothlium. Peritoneal Mesothelioma strikes the abdominal protective lining, or mesothlium. The most common form of it is known as Pleural Mesothelioma and is known to attack the lung's mesothelium. It is a drastic and aggressive cancer that is only known to be caused by the inhalation and ingestion of asbestos.
Post diagnosis of Mesothelioma creates many questions, and some of the answers to those questions can be answered through self research, but not everything you read on the internet is true, so it is recommended that a newly diagnosed victim consult with two specialists, a Mesothelioma doctor and then a Mesothelioma lawyer.
A doctor can guide you through your treatment options and help you decide what is best for you in the face of it. A lawyer can assist in helping you to understand your rights as a victim of it.
There will be many changes in your life after the diagnosis of Mesothelioma. Just like all victims of deadly diseases, victims feel the need to make intelligent choices with how they handle their physical, emotional, and financial health as their progresses.
Hiring a California mesothelioma lawyer can eventually mean the difference between being able to pay for top of the line treatment and winding up with a physician who has never seen a case of it before. While not every case can be brought to the center of a courtroom, many cases are the result of obvious and blatant disregard for human health and life that victims are able to win large sums of money to help cover the costs of expensive victims, pay for private nursing that help the families of Mesothelioma victims, and assist families from having to declare bankruptcy after the death of their loved one.
California mesothelioma settlements and awards can never truly compensate for the pain and suffering of a victim, nor can they ever even come close to compensating for the loss of a family member to Mesothelioma, but they can at least help to provide the best care possible and ease the transition that occurs between life, illness, and death. Mesothelioma is a journey, and it is a difficult and painful journey. Though the percentage is very low, there have been survivors of it.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, and thus it has not received the research attention that other forms of cancer have received. It is a cancer that is resistant to conventional forms of treatment, although conventional forms of treatment are really the only available treatment options.
Victims of Mesothelioma have reported feeling that there time was well spent after filing a lawsuit, hoping that their journey could help spare lives from it in the future. Even if the only way to effectively do so is to bankrupt the companies responsible one by one. This may or may not be an accurate statement, but who can discount the feelings of a victim? Only a victim of it can really determine how their time that they are left with will be well spent.
It is very unfortunate that the only true recourse for justice victims have is the filing of a lawsuit. Many family members or friends of Mesothelioma victims feel that the truer justice for victims would be compensation and jail time for those who decided that it was not a significant enough risk to protect their employees from asbestos exposure.
Regardless of personal feelings that Mesothelioma victims, their families and friends assert, there is not always a cut and dry case waiting for them. There have been changes to current legislation which may very well prevent the majority of lawsuits from being filed in the future. It is vital to file a lawsuit as early as possible after diagnosis. Victims need not lose hope. There are always new advancements in technology and medicine that may eventually prevail in finding a treatment aggressive enough to send a much higher percentage of California mesothelioma cases into remission.
Unfortunately, it is fatal in all but a few rare cases. It can be detected in three various parts of the body, and those three areas have their own specific name for Mesothelioma. Pericardial Mesothelioma strikes the heart's mesothlium. Peritoneal Mesothelioma strikes the abdominal protective lining, or mesothlium. The most common form of it is known as Pleural Mesothelioma and is known to attack the lung's mesothelium. It is a drastic and aggressive cancer that is only known to be caused by the inhalation and ingestion of asbestos.
Post diagnosis of Mesothelioma creates many questions, and some of the answers to those questions can be answered through self research, but not everything you read on the internet is true, so it is recommended that a newly diagnosed victim consult with two specialists, a Mesothelioma doctor and then a Mesothelioma lawyer.
A doctor can guide you through your treatment options and help you decide what is best for you in the face of it. A lawyer can assist in helping you to understand your rights as a victim of it.
There will be many changes in your life after the diagnosis of Mesothelioma. Just like all victims of deadly diseases, victims feel the need to make intelligent choices with how they handle their physical, emotional, and financial health as their progresses.
Hiring a California mesothelioma lawyer can eventually mean the difference between being able to pay for top of the line treatment and winding up with a physician who has never seen a case of it before. While not every case can be brought to the center of a courtroom, many cases are the result of obvious and blatant disregard for human health and life that victims are able to win large sums of money to help cover the costs of expensive victims, pay for private nursing that help the families of Mesothelioma victims, and assist families from having to declare bankruptcy after the death of their loved one.
California mesothelioma settlements and awards can never truly compensate for the pain and suffering of a victim, nor can they ever even come close to compensating for the loss of a family member to Mesothelioma, but they can at least help to provide the best care possible and ease the transition that occurs between life, illness, and death. Mesothelioma is a journey, and it is a difficult and painful journey. Though the percentage is very low, there have been survivors of it.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer, and thus it has not received the research attention that other forms of cancer have received. It is a cancer that is resistant to conventional forms of treatment, although conventional forms of treatment are really the only available treatment options.
Victims of Mesothelioma have reported feeling that there time was well spent after filing a lawsuit, hoping that their journey could help spare lives from it in the future. Even if the only way to effectively do so is to bankrupt the companies responsible one by one. This may or may not be an accurate statement, but who can discount the feelings of a victim? Only a victim of it can really determine how their time that they are left with will be well spent.
It is very unfortunate that the only true recourse for justice victims have is the filing of a lawsuit. Many family members or friends of Mesothelioma victims feel that the truer justice for victims would be compensation and jail time for those who decided that it was not a significant enough risk to protect their employees from asbestos exposure.
Regardless of personal feelings that Mesothelioma victims, their families and friends assert, there is not always a cut and dry case waiting for them. There have been changes to current legislation which may very well prevent the majority of lawsuits from being filed in the future. It is vital to file a lawsuit as early as possible after diagnosis. Victims need not lose hope. There are always new advancements in technology and medicine that may eventually prevail in finding a treatment aggressive enough to send a much higher percentage of California mesothelioma cases into remission.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Cigarette Smoking and Cancer: Questions and Answers
Tobacco use, particularly cigarette smoking, is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking alone is directly responsible for approximately 30 percent of all cancer deaths annually in the United States (1). Cigarette smoking also causes chronic lung disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis), cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cataracts. Smoking during pregnancy can cause stillbirth, low birthweight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and other serious pregnancy complications (2). Quitting smoking greatly reduces a person’s risk of developing the diseases mentioned, and can limit adverse health effects on the developing child.
