Mesothelioma Cancer Treatment - Asbestos Kills

Mesothelioma cancer is a disease that results from exposure to asbestos related substances. Asbestos usually consists of fibres that can enter the body through the mouth, or the skin, and, subsequently, enter the lungs, or blood stream.

Mesothelioma cancer has become more widely documented in the last 5-10 years, due to the fact that symptoms of asbestos cancer can take between 20 to 40 years to manifest. Mesothelioma cancer is hard to diagnose, as the symptoms do not tend to manifest themselves until the later stages of the disease. Symptoms of mesothelioma lung cancer include shortness of breath, chest pain, fever and other secondary illnesses such as pneumonia.

Asbestos cancer most often develops in men between the ages of 50 to 70 years who were exposed to high levels of asbestos in the workplace. Asbestos was mainly used in manufacturing industries such as automotive and ship building as well as in the construction industry. The use of asbestos was only recently banned in the 1990’s.

Mesthelioma lung cancer has been found to be the most common form of mesothelioma cancer and it develops in the lining of the lung (pleural). Mesothelioma cancer can also develop in the abdominal area (peritoneal) and around the heart (pericardial). There is a greater chance of malignancy in abdominal asbestos cancer. For a more detailed explanation of mesothelioma cancer, visit [http://www.lung-canceradvice.com]

Mesothelioma lung cancer can be detected through a CT scan which enables it to be sometimes diagnosed earlier than the other two types of mesothelioma cancer. The type of mesothelioma cancer treatment will depend on the stage at which the cancer was diagnosed, the age of the patient as well as personal preferences. The disease can be divided into four separate stages. The stage in the disease process that is reached will determine the method of mesothelioma cancer treatment. At the first stage when the tumour is confined to the lining of the lungs, surgeons may try to remove the entire tumour surgically. Once the tumour has invaded the surrounding body tissues in the later stages, it is not curable.

Conventionally, the more advanced stages of mesothelioma cancer are treated with either radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy x-rays to destroy cancerous cells and shrink tumours Chemotherapy, on the other hand, uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. The aim of these mesothelioma cancer treatments is to prolong the patient’s life as the disease cannot be cured in the more advanced stages.

In addition to these conventional mesothelioma cancer treatments, there are also various experimental treatments currently under investigation which offer new hope.

Immunotherapy: This form of biological therapy for mesothelioma cancer treatment uses the patient’s own immune system to attack the cancerous cells. Clinical studies have shown that the immune system is able to distinguish healthy cells from cancer cells, and can therefore be used to destroy those cancerous cells.

Gene Therapy: This form of mesothelioma cancer treatment is very much still in the developmental stages. The process involves injecting a specific gene straight into the tumour. This gene renders the cancer cells sensitive to the antiviral drug glanciclovir which under normal circumstances is not effective against these cells. The glanciclovir is then able to destroy all the cancer cells without harming the healthy tissue cells.

Drug Therapy: The drug Alimta is the only chemotherapy drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)for the treatment of patients with malignant mesothelioma lung cancer . This new and exciting drug has been demonstrated in clinical trials to reduce symptoms and increase the life expectancy of patients.

Photodynamic Therapy: Photodynamic therapy involves the use of light to destroy cancer cells. The patient first is first administered a photosensitizing drug that only collects in cancerous cells. Fibre-optic cables are then inserted in the body in order to focus light of a certain frequency on the tumour. The light stimulates the photosensitizing drug to produce toxic oxygen molecules that destroy the cancerous cells.

These experimental mesothelioma cancer treatments, although still in the developmental stages, offer cancer victims the prospect of a better and longer life. With the likelihood of an increase in the number of people diagnosed with asbestos cancer, further research into other forms of mesothelioma cancer treatment is vital.

Prostate Cancer Treatment With Radiation Therapy

There are several prostate cancer treatment options that are available. Radiation therapy, more commonly known as radiotherapy, is the most often prescribed prostate cancer treatment. Radiation therapy kills off your cancerous cells with high energy radiation beams. Although the technology now is already far more advanced as compared to many years ago; still, some normal body cells are inevitably get killed during the treatment process. A loss in your normal cells result in some of the side effects that you experience.

