Cancer Blog

Many people who have clinical symptoms of mesothelioma have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. This is because symptoms tend to present late in most cases. The majority of people have symptoms for only two or three months before a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is made. About one quarter of all patients with malignant mesothelioma have symptoms for at least six months before diagnosis.

A high index of suspicion is needed to make a timely diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. This is because many of the clinical symptoms are seen in other conditions. Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma, such as cough, chest pain and breathlessness, are also seen in a number of other chest conditions such as infections, emphysema and lung cancer. Similarly, symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma, such as nausea, vomiting and appetite loss, may be seen in a number of abdominal and systemic conditions. Any person who has these symptoms, accompanied by a history of exposure to asbestos, should see a doctor to be evaluated for malignant mesothelioma.

Physicians use the symptoms that patients report to determine what tests are required to confirm a suspected diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. If the patient has primarily chest-related symptoms, a chest x-ray, CT scan, MRI, and other imaging techniques may be used to locate any abnormalities that suggest malignant mesothelioma. Next, a pleural biopsy may be performed. There are some relatively new tests that can help differentiate pleural mesothelioma from lung cancer; this differentiation is sometimes difficult because the symptoms are so similar. If a patient presents with mostly abdominal symptoms, abdominal imaging techniques and biopsies may be used to confirm a diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma.

While asbestos-related mesothelioma may not be as wide-spread as lung or breast cancer, this debilitating disease has affected thousands of Americans throughout the last several decades. Caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers, mesothelioma – in its malignant form - is a fast-spreading, deadly cancer that has been found in individuals all around the world who’ve been exposed to this deadly mineral, used haphazardly for years in many different industries, including shipbuilding and construction.

Technically, in mesothelioma, the cells of the mesothelium – the two-layered membrane that covers the internal organs of the body - become cancerous and grow out of control. This disease is most often of the pleural variety, affecting the membrane that covers the lungs, but can in rare cases be found in the pericardium, the layer that covers the heart, or the peritoneum, that which covers the abdomen.

Who’s Been Exposed?

The material known as asbestos, which is naturally mined from the earth, was used in a variety of industries for decades. Most mesothelioma cases are a result of workplace exposure though there are a number of cases of mesothelioma caused by second-hand exposure.

Those at highest risk worked in such industries as shipyards, power plants, steel mills, aluminum plants, automotive service centers, and construction companies, where the use of asbestos was most rampant because of its excellent insulating properties. Those who worked in vermiculite or talc mines were also exposed to airborne asbestos fibers.

Though the dangers of breathing airborne asbestos fibers have long been known, many companies did virtually nothing to protect their employees from contracting asbestosis, other lung diseases, or the asbestos-related cancer known as mesothelioma.

Though the dangers of asbestos were made public in the mid 1970s and many industries stopped using the material, because the symptoms of meso can take 20-40 years or more to surface, many sufferers have only recently been diagnosed.

Diagnosis and Treatment

If you know that you’ve been exposed to asbestos at the workplace or elsewhere, while it’s not advisable to panic, it is smart to be on the lookout for symptoms of mesothelioma so that it can be diagnosed as soon as possible. Early diagnosis prompts more treatment options. Symptoms of mesothelioma might include:

• Coughing

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Difficulty Sleeping

• Weight Loss

• Pain in chest and abdomen

• Fluid in the chest

Because these symptoms are often indicative of a number of other diseases, diagnosis can be difficult and often occurs during a routine exam or during a doctor’s visit meant to address a different concern. CT scans, MRIs, blood work, and biopsies will be used to make any final determinations.

Treatment of asbestos cancer can be tricky and is usually determined by a number of factors. While surgery may be a viable option in treating many cancers, the late diagnosis of most meso patients and the fast spread of the disease often means that surgery is not a useful treatment. Usually, patients with pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial malignant mesothelioma are treated with radiation or chemotherapy, depending on the stage of the disease, the patient’s age, and his/her overall health. Once a patient has reached Stage IV malignant mesothelioma, most doctors will recommend only palliative treatment, designed to keep the patient comfortable and pain-free.