1. What are the effects of cigarette smoking on cancer rates?
Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths (1). Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women (3). Smoking is also responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder. In addition, it is a cause of kidney, pancreatic, cervical, and stomach cancers (2, 4), as well as acute myeloid leukemia (2).
2. Are there any health risks for nonsmokers?
The health risks caused by cigarette smoking are not limited to smokers. Exposure to secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), significantly increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease in nonsmokers, as well as several respiratory illnesses in young children (5). (Secondhand smoke is a combination of the smoke that is released from the end of a burning cigarette and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Science’s National Toxicology Program, and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have all classified secondhand smoke as a known human carcinogen—a category reserved for agents for which there is sufficient scientific evidence that they cause cancer (5, 6, 7). The U.S. EPA has estimated that exposure to secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers and is responsible for up to 300,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infections in children up to 18 months of age in the United States each year (5). For additional information on ETS, see the NCI fact sheet Environmental Tobacco Smoke, which can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS on the Internet.
3. What harmful chemicals are found in cigarette smoke?
Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemical agents, including over 60 carcinogens (8). In addition, many of these substances, such as carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic, and lead, are poisonous and toxic to the human body. Nicotine is a drug that is naturally present in the tobacco plant and is primarily responsible for a person’s addiction to tobacco products, including cigarettes. During smoking, nicotine is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and travels to the brain in a matter of seconds. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes and other tobacco products that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine (9).
4. How does exposure to tobacco smoke affect the cigarette smoker?
Smoking harms nearly every major organ of the body (2). The risk of developing smoking-related diseases, such as lung and other cancers, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory illnesses, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke (7). This includes the number of cigarettes a person smokes each day, the intensity of smoking (i.e., the size and frequency of puffs), the age at which smoking began, the number of years a person has smoked, and a smoker’s secondhand smoke exposure.
5. How would quitting smoking affect the risk of developing cancer and other diseases?
Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease. The earlier a person quits, the greater the health benefit. For example, research has shown that people who quit before age 50 reduce their risk of dying in the next 15 years by half compared with those who continue to smoke (3). Smoking low-yield cigarettes, as compared to cigarettes with higher tar and nicotine, provides no clear benefit to health (2). For additional information on quitting smoking, see the NCI fact sheet Questions and Answers About Smoking Cessation, which can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cessation on the Internet.
6. What additional resources are available?
For additional information about cancer or tobacco use, call 1–800–4–CANCER or visit the NCI’s Web site about tobacco at http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/tobacco on the Internet.
For help with quitting smoking, call NCI’s smoking cessation quitline at 1–877–44U–QUIT or visit NCI’s smoking cessation Web site at http://www.smokefree.gov on the Internet.
Information about the health risks of smoking is also available from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) at 1–800–CDC–1311 (1–800–232–1311) or via their Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco on the Internet.
1. What are the effects of cigarette smoking on cancer rates?
Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths (1). Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women (3). Smoking is also responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder. In addition, it is a cause of kidney, pancreatic, cervical, and stomach cancers (2, 4), as well as acute myeloid leukemia (2).
2. Are there any health risks for nonsmokers?
The health risks caused by cigarette smoking are not limited to smokers. Exposure to secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), significantly increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease in nonsmokers, as well as several respiratory illnesses in young children (5). (Secondhand smoke is a combination of the smoke that is released from the end of a burning cigarette and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Science’s National Toxicology Program, and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have all classified secondhand smoke as a known human carcinogen—a category reserved for agents for which there is sufficient scientific evidence that they cause cancer (5, 6, 7). The U.S. EPA has estimated that exposure to secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers and is responsible for up to 300,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infections in children up to 18 months of age in the United States each year (5). For additional information on ETS, see the NCI fact sheet Environmental Tobacco Smoke, which can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS on the Internet.
3. What harmful chemicals are found in cigarette smoke?
Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemical agents, including over 60 carcinogens (8). In addition, many of these substances, such as carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic, and lead, are poisonous and toxic to the human body. Nicotine is a drug that is naturally present in the tobacco plant and is primarily responsible for a person’s addiction to tobacco products, including cigarettes. During smoking, nicotine is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and travels to the brain in a matter of seconds. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes and other tobacco products that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine (9).
4. How does exposure to tobacco smoke affect the cigarette smoker?
Smoking harms nearly every major organ of the body (2). The risk of developing smoking-related diseases, such as lung and other cancers, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory illnesses, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke (7). This includes the number of cigarettes a person smokes each day, the intensity of smoking (i.e., the size and frequency of puffs), the age at which smoking began, the number of years a person has smoked, and a smoker’s secondhand smoke exposure.
5. How would quitting smoking affect the risk of developing cancer and other diseases?
Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease. The earlier a person quits, the greater the health benefit. For example, research has shown that people who quit before age 50 reduce their risk of dying in the next 15 years by half compared with those who continue to smoke (3). Smoking low-yield cigarettes, as compared to cigarettes with higher tar and nicotine, provides no clear benefit to health (2). For additional information on quitting smoking, see the NCI fact sheet Questions and Answers About Smoking Cessation, which can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cessation on the Internet.
6. What additional resources are available?
For additional information about cancer or tobacco use, call 1–800–4–CANCER or visit the NCI’s Web site about tobacco at http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/tobacco on the Internet.
For help with quitting smoking, call NCI’s smoking cessation quitline at 1–877–44U–QUIT or visit NCI’s smoking cessation Web site at http://www.smokefree.gov on the Internet.
Information about the health risks of smoking is also available from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) at 1–800–CDC–1311 (1–800–232–1311) or via their Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco on the Internet.
Prevention
1. What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer. Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals might otherwise cause. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A, and other substances.
