Monday, November 22, 2010

Anti-angiogenesis Drugs and Mesothelioma

Developments in the treatment of patients with mesothelioma is ongoing and includes many new and experimental therapies that attack tumor cells of malignant mesothelioma without using chemotherapy. This treatment is being studied for the use of anti-angiogenesis in tumors of mesothelioma.

What is Angiogenesis, and How Does it Apply to Mesothelioma Tumors?

In its simplest form definitions, angiogenesis is the production of new blood vessels. Basic anatomy and professor of human biology in which the body grows, so has the demand for new vessels and arteries, that the living parts of the body requires a flow of oxygenated blood to survive.

It's no different for tumors that require mesothelioma new network of blood vessels for growth and survival. This is where the anti-angiogenesis drugs are associated with the treatment of patients with mesothelioma, a process described in the next section.

Treatment of Mesothelioma - New Anti-angiogenesis Drug Therapy

The researchers are currently using an anti-angiogenic drugs targeting the creation of blood vessels in the tumors of mesothelioma. In short, I hope that these drugs inhibit the growth of blood vessels mesothelioma patients with malignant mesothelioma tumors to grow their bodies (often in the lungs due to prolonged exposure to asbestos).

Research and testing of anti-angiogenesis in several types of incurable cancer was started and mesothelioma web writing that"esearchers are studying both natural and synthetic inhibitors of anti-angiogenesis, and although many these substances is still available only in clinical trials were the first anti-angiogenic drug, bevacizumab (Avastin), approved by the Food and Drug Administration (February 2004) for use in the treatment of colorectal cancer metastasis. A Phase II study of cisplatin and pemetrexed mesothelioma bevacizumabfor untreated and a phase II study of bevacizumab and erlotinib in previously treated mesothelioma"in trials continue mesothelioma is ongoing.

How Anti-angiogenensis Drugs Target Mesothelioma Tumors

Malignant cells of mesothelioma cancer and vascular networks, they need to survive, consists of a number of essential proteins. According Mesothelioma Web "One of the most important protein in the growth of new blood vessels, called vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF, secreted by certain cancer cells. It appears that VEGF plays an important role in the growth of malignant mesothelioma. VEGF attach a protein, or VEGF receptor on the surface of endothelial cells nearby, then signals the control center of the cell to begin the growth and formation of new blood vessels. "

Several anti-angiogenesis drugs used in clinical trials have shown that targeting pathways inhibits VEGF and VEGF receptors. Although anti-angiogenesis drugs have not yet developed as a proven treatment for mesothelioma patients, research is underway.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Mesothelioma Survival Rate

Mesothelioma Survival Rate: An Introduction

Mesothelioma survival rate indicates the percentage of people with a particular type and stage of mesothelioma who survive the disease for a certain period after their diagnosis. In most cases, statistics refer to the survival rate at 5 years mesothelioma. The 5-year survival mesothelioma is the percentage of people who are alive 5 years after a diagnosis of mesothelioma, if they have little or no signs or symptoms of mesothelioma, are free of the disease or are under treatment for mesothelioma.

Survival rate of mesothelioma is based on large groups of people, and can not be used to predict what will happen in particular for the patient. No two patients are exactly alike, and the treatment of mesothelioma and response to therapy vary widely.

Factors Influencing the Mesothelioma Survival Rate

In general, the mesothelioma survival rate will depend on:

*The stage of mesothelioma (see Mesothelioma Stages)

*The size of the tumor

*Whether the tumor can be removed by surgical procedure

*The amount of fluid in the chest or abdomen

*The patient's age plus general health, including lung plus heart health

*The type of mesothelioma cancer cells plus how they look under a microscope

*Whether the mesothelioma has been diagnosed or has come back.

Overall Mesothelioma Survival Rate

Survival rates can be calculated by different methods for different purposes. The survival rates presented here are the relative survival rate. The relative survival rate measures for the conservation of mesothelioma patients, compared to the population to assess the impact of cancer. Overall 5-year relative survival rate of mesothelioma from 1998 to 2002 was about 9 per cent.

Below are the relative survival rates for each year following a mesothelioma diagnosis:

*Year 1 mesothelioma survival rate: 39 percent

*Year 2 survival rate: 20 percent

*Year 3 survival rate: 11 percent

*Year 4 survival rate: 10 percent

*Year 5 survival rate: 9 percent.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Treatments

While peritoneal mesothelioma treatment can be difficult because the cancer has usually developed based on the later stages of development, doctors usually recommend treatment for patients in the fight against cancer and support for pain relief. Current treatments used for patients with mesothelioma are surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs and radiation target and kill cancer cells that rapidly divide.

Although not a cure for peritoneal mesothelioma exists, patients may choose to run a combination of treatments, or to participate in clinical trials to relieve pain and improve quality of life. Clinical trials are studies that meet the patients could be involved to test promising drugs and treatments. All possible treatment options and medications must undergo clinical testing before being considered safe and effective.

Some patients with peritoneal mesothelioma may choose intraperitoneal chemotherapy, where medicine is injected directly into the peritoneal cavity immediately after surgery. In some cases, patients first go through radiation therapy can shrink tumors before surgery.