A medical team, including an oncologist, experienced in the particulars of mesothelioma can best determine what treatment options are must for each individual cancer victim.

Though your doctor or nurse may not suggest them, alternative therapies are being sought out more and more by meso patients looking for pain relief or seeking other palliative measures. Many cancer sufferers consider acupuncture, hypnosis, meditation, and massage to help improve their quality of life.

Dealing with the Diagnosis

While you may have recognized that you were at risk for contracting asbestos-related cancer, confirming the actual diagnosis will certainly be devastating. Be sure to gather as much information about the disease as possible and don’t hesitate to ask questions.

Those who contract the disease will face a myriad of feelings, from disbelief and depression to fear and anger. While turning to family members for support is a good idea, many patients require assistance in the form of professional counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, or clergy persons. Addressing the mental difficulties caused by the disease can be just as important as treating physical symptoms.

Who’s Responsible?

Because asbestos exposure is the only known cause of malignant mesothelioma, chances are that most meso victims will have a pretty solid idea of where they contracted the disease. For many years, however, employees hid the dangers of working with asbestos, willingly exposing employees to this hazardous substance on a daily basis. In turn, those who worked with asbestos may have unknowingly exposed their family members as well, bringing white asbestos dust into their homes on their clothes or bodies.

The asbestos cover-up affected many who could have been spared this horrifying disease if only employers would have admitted to the dangers. More and more meso sufferers have been filing lawsuits against asbestos manufacturers and workplaces whose unsafe products or work areas contributed to their disease. Asbestos-related cancer victims have the legal right to collect funds to cover medical bills, loss of income, and loss of quality of life. Many of those diagnosed have been able to collect funds to help with expenses. Mesothelioma victims should take time to find an attorney who’s well-versed as to the ins and outs of the disease and is abreast of the legal options available to those whose life is threatened by asbestos-related cancer.

Lymphoma refers to a form of tumor caused by the immune system, involving abnormal activity of lymphocytes, body cells that belong to the lymphatic system. Lymphocytes are born at the level of the bone marrow and their primary role inside the body is to identify antigens (foreign bodies that are malignant to the organism) and to trigger the action of the immune system, telling it to attack the discovered antigens. However, in the case of patients with lymphoma, the cells of the lymphatic system become compromised and begin to act like cancer cells. Thus, the occurrence of lymphoma is primarily determined by inappropriate activity of the lymphatic system, lymphocytes multiplying at abnormally fast rates and accumulating in different regions of the body.

There are two distinctive types of lymphatic cells involved in causing the occurrence of lymphoma: “B” lymphocytes and ‘T’ lymphocytes (commonly referred to as B cells and T cells). The main action of B cells is to create antibodies, a type of proteins that fight against antigens. The T cells (born at the level of the thymus gland) help the activity of the B cells, sustaining and enhancing their action.

According to the type of cells involved in causing the disease and the rate of progression, there are multiple forms of lymphoma. The main two types of lymphoma are: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (also referred to as Hodgkin’s Disease) and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. These two main types can be further classified in multiple subtypes. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is characterized by the implication of the so-called “double-eyed cells” in causing the disease. All other varieties of lymphoma that don’t share this feature are known as Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma comprises over 25 subtypes, classified according to the speed of progression and the seriousness of the disease. Various subtypes of lymphoma involve genetic abnormalities that carry the name of primary mutations. Some of these mutations are responsible for triggering the disease, while others are responsible for sustaining its progression.

A very common subtype of lymphoma is follicular lymphoma. This variety of lymphoma is slow progressing and alternates between periods of remission and periods of relapse. In the majority of cases, follicular lymphoma is caused by a specific genetic mutation that affects the B lymphocytes. The mutation causes an overproduction of the BCL2 protein, a type of protein that stimulates an excessive accumulation of B cells, which begin to act like cancerous cells.

