mesothelioma-information

Much of the care that you are going to get as a mesothelioma cancer patient will be given in an outpatient setting, which includes home care. In many ways, home care for the person with cancer is no different than the home care that is given to people with other kinds of illness. A mesothelioma patient will need help with diet and nutrition, physical therapy, home health aides, speech and respiratory therapy, personal care, emotional support, volunteer services, pharmacy, support from clergy, and other kinds of care. Also skilled nursing services involving the use of an oncology nurse specialist, who is an expert in cancer care might be available for home care treatment of the mesothelioma patient. Many of these same services are also offered as part of hospice care. Some of the home care services that could be provided for the mesothelioma patient are: -chemotherapy -immunotherapy or biologic therapy (which use different parts of the body's immune system to fight cancer or lessen ...

Mesotheliomas is very resistant to treatment irrespective of the stage of the tumor . It's very important that you understand the goal of treatment before it starts -- whether it is to try to cure the cancer or to help relieve symptoms ,you should also be aware of the potential side effects and likely outcome of your treatment method. This can help you make an informed decision when looking at your treatment options. Resectable mesothelioma In general terms, most stage I and some stage II and III mesotheliomas are potentially resectable, but there are exceptions. Resectability is based not only on the size of the tumor, but also on the subtype (most doctors believe only epithelioid tumors are potentially resectable), where it is located, and whether or not a person is healthy enough to have surgery. Many patients with resectable pleural mesothelioma have their cancer removed by pleurectomy/decortication or extrapleural pneumonectomy. Patients with peritoneal mesotheliomas in an ear...

Targeted drugs In general, chemotherapy drugs are limited in their effectiveness against advanced mesothelioma. As researchers have learned more about the changes in cells that cause cancer, they have been able develop newer drugs that specifically target these changes. Targeted drugs work differently from standard chemotherapy drugs. They often have different (and less severe) side effects. One group of targeted drugs is known as angiogenesis inhibitors. These drugs target the growth of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), which tumors need to grow larger. Some of these drugs are already used to treat other types of cancer and are now being studied for use against mesotheliomas. Examples of these drugs include bevacizumab (Avastin) and sorafenib (Nexavar). Other new drugs have different targets. For example, ranpirnase (Onconase) is an enzyme that breaks down RNA (part of a cell's genetic material) and causes cancer cells to die at the right time. In early studies it has helped some...

Research is going on all over the world especially in certain developed countries on mesothelioma. A lot of research is going on to try and find causes and better ways of treating the disease. Medical science is working to improve accuracy of diagnosis and effectiveness of treatment. Despite recent progress, much remains to be learned about the best way to treat these cancers. Research on causes and prevention Much of the research on mesothelioma has focused on learning exactly how asbestos changes mesothelial cells and their DNA to cause these cancers. Understanding how these fibers produce cancer might help us develop ways to prevent those changes. The role of asbestos in increasing the risk of mesothelioma is a definite public health concern. Researchers are continuously learning more about which fibers can produce cancer, how they cause these cancers, and what levels of exposure can be considered safe. Now that the dangers of asbestos are known, we can limit or stop exposure in hom...

Fatigue is a very common side effect of mesothelioma chemotherapy. You could end up with mild lethargy or you could get completely exhausted from the effects of the chemo. The kind of fatigue you might experience is different from being tired and it is not relieved by sleeping or resting. It is usually worst at the beginning and at the end of a treatment cycle. However it goes away upon completion of chemo and it does not linger further. These are steps that can help you cope better with this kind of fatigue: -Get plenty of rest and allow time during the day for rest periods. -Talk with your doctor or nurse about a regular exercise program. -Eat a well-balanced diet and drink plenty of liquids. -Limit your activities. Do only the things that are most important to you. -Get help when you need it. Ask family, friends, and neighbors to pitch in with activities, such as child care, shopping, housework, or driving. For example, you might ask neighbors to pick up some items for you at the gr...

Chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma cancer work by targeting and killing rapidly growing cancer cells but because these drugs are transported round the body they also affect other normal rapidly dividing healthy cells of the body thus leading to normal cell destruction which causes most of the side effects attributed to them. Although side effects are not always as bad as you might expect, many people worry about this part of their cancer treatment. The commonest side effects of chemotherapy are: -nausea and vomiting -hair loss -fatigue (tiredness) -increased chance of bruising and bleeding -anemia (low red blood cell count) -infection Nausea and vomiting are 2 of the most common and most dreaded side effects of chemo. How often you feel these side effects and how bad they are depend on the drugs you are getting and how they affect you. Nausea and vomiting may start during treatment and last a few hours. Sometimes, but less often, severe nausea and vomiting can last for a few days. Be ...

Mesothelioma chemotherapy can but does not always affect sexual organs and functioning. The possible side effects depend on the drugs used, age, and general health. In men, chemotherapy results in low sperm counts, reduced sperm mobility or altered sperm structure. These changes can result in short- or long-term infertility. Infertility affects a man’s ability to father a child, but does not affect his ability to have sex. This however is usually not a likely concern in mesothelioma victims as the men are usually above 60 years and would have probably given birth to all the children they want to birth by then. Men who are getting chemo should use birth control with their partners during treatment because chemo may have harmful effects on chromosomes of sperm cells. Ask your doctor when you can stop using birth control for this reason. This becomes more relevant if the male mesothelioma patient's wife is still within child bearing age bracket. In women chemotherapy can damage the ov...

Mesothelioma chemotherapy drugs work by selectively targeting and killing the rapidly growing cell of the mesothelioma tumor. Unfortunately however these drugs also tend to affect the normal healthy rapidly dividing cells of the body leading to the death of normal healthy tissues in the body thereby causing side effects. These side effects causes a lot of anxiety in cancer patients although they might not as bad as you will expect. The normal cells most likely to be affected are blood forming cells in the bone marrow, hair follicles; and cells in the mouth, digestive tract, and reproductive system. Some chemo drugs can damage cells in the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs, and nervous system. In some cases, medicines called cytoprotective drugs may be given with the chemo to protect the body's normal cells. One of the commonest side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss also known as alopecia.This can be devastating experience, especially in women. Not all chemo drugs will make you los...

The Part D drug benefit is prescription drug coverage for people with Medicare. Medicare offers Part D to everyone with Medicare. (People enrolled in Medicare are called Medicare beneficiaries.) Part D coverage may help you lower your prescription drug costs and help protect you from higher costs in the future. It can give you greater access to the anti cancer drugs you need to treat your cancer . To get Medicare Part D drug coverage, you must join a plan that is run by an insurance company or other private company that has been approved by Medicare. If you join a Medicare drug plan, you usually pay a monthly premium. If you decide not to join a Medicare drug plan when you are first eligible (able to join), you may pay a penalty if you decide to join later. If your income and resources are limited, you might qualify for extra help paying Part D costs. There are different plans that vary in cost and the type of drugs that are covered by each plan and it is hard to compare them. As a me...

Chemotherapy which involves the use of anti cancer drugs to treat cancer is one of the main ways of treating mesothelioma cancer, there are many types of chemotherapy (chemo) that can be taken as a liquid, tablet, or capsule. Oral chemo is any drug you are taking by mouth to treat your cancer. Oral chemo does not need to be injected into the body. Chemo taken by mouth is as strong as the other forms and works just as well. One of the best ways you can help fight your cancer is by taking your chemo exactly as your health team directs you to. There are also other chemotherapy agents that can not be taken orally as the stomach can not absorb such drugs very well while some of the other chemotherapy agents are actually toxic to the body if taken orally. In fact, quite a number of chemotherapy agents are administered intravenously through an IV line directly into the blood. Oral chemotherapy however is much more easier to take and it can be taken at home.You don't need to go into a hosp...

Your friend that has come down with mesothelioma cancer may find it hard to ask for help or to appear vulnerable. Do not tell the person to "be brave" or to "be strong",when people do this to cancer victims they are only putting them under a lot of unnecessary pressure on them to act strong even when they do not feel up to it. Families can put subtle pressure on people with cancer by expecting or needing them to be strong all the time. In that case, you might play an important role for a friend who has cancer. He or she may know you well and trust you enough to confide in you, yet you don't have the emotional attachment and expectations of a family member. This kind of relationship can be a great gift for a person facing cancer. Our basic human nature makes us want to distance ourselves from people that become seriously ill. When someone close to us develops mesothelioma cancer we are forced to confront our own fears about illness, weakness, or death. This may m...