2. Can antioxidants prevent cancer?
Considerable laboratory evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. However, information from recent clinical trials is less clear. In recent years, large-scale, randomized clinical trials reached inconsistent conclusions.
3. What was shown in previously published large-scale clinical trials?
Five large-scale clinical trials published in the 1990s reached differing conclusions about the effect of antioxidants on cancer. The studies examined the effect of beta-carotene and other antioxidants on cancer in different patient groups. However, beta-carotene appeared to have different effects depending upon the patient population. The conclusions of each study are summarized below.
* The first large randomized trial on antioxidants and cancer risk was the Chinese Cancer Prevention Study, published in 1993. This trial investigated the effect of a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium on cancer in healthy Chinese men and women at high risk for gastric cancer. The study showed a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium significantly reduced incidence of both gastric cancer and cancer overall (1).
* A 1994 cancer prevention study entitled the Alpha-Tocopherol (vitamin E)/ Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC) demonstrated that lung cancer rates of Finnish male smokers increased significantly with beta-carotene and were not affected by vitamin E (2).
* Another 1994 study, the Beta-Carotene and Retinol (vitamin A) Efficacy Trial (CARET), also demonstrated a possible increase in lung cancer associated with antioxidants (3).
* The 1996 Physicians’ Health Study I (PHS) found no change in cancer rates associated with beta-carotene and aspirin taken by U.S. male physicians (4).
* The 1999 Women's Health Study (WHS) tested effects of vitamin E and beta-carotene in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease among women age 45 years or older. Among apparently healthy women, there was no benefit or harm from beta-carotene supplementation. Investigation of the effect of vitamin E is ongoing (5).
4. Are antioxidants under investigation in current large-scale clinical trials?
Three large-scale clinical trials continue to investigate the effect of antioxidants on cancer. The objective of each of these studies is described below. More information about clinical trials can be obtained using http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, or the CRISP database at http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/ on the Internet.
* The Women’s Health Study (WHS) is currently evaluating the effect of vitamin E in the primary prevention of cancer among U.S. female health professionals age 45 and older. The WHS is expected to conclude in August 2004.
* The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) is taking place in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. SELECT is trying to find out if taking selenium and/or vitamin E supplements can prevent prostate cancer in men age 50 or older. The SELECT trial is expected to stop recruiting patients in May 2006.
* The Physicians' Health Study II (PHS II) is a follow up to the earlier clinical trial by the same name. The study is investigating the effects of vitamin E, C, and multivitamins on prostate cancer and total cancer incidence. The PHS II is expected to conclude in August 2007.
5. Will the National Cancer Institute (NCI) continue to investigate the effect of beta-carotene on cancer?
Given the unexpected results of ATBC and CARET, and the finding of no effect of beta-carotene in the PHS and WHS, NCI will follow the people who participated in these studies and will examine the long-term health effects of beta-carotene supplements. Post-trial follow-up has already been funded by NCI for CARET, ATBC, the Chinese Cancer Prevention Study, and the two smaller trials of skin cancer and colon polyps. Post-trial follow-up results have been published for ATBC, and as of July 2004 are in press for CARET and are in progress for the Chinese Cancer Prevention Study.
6. How might antioxidants prevent cancer?
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals as the natural by-product of normal cell processes. Free radicals are molecules with incomplete electron shells which make them more chemically reactive than those with complete electron shells. Exposure to various environmental factors, including tobacco smoke and radiation, can also lead to free radical formation. In humans, the most common form of free radicals is oxygen. When an oxygen molecule (O2) becomes electrically charged or “radicalized” it tries to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to the DNA and other molecules. Over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to disease including cancer. Antioxidants are often described as “mopping up” free radicals, meaning they neutralize the electrical charge and prevent the free radical from taking electrons from other molecules.
7. Which foods are rich in antioxidants?
Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods including nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry, and fish. The list below describes food sources of common antioxidants.
* Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange in color, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green, leafy vegetables, including collard greens, spinach, and kale, are also rich in beta-carotene.
* Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.
* Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.
* Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the United States, meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.
* Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3,4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks, and mozzarella cheese.
* Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry, and fish.
* Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn, and soybean oils, and is also found in mangos, nuts, broccoli, and other foods.
Selected References
1. Blot WJ, Li JY, Taylor PR, et al. Nutrition intervention trials in Linxian, China: supplementation with specific vitamin/mineral combinations, cancer incidence, and disease-specific mortality in the general population. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993;85:1483–91.
2. The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study Group. The effects of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers. N Engl J Med 1994;330:1029–35.
3. Omenn GS, Goodman G, Thomquist M, et al. The beta-carotene and retinol efficacy trial (CARET) for chemoprevention of lung cancer in high risk populations: smokers and asbestos-exposed workers. Cancer Res 1994;54(7 Suppl):2038s–43s.
4. Hennekens CH, Buring JE, Manson JE, Stampfer M, Rosner B, Cook NR, et al. Lack of effect of long-term supplementation with beta carotene on the incidence of malignant neoplasms and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med 1996;334:1145–9.
5. Lee IM, Cook NR, Manson JE. Beta-carotene supplementation and incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease: Women’s Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 1999;91:2102–6.
Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer. Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals might otherwise cause. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A, and other substances.
2. Can antioxidants prevent cancer?
Considerable laboratory evidence from chemical, cell culture, and animal studies indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. However, information from recent clinical trials is less clear. In recent years, large-scale, randomized clinical trials reached inconsistent conclusions.
3. What was shown in previously published large-scale clinical trials?
Five large-scale clinical trials published in the 1990s reached differing conclusions about the effect of antioxidants on cancer. The studies examined the effect of beta-carotene and other antioxidants on cancer in different patient groups. However, beta-carotene appeared to have different effects depending upon the patient population. The conclusions of each study are summarized below.
* The first large randomized trial on antioxidants and cancer risk was the Chinese Cancer Prevention Study, published in 1993. This trial investigated the effect of a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium on cancer in healthy Chinese men and women at high risk for gastric cancer. The study showed a combination of beta-carotene, vitamin E, and selenium significantly reduced incidence of both gastric cancer and cancer overall (1).