Another common subtype of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is diffuse large cell lymphoma. This variety progresses faster and it can also originate from a slower progressing lymphoma subtype. Diffuse cell lymphoma requires immediate treatment; otherwise, the disease can become life-threatening in a very short amount of time. The most efficient form of treatment consists in chemotherapy. Although most patients with diffuse cell lymphoma experience relapse, a second course of strong chemotherapy is usually effective in curing relapsed cases.

Burkitt’s lymphoma is a rapidly evolving lymphoma subtype that occurs due to a unique genetic anomaly. This variety of lymphoma requires immediate medical intervention and involves a poor patient life expectancy. When chemotherapy is not sufficient for treating patients with Burkitt’s lymphoma, combination treatments with immunosupressants can help ameliorate its symptoms and slow its progression rate.

Unlike B-cell lymphomas, T-cell lymphomas are rare and account for about 20 percent of cases of all Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in general. T-cell lymphomas are rapidly progressing and often involve the body skin. Along with Hodgkin’s Disease, T-cell lymphoma raises serious issues in diagnosis and treatment. This is due to the poor understanding of the causes and evolution of the disease, medical scientists lacking conclusive medical data. However, medical scientists hope to unveil the exact origins and the pattern of evolution characteristic to Non-Hodgkin’s T-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin’s Disease in order to develop an efficient treatment in the near future.

According to World Bank statistics, in 2001 year were registered about seven million deaths worldwide from cancer. This is a high amount of men and women. But the big concern is that 35 percent from deaths were attributable to the only nine behavioral and environmental risk factors, with alcohol and smoking playing large roles. That means more than one in every three of the seven million deaths from cancer worldwide was caused by nine risk factors that people can easily eliminate from their habits.

The above nine modifiable risk factors were:

1. Smoking.

   Smoking alone is estimated to have caused 21 percent of deaths from cancer worldwide.

2. Alcohol use.

   Mouth cancer caused by alcohol use killed more people in the UK than cervical cancer and testicular cancer put together. When tobacco and alcohol use are combined, the risk of oral cancer increases 15 times. Alcohol is also a primary cause of liver cancer.

3. Overweight and obesity.

   One in 10 cancers affecting non-smokers is caused by the sufferer being overweight.

4. Low fruit and vegetable intake.

   It has been estimated that about 25,000 different chemical compounds occur in vegetables and fruits. Studies show that more than 500 of these compounds are potential modifiers of the cancer process.

5. Physical inactivity.

   Physical inactivity is strongly linked to colorectal cancer, as well as to a important number of dietary risk factors.

6. Unsafe sex.

   Sexual transmission of human papilloma virus is the leading risk factor for cervical cancer in women.

7. Urban air pollution.

   In France, urban air pollution, most of it caused by cars, buses and trucks, kills more than 5,000 people every year.

8. Indoor smoke from household use of coal.

   It is stated that a pollutant released indoors is many times more likely to reach the lung than that released outdoors.

9. Contaminated injections in healthcare settings, like unsafe blood transfusions.

These conclusions clearly show that very important types of cancer are preventable by changes in lifestyle behaviors and environmental interventions.

COPD or Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a disease that has no cure. The most common cause of COPD is smoking cigarettes. COPD can lead to lethal diseases such as Lung Cancer. It is very important that if you are a smoker that you watch for the early warning signs. When this disease is caught early your doctor can assist you in controlling it.

COPD is caused when the respiratory system is damaged. The body creates symptoms as it tries to compensate for the disease. Anyone who has been smoking for a long time is at high risk to develop COPD. The most obvious symptom of COPD is persistent coughing, also the chest begins to become barrel shaped.

Those who suffer with COPD often produce sputum when they cough. The sputum is often clear, white or yellowish in color. In severe cases the sputum may also contain small amounts of blood. COPD causes shortness of breath. Most sufferers do not notice this symptom until it very progressed. This is because people assume that their lack of breath is due to lack of exercise.

