Friday, October 14, 2011

Alternative Cancer Cures - The Making of A Cure


The official therapies are therapies that have been tried for a long time. Normally a drug before it can be marketed and used for therapeutic purposes, it must pass a series of tests according to strict scientific criteria on which there is international agreement.
More precisely, when a group of researchers envisions a new treatment, everything is started first by the preclinical phase, ie the study of the chemical and toxicological properties of the substance, with the aim of identifying the possible toxicity in the laboratory. Only then the real clinical trials on humans starts, which is divided into 3 phases.
In Phase I (which takes about 1 year) the absence of toxicity (already detected in preclinical laboratory) on human beings, must be confirmed. In Phase II (which takes about 4 years) the antitumor activity of the drug needs to be verified, dosage and time setting and grouping subjects (about a hundred) based on similar characteristics needs to be done as well.
In phase III (which can last many years) focuses on trying to determine the effectiveness of the drug compared to existing therapies. The trial involves thousands of people (according to a precise protocol in which they are enrolled only patients with certain characteristics). Once assessed the effectiveness over the years in terms of increased survival compared to existing drugs, and the extent of long-term side effects, the drug has a green light to be commercialized.
This means, that, a drug before being placed on the market employs 10 to 15 years. It is a regulation to protect the health of the patient, which prohibits the use of a drug that has not yet passed all the tests.
Scientific thought.
Science always proceeds according to a criterion: everything that does not exceed certain evidence is not significant. Consequently, it has no value, does not exist. It is an approach that offers patients the best chance of cure for cancer of the known and proven ones.
And it's a good thing. Because there is no universally accepted criterion that determines what is the therapy that offers the best chance of success (for all types of disease) among the many existing.
Thanks to scientific research, doctors have been able to set the most appropriate therapy for each tumor type, that type of treatment option (surgery, chemotherapy drug, etc...) to choose depending on the stage of disease and the patient characteristics. In other words, you can choose the therapeutic strategy that on paper offers the best chance of success.

What Is Mesothelioma? Types and Treatment Options


Mesothelioma is a form of cancer which affects the mesothelium. The mesothelium is a thin membrane which covers the heart, lungs and other internal organs. You normally get this disease from being exposed to asbestos fibers at some point in your life.
Types of mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form is pleural mesothelioma which develops within the mesothelium. Pleural mesothelioma will develop in the pleural membrane which is the lungs lining.
Breathing in asbestos fibers is the cause of pleural mesothelioma. Upon entering the lungs, the asbestos fibers will work their way into the lungs pleural membrane. Once in there, the body will find it almost impossible to get rid of them. Over a period of several decades, the asbestos fibers will cause the pleural cells to change. These changes may lead to the lungs becoming scarred and, eventually, tumors forming.
Once the cells of the pleural membrane turn cancerous, they will continuously divide, leading to a reduction in lung capacity and causing fluid to buildup between the layers of the pleural membrane.
Because pleural mesothelioma is usually not caught until the later stages of the disease, the prognosis for the patient is normally poor. But, if the disease is caught in the early stages, then the patient's prognosis as well as the life expectancy will be much improved.
Peritoneal mesothelioma
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma - this is a very rare form of cancer which strikes the peritoneum (the cell walls surrounding the abdominal cavity. The peritoneum lubricates the abdominal cavity which allows the surrounding internal organs and body structures to expand and contract. Peritoneal mesothelioma is very rare with fewer than 500 people contracting this form of cancer each year.
Several decades after asbestos fibers are breathed in or ingested; cancer will develop in the patient's abdomen. Modern tests can diagnose whether or not a patient has peritoneal mesothelioma. Despite the fact that it is not usually diagnosed until it is in the later stages, there are still some treatment options.
Although some patients may qualify for surgery and other curative treatment options, other patients may simply choose palliative measures. Most patients with peritoneal mesothelioma survive for less than a year. However, with the proper treatment, life expectancy could increase. A mesothelioma specialist can help patients find the best treatment options for their cancer, which might improve the patient's prognosis.
According to some studies, the average life expectancy of a man diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma is 7 months, although a few men have survived for almost 100 months. Women usually survive for approximately 9 months after being diagnosed, with a few women surviving for a maximum of 49 months. Patients whose mesothelioma was caught early and with less severe symptoms naturally have a better prognosis.
Mesothelioma treatment options
When it comes to treating cancer, doctors focus on killing the malignant cells and saving the healthy ones. There are several ways to do this.
Doctors will utilize chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation or a combination of all three as the most effective way to treat mesothelioma. The treatment that will be recommended is dependent on several issues:
The type and location of the mesothelioma
How big are the tumors?
How much the cancer has metastasized?
What stage the cancer is in.
The patient's age
The patient's overall health
Several types of doctors will be involved in treating the cancer such as an oncologist or cancer specialist, a radiologist, and a pulmonologist or lung specialist. It can take time to figure out the precise location and variety of the cancer, but determining these factors will enable the oncologist to prescribe the most effective mesothelioma treatment.

