New Potentially Successful Mesothelioma Treatment Offered at German Facility

Copyright (c) 2009 Katie Kelley

A German clinic recently began offering a new treatment for mesothelioma cancer patients known as chemoembolization. The treatment has been successful in only one patient -- a woman who developed mesothelioma after hugging her father when he returned home from working with asbestos fibers, which is linked to the development of the condition.

The woman's cancer has since gone into remission with her tumor having been reduced by more than half, according to BBC news reports.

The method of chemoembolization uses chemotherapy drugs delivered into the "site of a cancer tumor" and "since the chemotherapy drugs are delivered into the tumor, stronger doses of the drugs may be used," according to research from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. For mesothelioma cancer patients, a catheter into the lungs may potentially be used to deliver the drugs to the cancer site. Because of the success of the treatment, research is continuing, according to news reports.

Developing Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma occurs when mesothelioma of the chest develops. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recently reported that "the pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity." According to NCI, mesothelioma occurs once cells within the lining of the lungs, known as the mesothelium begin to metastasize. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reported the following as symptoms of pleural mesothelioma:

* pain in the side of the chest

* pain in the lower back

* trouble swallowing

* cough

* fever

* sweating

* fatigue

* weight loss

* hoarseness

* coughing up blood

* swelling in the face, arms

* muscle weakness

* sensory loss

Often symptoms occur within two to three months prior to an initial diagnosis, according to the ACS. The symptoms of early mesothelioma are often unrecognizable as they remain dormant for years and, frequently, decades.

A number of tests are in existence to determine if a patient has lung cancer and if it is of mesothelioma type or pleural mesothelioma. Additionally, there are blood tests, fluid and tissue as well as imaging tests, which can determine a mesothelioma diagnosis, according to the ACS; they are as follows:

* chest x-rays

* computed tomography scan

* positron emission tomography scan

* magnetic resonance imaging scan

* osteopontin protein blood tests

* thoracoscopy

* tissue biopsy

* laparoscopy

* thoracotomy

* laparotomy

* bronchoscopy

* mediastinoscopy

* immunohistochemistry

* DNA microarray analysis

What to Do Following a Mesothelioma Diagnosis

Once a mesothelioma diagnosis has occurred, there are several actions that can be taken to potentially treat the deadly condition. Unfortunately, mesothelioma is often untreatable. The NCI sponsors clinical trials, which can assist individuals with their mesothelioma diagnosis by offering potentially new mesothelioma treatments that can be administered and studied.

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Walls Containing Asbestos Can Be Harmless...

If left undisturbed but if you work on it such as drilling holes like what 53 year old Richard Pullman's job requires, it can be dangerous to your health. Exposure to these fibers can lead to asbestosis, mesothelioma or other lung related diseases.

Read more of the story here.

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Excellent tips to prevent Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer, which distresses the tissues lining the body’s organs, in addition to the spaces in between them. This is actually one of the most problematic kinds of cancer, as symptoms do not usually seem until the virus reaches higher stages. The most excellent way to prevent mesothelioma development is to avoid exposure to asbestos. In fact, this is the best way to treat mesothelioma as well. 

The basic cause of mesothelioma is by exposure to asbestos, it is a mineral that is used in several products, which we come across in our daily life. During late 1970s and 1980s, the usage of asbestos was drastically cut back by government regulation itself. Asbestos was used widely way back for an assortment of purposes such as insulation and mining, and contact to it is the number-one most important cause of developing mesothelioma. It does not prevalent in the United States, but there are yet loads of areas where it might be present, counting old apartment buildings and other predestined structures built before 1989. It also continues to appear in many products and tools used everyday and if you are wondering how to stop mesothelioma, then avoiding or least usage of asbestos at work, home and public places could be the greatest way. 

For the present day, you can ask a specialist to come to your house, work place or anywhere you propose to spend a greater part of your time to make sure that there is no asbestos available. However, make sure that you do not try to take away the asbestos yourself, but alternatively hire somebody who is capable and well trained in its exclusion. Do not reside with somebody who works close to asbestos. The filaments of asbestos could be moved by means of clothing and skin, making it extremely easy to extend to other people as well. Even a few lost fibers are at times sufficient to source mesothelioma. 

Understand that people above the age of 65 are more probable to grow mesothelioma, so make sure to get regular medical check ups to keep labels on your health once you move toward and bypass that age. Your own body has had much more point to build up contact to asbestos. If you or your loved one is passing through from mesothelioma side effects, it is very important that you look for instant medical notice at the first sign of indications like chest pains, smallness of breath, continues coughs, heavy weight loss, and more. Early analysis and action for mesothelioma is the superlative type of prevention and could produce the most positive result of the disease.