Many patients are not candidates for surgery because mesothelioma is often spread too far, or because the patient's general health is too low to cope with the stress of surgery. These patients may choose to participate in the palliative treatment options that seek to improve the patient, but the effort to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Effective Treatments for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer

The occurrence of this disease in the human body is caused primarily by the inhalation of asbestos fibers which finally settle in the vicinities of the lungs. As time passes by, these asbestos fibers imbed in the lung’s linings (scientifically called as the pleura) which cause the latter to be inflamed. As a reaction, cancerous tumor cells grow along these linings and finally spread across the lungs, hence becoming malignant pleural mesothelioma cancer.

As has been less known to plenty of, pleural mesothelioma cancer is not a kind of lung cancer, it affects the serous membranes of our body. Misconceptions arise about the disease because it primarily affects the lungs, or specifically the lung pleura, hence the name. it is the most common type of mesothelioma because it affects about 75% of all the mesothelioma cancer patients.

The medical field hasn’t been able, yet, to lay the ground rules in determining pleural mesothelioma at its early stages. it is on the later stages of the disease that the disease’s signs become recognizable. General signs also appear such as progressive weight loss, consistent dry cough, sweating at night and experiencing fatigue simply.

Some effective treatments of malignant pleural mesothelioma cancer have been available lately, which include radiotherapy, surgical procedure, and chemotherapy. Trimodal therapy may even be an option, which is a mix of the aforementioned treatment options. Another option is the removal of the diseased lung, the surgical procedure being called extrapleural pneumonectomy. This surgical procedure may even be done in the removal of a part of the diaphragm, the pericardium which is the membrane covering the heart, and the membrane lining the chest called the parietal pleura.

Although these treatments will be effective in a short-term period, there respective impact on the patient’s health cannot be thoroughly established as of the moment. Different factors contribute to the survival rate of the patient such as age, health history and complications brought about by pleural mesothelioma cancer.

The number of cases reported with malignant pleural mesothelioma cancer has been increasing around the world. The continuous search for more effective treatments for this disease has been put in to a brand new level of urgency. Because of the fact that some treatments usually applied to the cancer patient have been only effective, there’s still a necessity for more studies about the disease to collect more hard proof to establish a widely established therapeutic approach to the treatment of the disease. The medical field is hoping that more effective treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma cancer will be discovered in the years to come.

Effective Treatments for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer

The occurrence of this disease in the human body is caused primarily by the inhalation of asbestos fibers which finally settle in the vicinities of the lungs. As time passes by, these asbestos fibers imbed in the lung’s linings (scientifically called as the pleura) which cause the latter to be inflamed. As a reaction, cancerous tumor cells grow along these linings and finally spread across the lungs, hence becoming malignant pleural mesothelioma cancer.

As has been less known to plenty of, pleural mesothelioma cancer is not a kind of lung cancer, it affects the serous membranes of our body. Misconceptions arise about the disease because it primarily affects the lungs, or specifically the lung pleura, hence the name. it is the most common type of mesothelioma because it affects about 75% of all the mesothelioma cancer patients.

The medical field hasn’t been able, yet, to lay the ground rules in determining pleural mesothelioma at its early stages. it is on the later stages of the disease that the disease’s signs become recognizable. General signs also appear such as progressive weight loss, consistent dry cough, sweating at night and experiencing fatigue simply.

Some effective treatments of malignant pleural mesothelioma cancer have been available lately, which include radiotherapy, surgical procedure, and chemotherapy. Trimodal therapy may even be an option, which is a mix of the aforementioned treatment options. Another option is the removal of the diseased lung, the surgical procedure being called extrapleural pneumonectomy. This surgical procedure may even be done in the removal of a part of the diaphragm, the pericardium which is the membrane covering the heart, and the membrane lining the chest called the parietal pleura.

Although these treatments will be effective in a short-term period, there respective impact on the patient’s health cannot be thoroughly established as of the moment. Different factors contribute to the survival rate of the patient such as age, health history and complications brought about by pleural mesothelioma cancer.

The number of cases reported with malignant pleural mesothelioma cancer has been increasing around the world. The continuous search for more effective treatments for this disease has been put in to a brand new level of urgency. Because of the fact that some treatments usually applied to the cancer patient have been only effective, there’s still a necessity for more studies about the disease to collect more hard proof to establish a widely established therapeutic approach to the treatment of the disease. The medical field is hoping that more effective treatments for malignant pleural mesothelioma cancer will be discovered in the years to come.

Early Diagnosis Is Critical For Effective Treatment of Mesothelioma

Cancer is one of the most deadly diseases nowadays. It doesnt select its victims. Men and women similar, young & elderly die of cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare kind of cancer that affects the mesothelium, specifically the Pleura (membrane that surrounds the lungs) and the Peritoneum (membrane surrounding the abdomen). Both Pleural Mesothelioma and Peritoneum Mesothelioma are primarily caused by the inhalation or exposure to asbestos, an incombustible fibrous mineral of impure magnesium silicate used in various industrial products. About 30 to 50 per cent of the total Mesothelioma cancer patients had not been exposed to asbestos, yet they have acquired the disease. Cancer specialists continue to study this rare kind of cancer so as to provide the public clear & exact information with regard to its cause, nature and cure.