Mesothelioma Lawyer - Hopeful New Treatments and Cures For Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that is really impossible to treat. There are some latest treatment procedures that are really promising when it comes to curb this type of cancer. Anti-angiogenesis is one of the recent mode of cancer treatment. These drugs are not out to target the tumor that is causing the mesothelioma. The drugs are meant for the blood vessels that make the tumors grow. The drugs target the vascular endothelial growth factor that is instrumental in enable blood vessels to form. So the anti-angiogenesis drugs make sure that the vascular endothelial growths do not feed the tumor. This causes the tumor to cease growing and spreading to very important body organs.
New treatments for mesothelioma include immunotherapy which is very effective. The reason why it is effective is because it goes to the base of disease prevention in the body. Biological response modifiers help in improving the immune system of people thus making it possible for the body to rid of the cancerous cells of the mesothelioma. These modifiers play a big role in making the tumors harmless to the body and what happens is that the modifiers inhibit the cancer cells from growing thus making mesothelioma spread highly impossible. The modifiers practically enhance the functions of the antibodies. They can make the body identify cells that are not good for it and thus eliminate them before they cause further harm. Mesothelioma happens when cells that are normal are transformed to cancerous cells. The modifiers make the immune system very strong in the sense that they cease the transformation from normal to cancerous.
The photodynamic therapy is another form of new age mesothelioma treatment. This treatment uses laser light that is induced in to the system of the patient. The light targets the cells that have been harmed by the mesothelioma. When the cells are in contact with the light, then they are going to slowly stop thriving and then eventually die. This therapy is usually in the form of drugs that at times affected some patients who had mesothelioma. The effect is not as drastic the only problem is the patients experience sudden sensitive skin.
Gene therapy is also a new age mesothelioma treatment procedure that is proving to be very effective. This type of treatment has everything to do with the genes of the patient who has the mesothelioma. This type of therapy makes the gene structure of the patient who has mesothelioma have the genes to eradicate this type of cancer.
There are some researchers who have found out that skin cancer cream help in the treatment of mesothelioma. This clinical trial involves the cream being put in the tumor that has the mesothelioma. When the cream was in the tumor, the body responded by reproducing cells that in turn eradicate the cancerous mesothelioma cells. This type of trial seems to be very promising and many mesothelioma patients will soon be cured and the cancer will go and stop making their health life harder.
If you or a loved one suspects you may have mesothelioma, you should find out immediately by a qualified doctor. Generally speaking it is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. You may be eligible for financial relief or even have grounds for a lawsuit. Your first step is to talk to an attorney.

Mesothelioma Litigation - Are You A Victim Of Asbestos Exposure And Don't Even Know It?