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer treatment can be used for all stages of the disease. If you are diagnosed as having early stage prostate cancer then radiation therapy can be used on its own. In this case, there is no need for surgery. Advanced stage cancers may require surgery followed by a course of radiation therapy for relief of pain associated with the disease.

There are two main ways in which radiation can be used as a prostate cancer treatment; internally and externally. The type of radiotherapy that will be recommended to you will be based on your circumstances and the extent of your cancer. You should get more information about the treatments and how they work from your oncologist.

The prostate cancer treatment known as brachytherapy, or internal radiation, works by implanting microbeads of radioactive material directly into your cancerous tissue. These microbeads kill the cancerous cells in the immediate vicinity. A very small number of normal body cells also become damaged in the process. You may also suffer from minor side effects such as urinary leakage and/or penile dysfunction.

Having internal radiotherapy as a prostate cancer treatment will mean you have to undergo keyhole surgery. This is a one-time procedure and involves a short stay in hospital. It is relatively expensive, however. Thus, your doctor will usually recommend this option where cure is still highly possible; in the instance where the cancerous cells have not spread to other parts of your body.

External radiation is the more commonly prescribed prostate cancer treatment. You may need to go to the hospital as often as five times per week. In this case the radiation beam penetrates through the skin, muscle and fat before it reaches the cancerous tissue of the prostate. Many normal body cells can be damaged. Thus with this form of treatment you tend to experience more severe and varied side effects than with the previous option.

In the course of this prostate cancer treatment, you may lose some of your pubic hair permanently. You may feel sore and dry in the area being treated. You may also suffer from incontinence, urinary and bowel discomfort. There is also a chance of impotence as the tissues around the prostate gland are affected. Hopefully, medical advancements can be made one day so that fewer normal body cells get damaged in the process.

Radiation therapy can be an exhausting process to go through. During this period, you are advised to take plenty of rest and to set all your worries aside.

Prostate Cancer Treatment Options: Discussing Your Options With Your Oncologist

Being diagnosed with prostate cancer is by no means a death sentence as compared to previously. There are a number of prostate cancer treatment options available. You need to speak with your oncologist to find out which option works best for you.

Learning about your prostate cancer diagnosis may be difficult to accept initially. So you should get your oncologist to answer any questions you may have. He should be able to give you very helpful advice. You may consider bringing a family member with you for the consultation for extra support.

A good tip is to ask your oncologist if he has any leaflets or any book that you can read about the various prostate cancer treatments. As you consider over your prostate cancer treatment options over later, you may need to refer to the facts or what was discussed over during the conversation.

Also ask your oncologist to explain the different prostate cancer treatment options to you in layman's terms. Medical jargon can be difficult to understand and confusing to a mind that is under stress. So, the simpler the way things are explained to you, the better.

In general, there are about three major forms of prostate cancer treatment; surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Hormone therapy is also often used as a complementary therapy. A combination of the three main treatments can be used together or in conjunction with hormone therapy. The type of prostate cancer treatment that you receive will depend on how extensive and advanced your cancer is.

When the initial cancer spreads to the surrounding tissues and then to other sites in the body, the type of prostate cancer treatment used will become more palliative than curative i.e. the treatment will slow down the growth of the cancer and help control the side effects rather than actually curing the disease.

Factors such as your age, general health and what you want to achieve from the treatment will also be taken into consideration. If you are an elderly person, you may decide not to proceed with surgery due to the side effects. In this case, you may prefer not to take drastic measures except to slow down the growth and spread of the disease. Younger men however may prefer to get rid of the cancer completely and hence would prefer to choose surgery. Surgery may also be followed with radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancerous cells.

There are a lot of things to consider when you choose your form of prostate cancer treatment. As such, you should not rush through your decision. Make sure that you have full information before you make a decision.