mesothelioma-information

In histological terms, there are four different types of mesothelioma: sarcomatoid, epithelial, biphasic, and desmoplastic (a variant of sarcomatoid).In medical terms, the term histopathology refers to the microscopic examination of cellular tissue to gain insight into the manifestations of various diseases. Malignant sarcomatoid mesothelioma is the least common of the four cellular types. It accounts for approximately 7 to 20 percent of cases. When viewed under a microscope,the malignant cells appear as elongated spindle-shaped cells that are irregularly shaped and often overlap one another. Desmoplastic mesothelioma is considered a variant of sarcomatoid mesothelioma. This form is likely the most difficult of all mesotheliomas to diagnose. When desmoplastic mesothelioma invades or metastasizes, the cells can appear very bland and can be misdiagnosed as benign fibrous tissue. Medical experts say this form should not be diagnosed with a needle core biopsy. It's important to know th...

Mesothelioma patients usually have some questions that they want answers for when they want to commence on Chemotherapy. These include: 1. What is chemotherapy for mesothelioma? Chemotherapy involves one or more anti-cancer drugs taken either orally in pill form, or intravenously, or, in the case of pleural mesothelioma, injected directly into the lungs. These drugs inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, but they also damage normal healthy cells as well leading to the development of side effects. 2. What are the common side effects of mesothelioma chemotherapy? Side effects are very common with the use of many Chemotherapy agents. The commonly seen side effects include: * hair loss * nausea * vomiting * diarrhea * constipation * anemia * hemorrhaging Chemotherapy also causes many complicated side effects within the cancerous growth. It is not uncommon in mesothelioma cases to have secondary neoplasms, which are cancerous offshoots of the original tumor that have redirected their growth...

Mesothelioma cancer, can be treated by the use of anti cancer drug therapies. These anti cancer drugs act by inhibiting tumor growth through the blocking of cell division and multiplication. This mode of action also unfortunately affects other rapidly replicating cells in the body, cells of the hair and the lining of the intestine are particularly vulnerable, thus leading to the common side effects of anti cancer drugs like hair loss and nausea. Mesothelioma is notoriously resistant to common anti cancer chemotherapy as result of some reasons. The cancer takes a long time to mature and show symptoms, by the time these symptoms appear the tumor will be well formed with a lot of layers of dead cells that the anti cancer drugs will find it difficult to penetrate, and also by the time a diagnosis of mesothelioma is made, most victims have but a short time left to live so the drugs do not have enough time to exert their maximal effect. New drugs that have been designed to overcome these cha...

Receiving a diagnosis of mesothelioma is undoubtedly one of the most devastating and harrowing experiences one can pass through in life, it is like receiving a certain death sentence. All patients will pass through the classical stages of grief, the initial shock followed by denial, then anger, then depression, and finally acceptance of the grim reality of the terminal disease. This mix of powerful emotions can overwhelm even those that claim to be very strong individuals. This disease often leaves its victims in a very fragile state of mind. Even the most compassionate and understanding people can be frustrated by the mortality of mesothelioma, and they can become worn out emotionally very quickly if they do not take steps to help them cope with the disease. Mesothelioma diagnosis is a tragic and devastating revelation, and these are some steps that you can take to help you cope with the disease. 1-Try and overcome the fear and sorrow that usually comes with the diagnosis of a termina...

Mesothelioma is not a very common disease with about 2000-3000 new cases seen in the US every year. -There was a gradual increase in the number of cases of newly diagnosed mesothelioma victims in the United States from the 1970's to the 1990's after which the number became fairly constant. After the year 2000 and beyond the number has likely been on the decrease. -Mesothelioma is more common in men. It is four times commoner in men than in women. -The number of new Mesothelioma cases is still increasing in European countries. -Mesothelioma commonly affects people over the age of 55 years, it is very rare to find Mesothelioma in people under the age of 55 years and its incidence increases with age, about 90% of people diagnosed with Mesothelioma are over the age of 65 years. -This cancer is commoner in Caucasians and Hispanics than in African Americans or in Asian Americans. -The mean lifespan of the victims of this deadly cancer is between four to eighteen months. About nine to...

The main way by which mesothelioma is prevented is by reducing and limiting exposure to asbestos at home, at work and at public places. These three measures help to prevent and reduce exposure to asbestos fibers. 1. Jobs that have high risk of exposure to asbestos include mining, factory workers, insulation manufacturers, railroad and automotive workers, ship builders, gas mask manufacturers, and construction workers, particularly those involved with insulation. People that work in any of these sites should always put on protective gowns, and they fully adopt and abide by all the safety work procedures and practices in their place of work. 2. Old houses might have asbestos containing insulation materials and people living in them could also be at risk of exposure to asbestos. If you live in an old house you might need to get a knowledgeable expert to determine the level of asbestos in your home, so that you can know if you are at risk from asbestos. Generally however asbestos in buildi...

Mesothelioma is a very aggressive and rare cancer that is difficult to diagnose and that is also highly resistant to treatment. Around 2000-3000 new cases of malignant mesothelioma are seen every year in the US, and these figures are expected to rise over the next decade. What causes mesothelioma? There is extensive and undeniable medical evidence that mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. There is no other known cause. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that was widely used in industrial, commercial and domestic products throughout the 20th century. It was particularly popular because of its durability, fire resistant and insulating properties. It was used in several thousand different manufactured asbestos products. These included construction materials, household appliances and brake linings, the use was so widespread that millions of Americans were unknowingly exposed to the toxic material, which now leads to the development of mesothelioma amongst ...