Mesothelioma is a unique and a rare form of cancer. It is commonly referred to as malignant mesothelioma. It usually develops from the mesothelium, which is a protective lining covering most of the internal body organs. These malignant cells believed to cause Mesothelioma are abundantly found in the sac and linings of the chest. This is referred to as the pleural mesothelioma because it occurs in the chest area. It may also occur in the abdomen also referred to as the peritoneum. This version of mesothelioma is much less common and is known as the peritoneal mesothelioma.
The latter cells may also affect the pericardium leading to the most rare form of mesothelioma known as the pericardial mesothelioma. In this case, the sac surrounding the heart is usually affected.
Mesothelioma cells are usually of two types namely epithelial and sarcomatoid. Both types of cells can be present in the body but this is usually not common. Sarcomatoid cells are rare and compute to only 15% of the cases usually reported. It usually occurs as a result of poor prognosis.
What causes mesothelioma has been a puzzle but this has been unlocked by technological innovations and continued research. Rarely does mesothelioma originate from benign and non-malignant cells.
Intake of asbestos through breathing has been the main cause of mesothelioma. A high percentage of people with malignant mesothelioma have been involved in jobs where they inhaled asbestos. Exposure to the dust and fiber originating from asbestos has been highly associated with the disease. This is common with workers over the age of 40 years who have had a long duration of exposure to the latter conditions.
Asbestos has been used as a common insulator although its use has been on the decline after these revelations. Men have been the mainly affected since they work in hard labor and this is synonymous with industrial and chemical remnants having asbestos. Many people in their household environments have also suffered from the exposure of asbestos within their localities. This is usually dangerous since most or these people affected have no knowledge of this happening.
Exposure to asbestos can also be through washing the clothes in most cases of a family member who has worked with asbestos. This puts the one at the risk of catching or developing mesothelioma. Inhaling the constituents of asbestos mentioned above leads to some of them reaching the air sacs hence penetrating into the pleural lining. Environmental exposure may lead to swallowing of the fibres. If swallowed, they reach the abdominal cavity contributing to peritoneal mesothelioma. These fibers and dust harm the mesothelial cells eventually causing mesothelioma.
Contrary to the belief that most people have that smoking may induce the latter disease, it has been noted that there is virtually no association between mesothelioma and smoking. However, smoking as a habit has the effect of increasing greatly the risk of other asbestos induced cancers. Zeolite, a chemical related to asbestos has also been seen to cause incidences of mesothelioma upon exposure to body cells. Lastly, exposure to specific types of radiation has also been known to cause mesothelioma.



What Is The Function Of Mesothelium In The Body?


Mesothelium cells serve the function of producing the lubricating fluid that enables the
body organs contained within their cavities to move and slide freely. The lungs will move
freely during the process of breathing. The mesothelium in the chest cavity covers the inner lining of the chest wall and is called parietal pleura. The lungs are also covered almost completely by mesothelium. This portion of the mesothelium covering the lungs proper is called parietal pleura. By their secretions the lungs move freely during inspiration and expiration.
The abdominal cavity has a similar configuration. The inner lining of the abdominal cavity is invested by mesothelium called the parietal peritoneum. The visceral peritoneum covers the surfaces of the intestines and other organs in the abdomen including liver and spleen. Some portions of the intestine are freely mobile and dangle on tissue pedicle called mesentery which is sandwiched on both surfaces by visceral peritoneum. Examples of these include most of the small intestine, transverse large intestine, sigmoid large intestine, and portions of the underbelly of the liver.
The intestines will move freely during digestion, the heart will move freely during its contracting functions, and the testicles will also freely
slide in the testicular cavity. The development of mesothelioma will therefore either destroy
the organs contained within these cavities by directly invading them or encase them restricting
their movements like a "boar constrictor" only very slowly. As you can imagine, when these
scenarios occur, the functions of the lungs, heart, and organs of the abdominal cavity will
be severely compromised leading to a variety of unpleasant and life threatnening effects or
symptoms of the disease and death.

Mesothelioma Lawyer - Is This The Cure To Mesothelioma Cancer?