Like plenty of other forms of cancer, Mesothelioma has different stages. The earliest stage is still curable since only one layer of the pleura is affected. surgical procedure is the number one option for patients with Stage I Mesothelioma. The doctor removes the part of the lining of the lungs or chest (in case of Pleural Mesothelioma) and the lining of the abdomen (in case of Peritoneal Mesothelioma). In Stage II Mesothelioma, surgical procedure can still be executed although some lymph nodes may have already been infected by the malignant Mesothelioma cancer cells. The diaphragm may even be removed; in severe cases, the Mesothelioma patient has to sacrifice one of his lungs.

Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs to kill the malignant cells. In treating Mesothelioma, the anti-cancer drugs are usually given to the patient through intravenous injection (within the vein). Oncologists are still studying the chance of treating Mesothelioma through intracavitary chemotherapy (within the chest or abdomen). Some Mesothelioma patients also undergo Photodynamic therapy, a kind of cancer therapy that combines the use of drug (photosensitizer) with a specific kind of light. The photosensitizing agent when exposed to the light produce oxygen that destroys nearby malignant cancer cells. The drug is injected in to the bloodstream and is absorbed by the cells.

Usually, surgical procedure comes with systemic treatments, which include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Through radiotherapy, Mesothelioma cancer cells are killed; however, only the cells in the treated area die. High energy rays used in radiotherapy or radiation therapy may either come from an outside machine or from narrow plastic tubes positioned in to the tissues where Mesothelioma cancer-stricken cells are found. Inside the plastic tubes are radiation-emitting materials that kill the malignant cells. The use of an outside machine is called outside radiation therapy while the other is called internal radiation therapy. Also, a radioactive substance such as radiolabeled monoclonal antibody is circulated around the body in the course of radiotherapy.

In order to relieve the signs of Mesothelioma such as the pain in the chest or abdomen due to the build up of liquid, a physician drains the liquid by using a needle. The procedure is named thoracentesis (removal of liquid in the chest) or paracentesis (removal of the liquid in the abdomen). To prevent further accumulation of the oiling liquid in the membranes of the chest or abdomen, drugs are given through a tube in the affected organ.

Although the said treatments to Mesothelioma have been proven effective, chance of recovery and survival still depends on the size or extent of the cancer. Chances are higher when Mesothelioma is still in its early stages. surgical procedure is only advisable only up to the second stage of the Mesothelioma cancer wherein only one part or smaller portions of the membranes are affected. A patient diagnosed with stage IV Mesothelioma (diffuse Mesothelioma) has only about 4-24 months to live. Furthermore, the age of the patient and his general health condition is also crucial to his recovery. Older patients do not reply well to sure cancer treatments such as surgical procedure because their tissues, organs and other body parts are more delicate.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Mesothelioma Life Expectancy

Mesothelioma is the deadliest type of cancer arising due to the inhalation or ingestion of unseen microscopic asbestos fibers, over a time period. it is the most deadly of all cancers. Any direct or indirect asbestos exposure can be the cause of mesothelioma cancer. Direct asbestos exposure may happen when asbestos mine workers, ship builders, construction workers, ship breakers, clutch or brake liner workers, building renovators, mechanics come in to contact with asbestos fibers directly. Indirect asbestos exposure takes place when relatives & friends of those who have been directly exposed come in to contact with him.

The average mesothelioma life expectancy, for patients at the time of diagnosis is about one year. One of the major factors which influences the mesothelioma life expectancy is the stage to which the mesothelioma has advanced. Here is the stage-wise overview of mesothelioma life expectancy.

Stage I: In this preliminary stage of mesothelioma, just one layer of the pleura is affected and the cancer may have spread to the pericardium or diaphragm. Mesothelioma life expectancy for this stage can be estimated as '50% of the patients diagnosed can live another 5 years if treated aggressively'.

Stage II: In this second stage of mesothelioma, both layers of the pleura are seen affected by mesothelioma, on just one side of the body. Mesothelioma life expectancy for this stage can be about 2 to 4 years after diagnosis.

Stage III: In this third stage of mesothelioma, it is observed that the cancer has spread to the chest wall, esophagus or lymph nodes on one side of the body. Mesothelioma life expectancy for this stage can be about 6-8 months.

Stage IV: In this fourth or last stage of mesothelioma, it is observed that the cancer has spread to other organs like brain, bones, lymph nodes, liver or to the other side of the body. Stage 4 mesothelioma cancer life expectancy is less than six months.

Scientists are researching on new ways and techniques to cure mesothelioma. Promising results have been noticed for the new treatments after numerous clinical trials. Individuals with any kind of asbestos exposure historicallyin the past, ought to consult the doctor immediately as the doctor can guide them on the latest techniques, equipments and treatments. The new know-how is focusing on prolonging the mesothelioma life expectancy or even curing the mesothelioma .