* A 1994 cancer prevention study entitled the Alpha-Tocopherol (vitamin E)/ Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (ATBC) demonstrated that lung cancer rates of Finnish male smokers increased significantly with beta-carotene and were not affected by vitamin E (2).
* Another 1994 study, the Beta-Carotene and Retinol (vitamin A) Efficacy Trial (CARET), also demonstrated a possible increase in lung cancer associated with antioxidants (3).
* The 1996 Physicians’ Health Study I (PHS) found no change in cancer rates associated with beta-carotene and aspirin taken by U.S. male physicians (4).
* The 1999 Women's Health Study (WHS) tested effects of vitamin E and beta-carotene in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease among women age 45 years or older. Among apparently healthy women, there was no benefit or harm from beta-carotene supplementation. Investigation of the effect of vitamin E is ongoing (5).
4. Are antioxidants under investigation in current large-scale clinical trials?
Three large-scale clinical trials continue to investigate the effect of antioxidants on cancer. The objective of each of these studies is described below. More information about clinical trials can be obtained using http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, or the CRISP database at http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/ on the Internet.
* The Women’s Health Study (WHS) is currently evaluating the effect of vitamin E in the primary prevention of cancer among U.S. female health professionals age 45 and older. The WHS is expected to conclude in August 2004.
* The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) is taking place in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. SELECT is trying to find out if taking selenium and/or vitamin E supplements can prevent prostate cancer in men age 50 or older. The SELECT trial is expected to stop recruiting patients in May 2006.
* The Physicians' Health Study II (PHS II) is a follow up to the earlier clinical trial by the same name. The study is investigating the effects of vitamin E, C, and multivitamins on prostate cancer and total cancer incidence. The PHS II is expected to conclude in August 2007.
5. Will the National Cancer Institute (NCI) continue to investigate the effect of beta-carotene on cancer?
Given the unexpected results of ATBC and CARET, and the finding of no effect of beta-carotene in the PHS and WHS, NCI will follow the people who participated in these studies and will examine the long-term health effects of beta-carotene supplements. Post-trial follow-up has already been funded by NCI for CARET, ATBC, the Chinese Cancer Prevention Study, and the two smaller trials of skin cancer and colon polyps. Post-trial follow-up results have been published for ATBC, and as of July 2004 are in press for CARET and are in progress for the Chinese Cancer Prevention Study.
6. How might antioxidants prevent cancer?
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals as the natural by-product of normal cell processes. Free radicals are molecules with incomplete electron shells which make them more chemically reactive than those with complete electron shells. Exposure to various environmental factors, including tobacco smoke and radiation, can also lead to free radical formation. In humans, the most common form of free radicals is oxygen. When an oxygen molecule (O2) becomes electrically charged or “radicalized” it tries to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to the DNA and other molecules. Over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to disease including cancer. Antioxidants are often described as “mopping up” free radicals, meaning they neutralize the electrical charge and prevent the free radical from taking electrons from other molecules.
7. Which foods are rich in antioxidants?
Antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods including nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry, and fish. The list below describes food sources of common antioxidants.
* Beta-carotene is found in many foods that are orange in color, including sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green, leafy vegetables, including collard greens, spinach, and kale, are also rich in beta-carotene.
* Lutein, best known for its association with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.
* Lycopene is a potent antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. Estimates suggest 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products.
* Selenium is a mineral, not an antioxidant nutrient. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the United States, meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.
* Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3,4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks, and mozzarella cheese.
* Vitamin C is also called ascorbic acid, and can be found in high abundance in many fruits and vegetables and is also found in cereals, beef, poultry, and fish.
* Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn, and soybean oils, and is also found in mangos, nuts, broccoli, and other foods.
Selected References
1. Blot WJ, Li JY, Taylor PR, et al. Nutrition intervention trials in Linxian, China: supplementation with specific vitamin/mineral combinations, cancer incidence, and disease-specific mortality in the general population. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993;85:1483–91.
2. The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study Group. The effects of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers. N Engl J Med 1994;330:1029–35.
3. Omenn GS, Goodman G, Thomquist M, et al. The beta-carotene and retinol efficacy trial (CARET) for chemoprevention of lung cancer in high risk populations: smokers and asbestos-exposed workers. Cancer Res 1994;54(7 Suppl):2038s–43s.
4. Hennekens CH, Buring JE, Manson JE, Stampfer M, Rosner B, Cook NR, et al. Lack of effect of long-term supplementation with beta carotene on the incidence of malignant neoplasms and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med 1996;334:1145–9.
5. Lee IM, Cook NR, Manson JE. Beta-carotene supplementation and incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease: Women’s Health Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 1999;91:2102–6.
Fact Sheets: Risk Factors and Possible Causes
Key Points
* Acrylamide is a chemical used primarily for industrial purposes (see Question 1).
* Acrylamide has been found in certain foods, with especially high levels in potato chips, French fries, and other food products produced by high-temperature cooking (see Question 2).
* Food and cigarette smoke are the major sources of exposure to acrylamide (see Question 6).
* Acrylamide is considered to be a mutagen and a probable human carcinogen, based mainly on studies in laboratory animals (see Question 7).
* Scientists do not yet know with any certainty whether the levels of acrylamide typically found in some foods pose a health risk for humans (see Questions 7 and 10).
1. What is acrylamide?
Acrylamide is a chemical used primarily as a building block in making polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers. Polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers are used in many industrial processes, such as the production of paper, dyes, and plastics, and in the treatment of drinking water and wastewater, including sewage. They are also found in consumer products, such as caulking, food packaging, and some adhesives. Trace amounts of acrylamide generally remain in these products.
2. Is there acrylamide in food?
Researchers in Europe and the United States have found acrylamide in certain foods that were heated to a temperature above 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit), but not in foods prepared below this temperature (1). Potato chips and French fries were found to contain higher levels of acrylamide compared with other foods (2). The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that the levels of acrylamide in foods pose a “major concern” and that more research is needed to determine the risk of dietary acrylamide exposure (2).