The cure of mesothelioma is highly dependent on a few factors. The type of cure will depend on the type of mesothelioma that someone has and where in the body organs the cancerous tumor is. Another important factor is how big or small the tumor is. The level in which the mesothelioma has progressed is also another factor. The state of health of the patient is very important and also how old the patient is. The age of the patient is important because there are some forms of treatment that are too harsh for a particular age group and if the patient health is very weak then some cures will make the patient feel even worse.
One cure of mesothelioma is surgery but this depends on the stage of the cancer. If the cancer has progressed to later stages then surgery will be needed. There are two type of surgeries that can be performed. The lungs include the organs that are removed during the curative surgery that enables the patient to live for a longer time. The pericardium and the diaphragm are the two other organs that are also removed in this type of surgery. This surgery is very invasive and that is why it is done on patients who are youthful and whose health status is in good standing.
Then there is the other type of surgery that does not necessarily cure the mesothelioma but instead makes it more tolerable. Palliative surgery, the type of surgery is aimed at reducing the side effects of the mesothelioma. When the cancer has progressed to the advanced more dangerous stages, then this is the only surgery that can be done. It is not necessary during the early stages of the mesothelioma.
Chemotherapy is another form of mesothelioma cure though it does not take the cancer away. There are still on-going research that are aiming at making chemotherapy more helpful to the mesothelioma patients. What chemotherapy does is that it alleviates the pains that patients endure because of the mesothelioma. In chemotherapy, two drugs are used so that it can be more effective. There are some patients who do not react well with a combination of drugs and in this case, one drug is used instead. One problem with chemotherapy is that it comes along with side effects like nausea that causes the patient to be given more drugs to take care of the nausea.
Radiation cure of mesothelioma is only used if the health of the patient is not good. Such patients cannot even undergo surgery or even chemotherapy. If the latter procedures are used then the patient could suffer enormously. In brachytherapy radiation, the main aim is to rid the mesothelioma. This is done by inducing the radiation in either the lungs or the abdomen and this deals with the tumor head on. External beam radiation deals only with the organs that have the mesothelioma tumors. The purpose of this type of radiation is to make the patient breath easier and when it comes to eating they are able to swallow better because the pain will be less because of the radiation.
If you or a loved one suspects you may have mesothelioma, you should find out immediately by a qualified doctor. Generally speaking it is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. You may be eligible for financial relief or even have grounds for a lawsuit. Your first step is to talk to an attorney.

Malignant Mesothelioma - A Dreaded Disease


Malignant mesothelioma is cancer that starts in the cells that line most organs of the body, especially the chest, belly, and heart. The lining formed by these cells is called mesothelium. The mesothelium forms a protective sac that surrounds internal organs of the body. It consists of two layers: one layer of cells surrounding the organ and another forming a sac around it. These cells secrete a fluid that allows organs to move effortlessly and harmlessly within the space defined by the mesothelium.
Thus, moving organs like the heart and the lungs can function normally only with a functioning mesothelium. Mesothelioma is a disease in which the cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably, invading the surrounding tissues affecting the very organs they are supposed to protect. In most cases of mesothelioma, the lungs are the organs that are affected. The mesothelium of the lungs is known as the pleura. Pleural mesothelioma is the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease.
Risk factors and risk groups
Mesothelioma is associated with asbestos. Around 70-80% of all cases of mesothelioma have a history of exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a group of minerals that has been widely used in industrial products such as cement, brake linings, flooring's, textiles and insulation. The first cases of mesothelioma occurred in the 1900s in Britain where workers at asbestos factories began experiencing a high level of lung disease. The disease was then referred to as asbestosis. It was only much later, in 1959, that the link between asbestos and lung cancer was made.
Mesothelioma can also arise as a result of secondary exposure to asbestos. A chance of developing cancer in families and other persons in contact with asbestos workers is great due to exposure to dust from the clothing and hair of the worker. People living in old buildings (prior to banning of asbestos in construction materials) are also at risk. The occupations that are most associated with mesothelioma include: construction industry workers, electricians, plumbers, shipyard workers, textile workers etc.
Incidence of mesothelioma
Most countries now specify the level of asbestos that can be safely present in the working environment of a person. Since the risk of asbestos-related disease increases due to heavy and longer exposure to asbestos, proper working environment led to a reduction in the cases of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is now a relatively rare disease; only 2000 cases arise every year in the United States.
Living with the disease
Like many other cancers, there is very little one can do where the diagnosis has not been made in the early stages of the disease. Unfortunately, most cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in its late stages. There is no cure for the disease. In some cases, tumors may be removed by surgery, in the hope that it has not already spread to other parts of the body. Surgery may aim to remove the tumor or the entire lung. Treatments by radiation and chemotherapy are mostly palliative (i.e. aiming to reduce the severity of symptoms rather than treating the disease).