When breathing a person who suffers from COPD may hear a wheezing sound in their chest. This caused by the air passing through the lungs. This is because the airways have been partially blocked. Rapid weight loss is also a sign of COPD, because the lung has to expend more calories to do simple tasks.

We have to review the way we think about cancer. Too often when I watch the media they try to scare the population about the rise of cancer. It seems like they are saying,” Will you be the next victim with the bad unlucky ticket number?”

First of all, its not a matter of “unlucky ticket number”. I would go as far as to say there is no cancer but only sick people. Cancer by itself can’t thrive Let me explain before you start throwing rocks at me.

The only way you can “catch” cancer is if you offer your body as an ideal host to make it grow and develop. Cancer is not like a darn cold or flu you can catch at work because your office buddy sneezed at you at lunch break!

To develop cancer you have to work at it, nurture it. And not only over a few days but over many years. How? First of all like I said earlier, you have to offer an ideal ground for the cancer to grow. You can inspect any rocks on the ground and you can be sure they don’t have cancer. Cancer can’t and won’t grow on rocks. Someone said, ” It’s the soil and not the germs that permits the growth”. Are you making yourself an ideal soil for cancer growth?

How do you make your body an ideal host for cancer? Well for one thing, you most certainly know that each of us have a formidable army guarding our health. It is called our immune system. But like any army in the world if you don’t feed it and provide good weapons you wont win the battle and even less the war!

How do you feed your army? With good natural nutriments! These are the ammunitions your immune system needs to fortify his position and repair itself. You army needs to be strong when the next attacks come, and they do come! Everyday. They come from everywhere. On some attacks we don’t have much immediate control over, like air pollution. Unless you are a smoker of course then you certainly have power to reduce it substantially…

The other army reducing effectiveness factor is stress. Bad stress weakens our immune system. Sadly we live in a stressful environment but there are ways to reduce the stress factor. Like someone said” Its not what happens to you that matters but how you react to it” I know, easier said than done, but we have to be aware of it and find ways to reduce bad stress.

Another army effectiveness reducing factor is what we eat. Yes! Amazingly, too many people still don’t realize that the quality of food has an immediate impact on our immune system. Junky, sugary, greasy gunk that some call food has the effect to reduce your strong army to “peasants battling with forks”. And they expect great results… These people wonder why they can’t fight the ennemy effectively. Come on!

Then, one day the bad news arrives. The surrender papers have to be signed. Yes your army, your immune system has been defeated after years of relentless fighting in the gutter of the damp muddy fields of your badly undernourished guts. And when the verdict fall like a guillotine on your life, some still wonder why they got the “unlucky ticket number”. Why me? Ignorance wont cut it anymore… never did, never will. Nowadays ignorance of basic healthy principles of nutrition is even deadlier then ever. You can’t afford to presume. You have to know.

Do yourself a favor. You are the commanding officer of your army. Take the time and review it. Do a reality check of your everyday life. Why wait? Are you building up your army or are you leaving it to hide in the trenches with no ammunitions, unable to defend your health when the attackers come. And remember they do come everyday my friend.

So, stop thinking what your army can do for you, but what you can do for your army and your immune system. They are your best friends in the battle against cancer. Act now and watch those cowardly unhealthy cells run for cover in defeat when they try to establish their camp and plant the cancer flag in your flesh. They wont be able.

Decide now which army you want to feed and which ticket you want to draw.

Patients who receive a diagnosis of colon cancer quickly become depressed and have a lot of unanswered questions about their future. The most important thing for them to realize is that they are not alone and that their friends and family are there to provide love and support.

