Several new mesothelioma treatments are being developed. Researches mostly revolve around developing new treatments or improving upon the traditional treatments. Hopes are high for mesothelioma patients as new chemotherapy agents and combinations of agents are giving improved results.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new mesothelioma treatment based on the theory that single celled organisms die when exposed to certain frequency of light. For this certain photosensitive drugs are administered intravenously. In a couple of days, the drug concentrates on the diseased cell and destroys it. Skin sensitivity, nausea and vomiting are some of the side effects.
Immunotherapy, sometimes called biological therapy, is another new method in mesothelioma treatment. In this method, the immune system of body is used to treat the disease. The body’s ability to treat itself might be hampered due to certain reasons. Immunotherapy tries to rejuvenate the immune system and there by improving the natural immune system which is the most effective way to combat any disease. The therapy also tries to repair immune systems that are faulty. Biological response modifiers (BRMs) are the substances used in immunotherapy. BRMs naturally occur in the body but it can now be prepared in laboratory and is found to give the same effect as the natural ones.
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) is new treatment used to improve local control of mesothelioma. In this radiation doses can be administered to tumor without causing damage to nearby normal cells. Treatment at the DNA level is an important breakthrough in science. Gene Therapy tries to correct or replace abnormal genes. Replacement gene therapy and knockout gene therapy are two main types of gene therapy. In replacement gene therapy the mutated or missing gene which causes mesothelioma is replaced. In knockout gene therapy, the gene responsible for tumor is completely eliminated. With more and more information regarding genes being unfolded, gene therapy treatment has a promising future in the treatment of mesothelioma.
Treatments which use some combinations of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, called multimodality therapy, are being researched upon. Heated intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy and use of pemetrexed drug, brand named Alimta, are some of the new developments in the treatment of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Treatment provides detailed information on Mesothelioma Treatment, Mesothelioma Treatment Options, Alternative Mesothelioma Treatment, New Mesothelioma Treatment and more. Mesothelioma Treatment is affiliated with Mesothelioma Doctors Info.
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By Marcus Peterson
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Since the symptoms of mesothelioma are at many times very inconclusive, a proper diagnosis is required to determine whether or not you have the disease. When you visit your physician for a diagnosis, he or she will most likely order an immediate chest or abdominal x-ray, CT Scan, or MRI. While mesothelioma is not visible under an x-ray, it is still a very valid tool in the diagnosis of the ailment. An x-ray can potentially point out fluid build-up between the lungs and the chest wall. This build-up is an all too common sign of mesothelioma cancer.
Your doctor may also ask that you undergo a thoracoscopy. During this procedure, your physician examines you chest cavity with an instrument known as a thoracoscope. An incision is made into the chest wall to allow a thoracoscope to be inserted between two ribs. Before this procedure is performed, the patient is given anesthetic to prevent the patient from experiencing any pain. A doctor may also perform a peritoneoscopy, where a peritoneoscope is inserted into an incision made in the abdomen.
If any abnormal tissue is discovered during these two procedures, the patient may have to undergo a biopsy. During a biopsy, a piece of the abnormal tissue is removed to allow for further examination under a microscope. This examination is usually done by a pathologist. The final word on diagnosis is typically in the hands of a pathologist. He or she will generate a report based on their observations under the microscope.
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By T Mi
A professional writer with an active interest in Mesothelioma Cancer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
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Your doctor may also ask that you undergo a thoracoscopy. During this procedure, your physician examines you chest cavity with an instrument known as a thoracoscope. An incision is made into the chest wall to allow a thoracoscope to be inserted between two ribs. Before this procedure is performed, the patient is given anesthetic to prevent the patient from experiencing any pain. A doctor may also perform a peritoneoscopy, where a peritoneoscope is inserted into an incision made in the abdomen.
If any abnormal tissue is discovered during these two procedures, the patient may have to undergo a biopsy. During a biopsy, a piece of the abnormal tissue is removed to allow for further examination under a microscope. This examination is usually done by a pathologist. The final word on diagnosis is typically in the hands of a pathologist. He or she will generate a report based on their observations under the microscope.