3. How does cooking produce acrylamide?
Asparagine is an amino acid (a building block of proteins) that is found in many vegetables, with higher concentrations in some varieties of potatoes. When heated to high temperatures in the presence of certain sugars, asparagine can form acrylamide. High-temperature cooking methods, such as frying, baking, or broiling, have been found to produce acrylamide (3), while boiling and microwaving appear less likely to do so. Longer cooking times can also increase acrylamide production when the cooking temperature is above 120 degrees Celsius (4, 5).
4. Is there anything in the cooking process that can be changed to lower dietary acrylamide exposure?
Decreasing cooking time, blanching potatoes before frying, and postdrying (drying in a hot air oven after frying) have been shown to decrease the acrylamide content of some foods (6, 7).
5. Should I change my diet?
Acrylamide levels in food vary widely depending on the manufacturer, the cooking time, and the method and temperature of the cooking process (8, 9). The best advice at this time is to follow established dietary guidelines and eat a healthy, balanced diet that is low in fat and rich in high-fiber grains, fruits, and vegetables.
6. Are there other ways humans are exposed to acrylamide?
Food and cigarette smoke are the major sources of acrylamide exposure (10). Exposure to acrylamide from other sources is likely to be significantly less than that from food or smoking, but scientists do not yet have a complete understanding of all sources of exposure. Acrylamide and polyacrylamide are used in some industrial and agricultural procedures, and regulations are in place to limit exposure in those settings.
7. Does acrylamide increase the risk of cancer?
Studies in rodent models have found that acrylamide exposure poses a risk for several types of cancer (11, 12, 13). However, the evidence from human studies is still incomplete. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer consider acrylamide to be a “probable human carcinogen,” based on studies in laboratory animals given acrylamide in drinking water. However, toxicology studies have shown differences in acrylamide absorption rates between humans and rodents (14).
A series of case-control studies have investigated the relationship between dietary intake of acrylamide and the risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, larynx, large bowel, kidney, breast, and ovary. These studies generally found no excess of tumors associated with acrylamide intake (15, 16, 17, 18, 19). In the studies, however, not all acrylamide-containing foods were included in estimating exposures. In addition, information in case-control studies about exposures is often based on interviews (personal or through questionnaires) with the case and control subjects, and these groups may differ in the accuracy of their recall about exposures. One factor that might influence recall accuracy in cancer-related dietary studies is that diets are often altered after receiving a diagnosis of cancer.
To avoid such limitations in accurately determining acrylamide exposure, biomarkers of exposure were recently used in a Danish cohort study designed to evaluate the subsequent risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women (20). Among women with higher levels of acrylamide bound to the hemoglobin in their blood, there was a statistically significant increase in risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. This finding suggests an endocrine hormone-related effect, which would be consistent with the results of a questionnaire-based cohort study in the Netherlands that found an excess of endometrial and ovarian cancer—but not of postmenopausal breast cancer—associated with higher levels of acrylamide exposure (21). Another cohort study from the Netherlands suggested a positive association between dietary acrylamide and the risk of renal cell cancer, but not of prostate or bladder cancer (22).
8. What are other health effects of acrylamide?
High levels of acrylamide in the workplace have been shown to cause neurological damage, e.g., among workers using acrylamide polymers to clarify water in coal preparation plants (23).
9. Are acrylamide levels regulated?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates acrylamide in drinking water. The EPA established an acceptable level of acrylamide exposure, set low enough to account for any uncertainty in the data relating acrylamide to cancer and neurotoxic effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates the amount of residual acrylamide in a variety of materials that come in contact with food, but there are currently no guidelines governing the presence of acrylamide in food itself.
10. What research is needed?
Although studies in rodent models suggest that acrylamide is a potential carcinogen, additional epidemiological cohort studies are needed to help determine any effects of dietary acrylamide intake on human cancer risk. It is also important to determine how acrylamide is formed during the cooking process and whether acrylamide is present in foods other than those already tested. This information will enable more accurate and comprehensive estimates of dietary exposure. Biospecimen collections in cohort studies will provide an opportunity to avoid the limitations of interview-based dietary assessments by examining biomarkers of exposure to acrylamide and its metabolites in relation to the subsequent risk of cancer.
For information about acrylamide in food from the WHO and FAO, please visit the WHO Web site at http://www.who.int/foodsafety/chem/chemicals/acrylamide/en on the Internet.
For information about acrylamide from the NTP’s Eleventh Report on Carcinogens, please visit http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=32BA9724-F1F6-975E-7FCE50709CB4C932 on the Internet.
* Acrylamide is a chemical used primarily for industrial purposes (see Question 1).
* Acrylamide has been found in certain foods, with especially high levels in potato chips, French fries, and other food products produced by high-temperature cooking (see Question 2).
* Food and cigarette smoke are the major sources of exposure to acrylamide (see Question 6).
* Acrylamide is considered to be a mutagen and a probable human carcinogen, based mainly on studies in laboratory animals (see Question 7).
* Scientists do not yet know with any certainty whether the levels of acrylamide typically found in some foods pose a health risk for humans (see Questions 7 and 10).
1. What is acrylamide?
Acrylamide is a chemical used primarily as a building block in making polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers. Polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers are used in many industrial processes, such as the production of paper, dyes, and plastics, and in the treatment of drinking water and wastewater, including sewage. They are also found in consumer products, such as caulking, food packaging, and some adhesives. Trace amounts of acrylamide generally remain in these products.
2. Is there acrylamide in food?
Researchers in Europe and the United States have found acrylamide in certain foods that were heated to a temperature above 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit), but not in foods prepared below this temperature (1). Potato chips and French fries were found to contain higher levels of acrylamide compared with other foods (2). The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that the levels of acrylamide in foods pose a “major concern” and that more research is needed to determine the risk of dietary acrylamide exposure (2).
3. How does cooking produce acrylamide?
Asparagine is an amino acid (a building block of proteins) that is found in many vegetables, with higher concentrations in some varieties of potatoes. When heated to high temperatures in the presence of certain sugars, asparagine can form acrylamide. High-temperature cooking methods, such as frying, baking, or broiling, have been found to produce acrylamide (3), while boiling and microwaving appear less likely to do so. Longer cooking times can also increase acrylamide production when the cooking temperature is above 120 degrees Celsius (4, 5).