Pain is most often caused by the mesothelioma cancer itself.Mesothelioma pain can also be due to the treatment or the tests done to diagnose cancer. You may also have pain that has nothing to do with your cancer or its treatment. Like anyone, you can get headaches, muscle strains, and other aches and pains. 1-Pain from the cancer The type and the intensity of the pain you will experience depends on the stage of the cancer and your own pain threshold{tolerance for pain},we all have different to tolerance levels for pain.Most of the pain from the mesothelioma cancer is a as result of the tumor pressing on other sensitive organs like nerves, bones and other body organs.The more advanced the cancer the more likely the tumor will cause pain. Spinal cord compression: When the tumor spreads to the spine, it can press on the spinal cord. This is called spinal cord compression. This pressure causes pain. It must be treated quickly to keep you from losing control of your bladder or bowel or bein...

Mesothelioma cancer can be associated with pain in different areas of the body affected by the cancer.These are important facts that every mesothelioma victim should know about mesothelioma pain: 1- Mesothelioma cancer pain can almost always be relieved or lessened. You have a lot of treatment options to manage your pain,some of these methods include the use of pain relieving drugs,other medical methods and even non medical methods.Work with your medical team to find the best therapy to control your pain and give you as much comfort as possible. You might also need to seek for extra help from some other medical experts apart from your doctor as pain control is an area that even most doctors have very little knowledge about. Even though a lot of progress has been made, some doctors and nurses do not know the best ways to treat cancer pain. If you are still experiencing considerable pain after receiving all the treatment your doctor has to offer seek to see a pain specialist or have your...

Some people have mesothelioma cancer pain that is not relieved by drugs or non-medical methods. When this happens, some other medical non drug related methods can be used to relieve the cancer pain. These other methods include: - Procedures to help stop pain impulses from going through the nerves Surgery Nerve pathways that carry pain impulses to the brain can be blocked,leading to reduced pain perception. To block these pathways, a neurosurgeon may cut nerves, usually near the spinal cord. When the nerves that relay pain are destroyed, feelings of pain, pressure, and temperature can no longer be felt. Only surgeons with special skills, who are also expert in pain management should do this kind of surgery. These surgeons normally work with other pain specialists to explore other methods of pain control before they cut nerves. Nerve block A nerve block is a procedure where a local anesthetic (a numbing drug), which may be combined with a steroid, is injected into or around a nerve or in...

The use of medical methods of treatment to treat mesothelioma pain might not be sufficient to treat the pain effectively, so you might need to try out some other non medical modes of treating mesothelioma pain. These non-medical treatments are now widely used to help manage cancer pain. Many techniques are used along with pain medicine, though they can also be used alone. Some people find they can take a lower dose of medicine when using these techniques. These methods include: relaxation, biofeedback, imagery, distraction, hypnosis, skin stimulation, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS), acupuncture, exercise or physical therapy, and emotional support and counseling. You may need the help of health professionals, social workers, physical therapists, psychologists, nurses, or others .To learn to use these techniques. Family and friends can also help. To find out who specializes in these techniques and which organizations know about them: * Talk with your doctor or nurse. * ...

One of the main ways by which mesothelioma pain can be treated is with the use of proper medication. However,the type of medicine and the way the medicine is given depend on the type and cause of pain. For example, chronic pain is best relieved by methods that deliver a steady dose of pain medicine over a long period of time, such as a patch that releases medicine through the skin or slow-release oral tablets. On the other hand, breakthrough pain {Breakthrough pain is flare of pain that happens even though you are taking pain medicine regularly for persistent pain. It's called breakthrough pain because it "breaks through" the pain relief you get from the regular pain medicine schedule}is best treated with medicines that work fast (quick release), but stay in the system only for a short time. Below is an overview of the types of medicines used to relieve pain. For mild to moderate pain Non-opioids: Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)...