When dealing with any type of illness, including colon cancer, family and friends are the first thought of a positive support system. Understandably, these same people may be experiencing a lot of emotional pain and anxiety themselves, which stems from seeing their loved on suffering from an illness. If, for these reasons, a cancer patient cannot find support at home, it’s a good idea to join a local support group or become involved in an activity that they enjoy. If their health allows it, a cancer patient should continue living life and enjoying every day as possible. While quality of life is very important, making sure to take time out for rest is one of the key points for successful recovery from any illness.

Immediately following diagnosis, a colon cancer patient may want to visit their local library or research the internet for educational resources, of which there are plenty available. This information will help the patient to become better informed and allow them to be more involved with their treatment. It’s important to know, and understand, what is happening to the body during an illness, treatments and recovery. It is equally recommended that a patient remain involved in his/her care for as long as possible. This can be achieved by conducting research, asking the physician a lot of questions and preparing for best and worst case scenarios.

Depending on how advanced a cancer patient’s illness is, several treatment options are available. If a patient decides to move forward with treatment, he/she may also wish to consult another physician for a second opinion in order to confirm the diagnosis and recommended treatment. The best outcome is to eliminate the cancer completely but, if that is not possible, the doctor may be able to stop the cancer from spreading or to relieve the patient‘s symptoms and discomfort.

Assuming the patient’s health will allow it, and he/she wishes to pursue remedies, the main method of treatment is surgery. Depending on the location and size of the cancer, a doctor may be able to remove all or part of the colon. If a polyp is the only cancer that is known to be present, it may be all that needs removing. In some cases of colon cancer, the patient must wear a permanent colostomy following surgery. This occurs if the cancer is so advanced that it forces the doctor to remove the entire colon.

Another common approach to treating colon cancer is for the patient to begin a series of chemotherapy treatments. This process involves the intake of medicines to help fight the cancer cells, which can either be taken orally or delivered through the patient’s veins. This option is often most useful to rid the patient of any lingering cancer cells following surgery. In addition, chemotherapy may be used to control the growth of cancer, relieve symptoms and prolong life. Radiation therapy, often used in conjunction with chemotherapy to help combat various other cancers, is not a treatment used to help colon cancer patients after surgery.

This article should not be construed as professional medical advice. If you, or someone that you know, is concerned about the possibility of cancer, you should seek medical attention immediately. A medical doctor can discuss various options, prevention and treatment possibilities should the presence of cancer be detected. A series of tests may be conducted in order to confirm, or rule out, any such diagnosis and can only be done by a medical doctor.

Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer. It is caused from prolonged exposure to asbestos. Many people have been affected by mesothelioma but it is not an easy disease to diagnose. Analyzing the symptoms in the initial stages is a difficult procedure. The biggest problem that adds to the complication of a diagnosis is that the early symptoms are quite similar to other common diseases. unfortunately, this usually causes delays in the diagnosis. When dealing with a life threatening disease, delaying the diagnosis could spell disaster for the patient.

Doctors need to be very precise when trying to diagnose mesothelioma. Clinical and radiological tests need to be conducted on the patient. The doctors will also have to do a tissue biopsy and compare the results to the previous tests.

When trying to diagnose mesothelioma, the doctor should have a complete medical history of the patient. This is where the doctor may be able to see that the patient was exposed to asbestos at some point in their life. This is a tip-off to the doctor that the symptoms may be from mesothelioma and not another disease. The doctor can also see the patient’s complete physical history along with x-rays from their chest and abdomen. Lastly, the disease affects the lungs, so the doctor needs to reference any tests that focused on lung functions.

It may be necessary for the doctor to take a Computerized Tomography (CT) scan or a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan. If anything looks suspicious to the doctor, then a biopsy will be performed to which should confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma. If the biopsy can confirm that the patient has mesothelioma, then the doctor will be able to determine what stage the cancer is in, and where the cancer is located. Then the doctor will perform more tests to determine how the cancer cells have spread throughout the patient’s body.

When trying to diagnose mesothelioma, the doctor will see how developed the cancer cells are. If they are not developed beyond the membrane then the disease will be considered localized. Unfortunately, many tests are again needed to determine the developmental stage of the cancer cells. The procedure for diagnosing mesothelioma is a very long process that is filled with many serious tests.