4. Is there anything in the cooking process that can be changed to lower dietary acrylamide exposure?
Decreasing cooking time, blanching potatoes before frying, and postdrying (drying in a hot air oven after frying) have been shown to decrease the acrylamide content of some foods (6, 7).
5. Should I change my diet?
Acrylamide levels in food vary widely depending on the manufacturer, the cooking time, and the method and temperature of the cooking process (8, 9). The best advice at this time is to follow established dietary guidelines and eat a healthy, balanced diet that is low in fat and rich in high-fiber grains, fruits, and vegetables.
6. Are there other ways humans are exposed to acrylamide?
Food and cigarette smoke are the major sources of acrylamide exposure (10). Exposure to acrylamide from other sources is likely to be significantly less than that from food or smoking, but scientists do not yet have a complete understanding of all sources of exposure. Acrylamide and polyacrylamide are used in some industrial and agricultural procedures, and regulations are in place to limit exposure in those settings.
7. Does acrylamide increase the risk of cancer?
Studies in rodent models have found that acrylamide exposure poses a risk for several types of cancer (11, 12, 13). However, the evidence from human studies is still incomplete. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer consider acrylamide to be a “probable human carcinogen,” based on studies in laboratory animals given acrylamide in drinking water. However, toxicology studies have shown differences in acrylamide absorption rates between humans and rodents (14).
A series of case-control studies have investigated the relationship between dietary intake of acrylamide and the risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, larynx, large bowel, kidney, breast, and ovary. These studies generally found no excess of tumors associated with acrylamide intake (15, 16, 17, 18, 19). In the studies, however, not all acrylamide-containing foods were included in estimating exposures. In addition, information in case-control studies about exposures is often based on interviews (personal or through questionnaires) with the case and control subjects, and these groups may differ in the accuracy of their recall about exposures. One factor that might influence recall accuracy in cancer-related dietary studies is that diets are often altered after receiving a diagnosis of cancer.
To avoid such limitations in accurately determining acrylamide exposure, biomarkers of exposure were recently used in a Danish cohort study designed to evaluate the subsequent risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women (20). Among women with higher levels of acrylamide bound to the hemoglobin in their blood, there was a statistically significant increase in risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. This finding suggests an endocrine hormone-related effect, which would be consistent with the results of a questionnaire-based cohort study in the Netherlands that found an excess of endometrial and ovarian cancer—but not of postmenopausal breast cancer—associated with higher levels of acrylamide exposure (21). Another cohort study from the Netherlands suggested a positive association between dietary acrylamide and the risk of renal cell cancer, but not of prostate or bladder cancer (22).
8. What are other health effects of acrylamide?
High levels of acrylamide in the workplace have been shown to cause neurological damage, e.g., among workers using acrylamide polymers to clarify water in coal preparation plants (23).
9. Are acrylamide levels regulated?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates acrylamide in drinking water. The EPA established an acceptable level of acrylamide exposure, set low enough to account for any uncertainty in the data relating acrylamide to cancer and neurotoxic effects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates the amount of residual acrylamide in a variety of materials that come in contact with food, but there are currently no guidelines governing the presence of acrylamide in food itself.
10. What research is needed?
Although studies in rodent models suggest that acrylamide is a potential carcinogen, additional epidemiological cohort studies are needed to help determine any effects of dietary acrylamide intake on human cancer risk. It is also important to determine how acrylamide is formed during the cooking process and whether acrylamide is present in foods other than those already tested. This information will enable more accurate and comprehensive estimates of dietary exposure. Biospecimen collections in cohort studies will provide an opportunity to avoid the limitations of interview-based dietary assessments by examining biomarkers of exposure to acrylamide and its metabolites in relation to the subsequent risk of cancer.
For information about acrylamide in food from the WHO and FAO, please visit the WHO Web site at http://www.who.int/foodsafety/chem/chemicals/acrylamide/en on the Internet.
For information about acrylamide from the NTP’s Eleventh Report on Carcinogens, please visit http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=32BA9724-F1F6-975E-7FCE50709CB4C932 on the Internet.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children
Key Points
* Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells, the cells in the body that normally fight infections.
* In ALL, the abnormal cells may collect in the brain or spinal cord, also called the central nervous system (CNS).
* In cancers such as leukemia that appear throughout the body during their earliest stages, screening does not appear to be useful. Rather, children with any symptoms that suggest the possibility of ALL should be seen by their physician.
* Although leukemia cells from different children with ALL often look very similar under the microscope, there are actually many distinctive subtypes of ALL.
* With the exception of prenatal exposure to X-rays and specific genetic syndromes, such as Down syndrome, little is known about the causes of and risk factors for childhood ALL.
1. What is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells, the cells in the body that normally fight infections. There are two main types of white blood cells-lymphoid cells and myeloid cells. ALL affects lymphoid cells.
Leukemia cells are abnormal cells that cannot do what normal blood cells do. The abnormal cells are immature white blood cells that cannot help the body fight infections. For this reason, children with ALL often get infections and have fevers.
ALL is also called acute lymphocytic leukemia. It is the most common leukemia in children.
2. What are the symptoms of ALL?
Like all blood cells, leukemia cells travel through the body. Depending on the number of abnormal cells and where these cells collect, patients with leukemia may have a number of symptoms. Children with ALL frequently have low amounts of healthy red blood cells and platelets. As a result, there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body. With this condition, called anemia, patients may look pale and feel weak and tired. When there are not enough platelets, patients bleed and bruise easily.
Some of the common symptoms of ALL include:
• Fever;
• Fatigue;
• Frequent infections;
• Swollen or tender lymph nodes, liver, or spleen;
• Paleness or pallor;
• Easy bleeding or bruising;
• Tiny red spots (called petechiae) under the skin; and/or
• Bone or joint pain.