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Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer, which distresses the tissues lining the body’s organs, in addition to the spaces in between them.

Jackson is a Expert author for Mesothelioma Symptoms and Mesothelioma Factors . He has written many articles likeMesothelioma cancer. For more information visit our site http://www.emedinfo.com/. Contact him at emedarticle@gmail.com

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Pericardial Mesothelioma - Cancer of the Heart Lining

Pericardial mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that affects the pericardium - the lining of tissue around the heart. It is the rarest form of mesothelioma, making up less than ten percent of mesothelioma cases. Like all forms of mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma has been linked to asbestos exposure.

Many people believe that mesothelioma is a cancer that only affects the lungs. In fact, mesothelioma is cancer of the serous membranes, which line the three organ cavities in the center of the body. Their function is to secrete fluids to cushion and lubricate the organs within those cavities. 

The pleura encases the lungs in the chest cavity, and the lubrication provided by the pleural mesothelium also helps in breathing. The peritoneal cavity contains the stomach and other abdominal organs, and is lined by the peritoneum. The pericardial cavity contains the heart, and the serous membrane that protects and surrounds it is known as the pericardium. 

What Is Pericardial Mesothelioma?
Cancer is generally defined by the organ or area of the body in which it originates. Thus cancer that originates in the pericardial mesothelium is called pericardial mesothelioma. 

No one is quite certain why pericardial mesothelioma is the most rare of the three known types, but some doctors have suggested that it has to do with the way that asbestos fibers work their way into the body. 

Since most asbestos fibers are inhaled, it is expected that the highest percentage of mesothelioma cases would involve the pleural cavities. Asbestos fibers may make their way into the stomach and abdominal lining when phlegm and mucous containing asbestos fibers is swallowed. 

Since there is no direct pathway from outside the body to the pericardium, some doctors suggest that the tiny asbestos particles literally work their way from the lungs through the pleura to invade the pericardial mesothelium. 

Others theorize that the smaller asbestos fibers are carried out of the lungs by the blood, and become lodged in the heart lining as the blood is pumped through the heart. In any case, once the asbestos fibers become lodged in the serous tissue surrounding the heart, they irritate the body's immune system and the chronic inflammation may cause the growth of cancerous tumors similar to those seen in pleural mesothelioma. The tumors may grow around the heart, constricting its movement and interfering with its functioning.

The Causes of Pericardial Mesothelioma
Because of the extreme rarity of this cancer, making a definitive link to any cause is difficult. There are less than two hundred cases of pericardial mesothelioma diagnosed per year, about ten percent of all mesothelioma cases. 

Pericardial mesothelioma does seem to be strongly linked to asbestos exposure, as are the other forms of mesothelioma, though the connection is more difficult to establish because of the very small number of cases diagnosed and confirmed.

The Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
As the cancerous tumors grow and spread, the pericardial tissue expands and fluid accumulates around the heart. This can constrict the heart in its functioning and lead to chest pain and irregular heartbeat. 

In most cases, pericardial mesothelioma is only discovered when it has advanced far enough to cause these physical symptoms. Occasionally, someone with pericardial mesothelioma may complain of other heart-related symptoms like shortness of breath and coughing. 

Treatment for Pericardial Mesothelioma
Because the symptoms often do not become obvious until the cancer has reached the later stages of the disease, the treatment options are limited. The most common treatments recommended for this condition are surgery and radiation therapy, but the purpose is palliative (to relieve symptoms) rather than to remove or cure the cancer. 

The prognosis for patients diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma is extremely poor, since the cancer is often so far advanced when it is discovered. Often, the life expectancy after diagnosis is only a couple of months.

Your Legal Rights
Because mesothelioma is linked to asbestos exposure, if you or a loved one have been diagnosed with pericardial mesothelioma, you may have a legal right to compensation for your suffering and loss, as well as assistance with your medical expenses. 

Companies who knowingly exposed their employees and the public to the dangers of asbestos have been held accountable for their actions by the courts, and have been forced to pay millions of dollars in compensation to those that were harmed by their recklessness and greed. 

Unfortunately, the length of time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms can make it difficult to prove an association with a particular product or company. A lawyer skilled in asbestos and mesothelioma negotiation often has access to resources that will help identify those who are responsible for your condition, and understands the laws surrounding mesothelioma claims and litigation. 

If you are suffering because of the negligence of the asbestos industry, contact a mesothelioma lawyer to learn about your legal rights to seek compensation for your injuries.

About the Author

Tim Dillard is a marketing executive who has worked with some of the largest law firms in America. Dillard is currently the president of Dillard Local Branding (http://www.dlbllc.com), a Houston-based web design, Internet marketing and search engine marketing firm.

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