If you feel that you could be suffering from mesothelioma, please be sure to let your doctor know as soon as possible about any past experience and prolonged exposure to asbestos. The sooner you can be diagnosed with mesothelioma, the sooner you will be able to begin treatment for the disease.

A sobering fact, cancer is the second leading cause of death in this country. It strikes men, women, and children. Cancer is caused by a variety of factors, including exposure to environmental toxins, smoking, an unhealthy lifestyle, and genetic predisposition.

However, the most staggering statistic is that improper diet accounts for almost 70% of cancers and is one of the main causes of death among human beings. Diet and cancer experts are beginning to identify more and more nutrients that may help reduce cancer risks.

Healthy weight and good nutrition are important elements in the fight against cancer. Making some changes in your diet and lifestyle can greatly reduce the probability of getting cancer.

Suggested Dietary Guidelines to Lower Cancer Risk

*Eat a primarily plant-based diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruits, beans and peas, and minimally processed starchy foods.

*Eat five or more portions a day of a variety of vegetables and fruits, all year round.

*Eat at least three portions a day of a variety of cereals, whole grains, beans and peas, and root vegetables. Minimally processed foods are preferable.

*Limit consumption of refined sugar.

*Alcohol consumption is not recommended. If consumed, limit alcoholic drinks to less than two drinks a day for men and one for women.

*If eaten at all, limit intake of red meat to less than 3 ounces daily. It is preferable to choose fish and poultry in place of red meat.

*Limit consumption of fatty foods, particularly those of animal origin. Choose modest amounts of appropriate vegetable oils.

*Limit consumption of salted foods and use of cooking and table salt. Use herbs and spices to season foods.

*Do not smoke or use tobacco in any form.

Exercise and Fitness

Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, lose weight. Obesity is now a leading cause of some cancers.

Be physically active. If occupational activity is low or moderate, take a brisk walk or similar exercise daily. Also exercise vigorously for a total of at least one hour a week.

The consumption of a predominantly plant-based diet, when matched with regular physical exercise and the avoidance of tobacco, can decrease cancer risk by as much as 70%. A truly healthy body is far less vulnerable to cancer and more able to fight off its ravages. The guidelines listed above can help you in your fight against cancer.

Mesothelioma Pleural is a lethal cancer that initially affects the thin membrane enveloping the lungs. This affliction is mostly caused by exposure to asbestos. Currently about 3000 cases are reported in the United States every year. But according to reliable estimates, nearly 8 million people have been exposed to asbestos during the past fifty years and about .3 million new cases would turn up by 2030. Higher rate of incidence is noted in the Pacific and Mid-Atlantic States.

The disease is almost always fatal. If it is detected early, surgery could be helpful. But the problem is that Mesothelioma Pleural has a long latent period of 20 to 40 years or more and by the time it is diagnosed the cancer would be usually in an advanced stage. There is no universally accepted line of treatment as of now. Chemotherapy is not considered effective. Several combination therapies are tried.

Radiation may be of use, particularly as a palliative measure. Here the problem is that since mesothelioma is resistant to radiation, high doses have to be applied. This, not only kill the cancerous cells but also the good ones. To overcome the difficulty, many doctors who treat mesothelioma pleural patients are employing a century old procedure known as Brachytherapy, which was being, and still is, used for treatment of certain other cancers.

Brachytherapy today is a high-tech and precise form of radiation. It is a process applied internally instead of through a gadget outside the body. Radioactive sources (sealed in needles, catheters, seeds or wires) are planted on the tumor or very close to it. By this process the radiation is focused on the bad cells and therefore spares the good ones. This has been found to be effective.

Like all radiation, Brachytherapy also has side effects. But they are minor ones like short duration soreness in the area where the procedure is done. There is nothing to worry about if the patient follows the doctor’s instructions.