In ALL, the abnormal cells may collect in the brain or spinal cord, also called the central nervous system (CNS). The result may be headaches with or without vomiting, although most children with the disease do not have these symptoms. Leukemia cells also can collect in the testicles and cause swelling.
3. Is there a screening test for ALL?
No. Screening is a means of detecting disease in people who have no symptoms. As described in the National Cancer Institute's "Cancer Screening Overview (PDQ)," two requirements must be met for screening to be useful:
(1) There must be a test or procedure that will detect cancers earlier than if the cancer were detected as a result of the development of symptoms and,
(2) There must be evidence that treatment initiated earlier as a consequence of screening results in an improved outcome.
These two requirements have not been met for childhood ALL.
In cancers such as leukemia that appear throughout the body during their earliest stages, screening does not appear to be useful. Rather, children with any symptoms that suggest the possibility of ALL should be seen by their physician. The physician can then examine the child and determine if further testing is needed.
4. How is ALL diagnosed?
If a child has symptoms that suggest leukemia, the physician may first order blood tests. A sample of blood is examined to determine the number of normal blood cells, to see what the cells look like, and to find out if any leukemia cells are present in the blood. For a definitive diagnosis of ALL, a doctor who specializes in leukemia examines a sample of bone marrow under a microscope. The sample is obtained by a procedure called bone marrow aspiration. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a needle into a large bone, usually the hip, and removes a small amount of liquid bone marrow for examination.
If leukemia cells are found in the bone marrow sample, the patient's doctor orders other tests to find out the extent of the disease. For example, a spinal tap, which is also called a lumbar puncture, checks for leukemia cells in the cerebrospinal fluid-the fluid that fills the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord.
5. Are there different types of ALL?
Although leukemia cells from different children with ALL often look very similar under the microscope, there are actually many distinctive subtypes of ALL. Most cases of leukemia are associated with changes in genes and chromosomes in the cancerous white blood cells. The various subtypes of ALL can be identified using special laboratory tests that look for specific changes in genes and chromosomes. It is increasingly important for doctors treating children with ALL to determine their patients' subtype of ALL, as some treatments work better for some subtypes than for others.
6. How common is ALL?
Cancer in children and adolescents is rare. But, ALL is the most common cancer in children, representing 23 percent of cancer diagnoses among children younger than 15 years of age. It occurs in about one of every 29,000 children in the United States each year.
7. What causes ALL?
With the exception of prenatal exposure to X-rays and specific genetic syndromes, such as Down syndrome, little is known about the causes of and risk factors for childhood ALL.
Scientists know that ALL in children occurs slightly more often in boys than in girls and in white children more often than in black children. However, they cannot explain why one person gets leukemia and another does not.
8. What treatments are available for the disease?
There are treatments for all children with ALL. The primary treatment for ALL is chemotherapy. The specific drugs used for chemotherapy are different for the various subtypes of ALL and are not the same for all patients.
Treatment for children with ALL is complex and involves multiple drugs given in precise schedules over a period of two to three years. Because of this, children with the disease should be treated by doctors with experience and expertise in the treatment of childhood leukemias.
Many children with ALL participate in clinical trials. These studies test a new drug or a new combination of drugs, often comparing them to the current standard treatment. A participant will usually be assigned to the standard group or the new group by chance, a process called randomization. It is not known at the start of the trial whether the new treatment is better than, the same as, or worse than the standard treatment. Clinical trials for children with ALL often enroll large numbers of children and are conducted at children's cancer centers nationwide. Much of the success in curing children with ALL is the result of better treatments that were identified in such clinical trials. Still, doctors are doing clinical trials to try to improve ALL treatments and reduce side effects.
9. What is the survival rate for children with ALL?
The improvement in survival for children with ALL over the past 35 years is one of the great success stories of cancer treatment. In the 1960s, less than 5 percent of children with ALL survived for more than five years. Today, about 85 percent of children with ALL live five years or more.
10. What factors determine successful treatment for children with ALL?
The chance of survival for children with ALL is dependent upon a number of factors. The most important factor is receiving optimal care at a center experienced in the treatment of children with ALL. Even with optimal care, some children with ALL are much more difficult to treat successfully than others.
In the past, factors such as age and white blood cell count at diagnosis were commonly used to predict outcome. For example, children 1 to 9 years old have higher survival rates than do infants or older children. However, factors such as age and white blood cell count at diagnosis are, at best, crude predictors of outcome.
It is now clear that the patient's subtype of ALL has a powerful impact on survival. For example, infants commonly have a subtype of ALL in which a specific gene is modified. This subtype of ALL is very hard to treat successfully and only a minority of infants with this subtype of ALL survive with current therapy. Other subtypes of ALL in which different genes are modified occur more commonly in older children and have a much more favorable outcome.
It is now common practice for the leukemia cells of children with ALL to be tested for the gene modifications. The type of treatment is then based on the particular change seen in the leukemia cells.
Key Points
* Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells, the cells in the body that normally fight infections.
* In ALL, the abnormal cells may collect in the brain or spinal cord, also called the central nervous system (CNS).
* In cancers such as leukemia that appear throughout the body during their earliest stages, screening does not appear to be useful. Rather, children with any symptoms that suggest the possibility of ALL should be seen by their physician.
* Although leukemia cells from different children with ALL often look very similar under the microscope, there are actually many distinctive subtypes of ALL.
* With the exception of prenatal exposure to X-rays and specific genetic syndromes, such as Down syndrome, little is known about the causes of and risk factors for childhood ALL.
1. What is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the white blood cells, the cells in the body that normally fight infections. There are two main types of white blood cells-lymphoid cells and myeloid cells. ALL affects lymphoid cells.
Leukemia cells are abnormal cells that cannot do what normal blood cells do. The abnormal cells are immature white blood cells that cannot help the body fight infections. For this reason, children with ALL often get infections and have fevers.
ALL is also called acute lymphocytic leukemia. It is the most common leukemia in children.
2. What are the symptoms of ALL?
Like all blood cells, leukemia cells travel through the body. Depending on the number of abnormal cells and where these cells collect, patients with leukemia may have a number of symptoms. Children with ALL frequently have low amounts of healthy red blood cells and platelets. As a result, there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body. With this condition, called anemia, patients may look pale and feel weak and tired. When there are not enough platelets, patients bleed and bruise easily.