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By T Mi
A professional writer with an active interest in Mesothelioma Cancer.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com
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Tuesday, July 24, 2007
mesothelioma information
Mesothelioma
By John Moore
What Exactly Is ?
Mesothelioma the medical name for cancer of the lung or the abdomen lining, and is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is a type of building material used in thermal insulation products and ceiling tiles. Asbestos usage peaked during the 1950s - 1970s, but during the late 1960s, concerns over the health consequences of asbestos exposure began to arise, thereby decreasing the amount of asbestos manufactured over the following two decades. But even though new measures where brought in to get rid of it, many schools and public buildings still contain asbestos.
Small asbestos fibers that enter the air do not evaporate and can remain suspended in the air for a long time. These fibers, when breathed into the body, are toxic. The people most at risk are :-
People working in factories that manufacture asbestos are likely to have a high exposure to asbestos and are most at risk of developing asbestosis or mesothelioma.
Family members of workers exposed to asbestos in the workplace are susceptible to exposure from asbestos dust brought home by the worker on his clothes or skin.
Those who live in the vicinity of an asbestos manufacturing plant are also at risk.
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until between twenty and fifty years after exposure, which explains why so many new cases of this form of cancer are coming to light now. Many people who haven't been in contact with asbestos for
decades, are now showing symptoms of this dreadful desease.
As with many forms of cancer, mesothelioma can spread rapidly. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, loss of weight, and chest pains. If it is diagnosed early enough, the tumor can be surgically removed, and with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, a full recovery is often possible.
However, in more advanced cases, cure is usually not possible. In such cases, chemotherapy and radiation treatment can be used alongside other pain relief treatments, to ease the symptoms. Where cure is not possible, the average survival time is between four and eighteen months, depending on the stage of the tumor and the general health of the patient.
I was prompted to write about mesothelioma because as a child I lived near a factory which produced asbestos, and I personally know families who have suffered due to this terrible desease.
About the author:
Author John Moore. As a child I lived near an asbestos factory, hence my decision to write this article. If you wish to use this article, please include my link.
http://www.online-mesothelioma-guide.com
Circulated by Article Emporium
By John Moore
What Exactly Is ?
Mesothelioma the medical name for cancer of the lung or the abdomen lining, and is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is a type of building material used in thermal insulation products and ceiling tiles. Asbestos usage peaked during the 1950s - 1970s, but during the late 1960s, concerns over the health consequences of asbestos exposure began to arise, thereby decreasing the amount of asbestos manufactured over the following two decades. But even though new measures where brought in to get rid of it, many schools and public buildings still contain asbestos.
Small asbestos fibers that enter the air do not evaporate and can remain suspended in the air for a long time. These fibers, when breathed into the body, are toxic. The people most at risk are :-
People working in factories that manufacture asbestos are likely to have a high exposure to asbestos and are most at risk of developing asbestosis or mesothelioma.
Family members of workers exposed to asbestos in the workplace are susceptible to exposure from asbestos dust brought home by the worker on his clothes or skin.
Those who live in the vicinity of an asbestos manufacturing plant are also at risk.
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until between twenty and fifty years after exposure, which explains why so many new cases of this form of cancer are coming to light now. Many people who haven't been in contact with asbestos for
decades, are now showing symptoms of this dreadful desease.
As with many forms of cancer, mesothelioma can spread rapidly. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, loss of weight, and chest pains. If it is diagnosed early enough, the tumor can be surgically removed, and with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, a full recovery is often possible.
However, in more advanced cases, cure is usually not possible. In such cases, chemotherapy and radiation treatment can be used alongside other pain relief treatments, to ease the symptoms. Where cure is not possible, the average survival time is between four and eighteen months, depending on the stage of the tumor and the general health of the patient.
I was prompted to write about mesothelioma because as a child I lived near a factory which produced asbestos, and I personally know families who have suffered due to this terrible desease.
About the author:
Author John Moore. As a child I lived near an asbestos factory, hence my decision to write this article. If you wish to use this article, please include my link.
http://www.online-mesothelioma-guide.com
Circulated by Article Emporium
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