Mesothelioma cancer often causes pain for the victims and you need to know how best to manage the pain so that the stress usually caused by the pain will be relived. You will have to inform your doctor and medical team about the pain so that they can help you overcome the pain. Your doctor will want to find out more about what is causing your pain because that will affect how the pain is treated. Drugs, procedures, cancer treatments, or even surgeries may be used in special ways to manage your pain. If you have severe pain, your doctor or your cancer team will want to find treatment that best relieves your pain with the fewest side effects. You will need to stay in touch and let the doctor know how the pain treatment is working and how you are doing day to day. The goal is an effective pain control plan that works for you. Cancer pain is usually treated with drugs that are called analgesics. You can buy some very good pain relievers without a prescription or doctor's order (for exa...

Since most mesothelioma victims die within a year of diagnosis,friends and well wishers of the relatives of the mesothelioma victims are often at loss at how they can help the grieving relatives of the mesothelioma victims who have passed on.This article gives some very useful advice for friends of such relatives. Most people feel awkward when trying to comfort someone who is grieving. We just do not know what to say or do. These following suggestions can guide you: What should you say? -Do not deny the situation,acknowledge the reality of the present situation. Example: "I heard that your_____ died." Use the word "died." This shows that you are more open to talk about how the person really feels. -Show and express your genuine concern. Example: "I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you." -Be genuine in your communication and don't hide your feelings. Example: "I'm not sure what to say, but I want you to know I care." -Offer your s...

Unfortunately mesothelioma is often a terminal disease leading most times to the death of our loved ones. When a person loses someone important to them, they go through a normal process called grieving. Grieving is a natural and expected process which, over time, can allow the person to accept and understand their loss. Grieving involves feeling many different emotions over time, all of which help the person come to terms with the loss of a loved one. Bereavement and mourning are both part of the grieving process. Bereavement is what a person goes through when someone close to them dies. It is the state of having suffered a loss. Mourning is the outward expression of loss and grief. Mourning includes rituals and other actions that are specific to each person's culture, personality, and religion. Ideally, the bereaved person will work through the process of grieving. With time and support, they will accept and make sense of the loss, experience the pain, and adapt to a new life and ...

Most patients, families, and caregivers face some degree of depression, anxiety, and fear when mesothelioma becomes part of their lives. These feelings are normal responses to such a life-changing experience. In people with this type of cancer, these feelings may be caused by many things, including changes in how they are able to fill family or work roles, the loss of control over life events, body image changes, fear of death, fear of suffering and pain, or fear of the unknown. Family members may have these feelings because they are afraid of losing their loved one. They may also feel angry because someone they love has cancer, frustrated that they cannot "do enough," or stressed because they have to do more at home. It's important to remember that people can feel distress at any time after cancer diagnosis and treatment, even many years after the cancer is treated. As their health situations change, people with cancer must cope with new stressors along with the old, and...

After you receive a diagnosis of mesothelioma you number one priority should be to get adequate information about the disease so that you can make the right informed decisions on the necessary steps you need to take. When looking for information about mesothelioma cancer, first know what type of mesothelioma you have,the pleural mesothelioma is the commonest but there are also other types of mesothelioma depending on the part of the body that is affected by the cancer. Talk with your health care team. Ask them for information about your specific type of cancer, including the cell type and the stage (extent) of your cancer. This is helpful because your cancer treatment will be designed for just you. The stage of the cancer, as well as other factors, will help determine the goal of treatment. Most types of mesothelioma cancer treatment have 1 of these 3 goals: provide a cure, control the disease, or ease symptoms of the cancer and help make the patient comfortable. Sometimes the treatme...

A diagnosis of mesothelioma affects not only you, but also your family and friends. You may feel afraid, uncertain, or angry about the unwanted changes cancer will bring to your life and theirs. You may feel numb or confused. You may have trouble listening to, understanding, or remembering what people tell you during this time. This is especially true when your doctor first tells you that you have cancer. It is not uncommon for people to shut down mentally once they hear the word "cancer." There is nothing fair about cancer and no one "deserves" to have it. A cancer diagnosis is hard to take and having cancer is not easy. When you find out you have cancer, your personal beliefs and experiences help you figure out what the diagnosis means to you and how you will handle it. As you face your own mortality and cope with the many demands of cancer, you may look more closely at your religious beliefs, your personal and family values, and what's most important in your ...