Some of the common symptoms of ALL include:
• Fever;
• Fatigue;
• Frequent infections;
• Swollen or tender lymph nodes, liver, or spleen;
• Paleness or pallor;
• Easy bleeding or bruising;
• Tiny red spots (called petechiae) under the skin; and/or
• Bone or joint pain.
In ALL, the abnormal cells may collect in the brain or spinal cord, also called the central nervous system (CNS). The result may be headaches with or without vomiting, although most children with the disease do not have these symptoms. Leukemia cells also can collect in the testicles and cause swelling.
3. Is there a screening test for ALL?
No. Screening is a means of detecting disease in people who have no symptoms. As described in the National Cancer Institute's "Cancer Screening Overview (PDQ)," two requirements must be met for screening to be useful:
(1) There must be a test or procedure that will detect cancers earlier than if the cancer were detected as a result of the development of symptoms and,
(2) There must be evidence that treatment initiated earlier as a consequence of screening results in an improved outcome.
These two requirements have not been met for childhood ALL.
In cancers such as leukemia that appear throughout the body during their earliest stages, screening does not appear to be useful. Rather, children with any symptoms that suggest the possibility of ALL should be seen by their physician. The physician can then examine the child and determine if further testing is needed.
4. How is ALL diagnosed?
If a child has symptoms that suggest leukemia, the physician may first order blood tests. A sample of blood is examined to determine the number of normal blood cells, to see what the cells look like, and to find out if any leukemia cells are present in the blood. For a definitive diagnosis of ALL, a doctor who specializes in leukemia examines a sample of bone marrow under a microscope. The sample is obtained by a procedure called bone marrow aspiration. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a needle into a large bone, usually the hip, and removes a small amount of liquid bone marrow for examination.
If leukemia cells are found in the bone marrow sample, the patient's doctor orders other tests to find out the extent of the disease. For example, a spinal tap, which is also called a lumbar puncture, checks for leukemia cells in the cerebrospinal fluid-the fluid that fills the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord.
5. Are there different types of ALL?
Although leukemia cells from different children with ALL often look very similar under the microscope, there are actually many distinctive subtypes of ALL. Most cases of leukemia are associated with changes in genes and chromosomes in the cancerous white blood cells. The various subtypes of ALL can be identified using special laboratory tests that look for specific changes in genes and chromosomes. It is increasingly important for doctors treating children with ALL to determine their patients' subtype of ALL, as some treatments work better for some subtypes than for others.
6. How common is ALL?
Cancer in children and adolescents is rare. But, ALL is the most common cancer in children, representing 23 percent of cancer diagnoses among children younger than 15 years of age. It occurs in about one of every 29,000 children in the United States each year.
7. What causes ALL?
With the exception of prenatal exposure to X-rays and specific genetic syndromes, such as Down syndrome, little is known about the causes of and risk factors for childhood ALL.
Scientists know that ALL in children occurs slightly more often in boys than in girls and in white children more often than in black children. However, they cannot explain why one person gets leukemia and another does not.
8. What treatments are available for the disease?
There are treatments for all children with ALL. The primary treatment for ALL is chemotherapy. The specific drugs used for chemotherapy are different for the various subtypes of ALL and are not the same for all patients.
Treatment for children with ALL is complex and involves multiple drugs given in precise schedules over a period of two to three years. Because of this, children with the disease should be treated by doctors with experience and expertise in the treatment of childhood leukemias.
Many children with ALL participate in clinical trials. These studies test a new drug or a new combination of drugs, often comparing them to the current standard treatment. A participant will usually be assigned to the standard group or the new group by chance, a process called randomization. It is not known at the start of the trial whether the new treatment is better than, the same as, or worse than the standard treatment. Clinical trials for children with ALL often enroll large numbers of children and are conducted at children's cancer centers nationwide. Much of the success in curing children with ALL is the result of better treatments that were identified in such clinical trials. Still, doctors are doing clinical trials to try to improve ALL treatments and reduce side effects.
9. What is the survival rate for children with ALL?
The improvement in survival for children with ALL over the past 35 years is one of the great success stories of cancer treatment. In the 1960s, less than 5 percent of children with ALL survived for more than five years. Today, about 85 percent of children with ALL live five years or more.
10. What factors determine successful treatment for children with ALL?
The chance of survival for children with ALL is dependent upon a number of factors. The most important factor is receiving optimal care at a center experienced in the treatment of children with ALL. Even with optimal care, some children with ALL are much more difficult to treat successfully than others.
In the past, factors such as age and white blood cell count at diagnosis were commonly used to predict outcome. For example, children 1 to 9 years old have higher survival rates than do infants or older children. However, factors such as age and white blood cell count at diagnosis are, at best, crude predictors of outcome.
It is now clear that the patient's subtype of ALL has a powerful impact on survival. For example, infants commonly have a subtype of ALL in which a specific gene is modified. This subtype of ALL is very hard to treat successfully and only a minority of infants with this subtype of ALL survive with current therapy. Other subtypes of ALL in which different genes are modified occur more commonly in older children and have a much more favorable outcome.
It is now common practice for the leukemia cells of children with ALL to be tested for the gene modifications. The type of treatment is then based on the particular change seen in the leukemia cells.
Mesothelioma: Questions and Answers
# What is the mesothelium?
The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.
# What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
# How common is mesothelioma?
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.
# What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.
# Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?
Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.
There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
# What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.
# How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.
A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
# How is mesothelioma treated?
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
* Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
* Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
* Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
# Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?
Yes. 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.
People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI's Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials on the Internet, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ.
People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI Publications Locator Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/publications on the Internet.
The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.
# What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
# How common is mesothelioma?
Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.
# What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.
Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.
# Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?
Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.
There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
# What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.
# How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.
A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
# How is mesothelioma treated?
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
* Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
* Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
* Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
# Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?
Yes. 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.
People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI's Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials on the Internet, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ.
People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI Publications Locator Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/publications on the Internet.
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