Monday, July 6, 2009

Treatments that can bring smile on the faces of Mesothelioma patients

In this contemporary era among all the diseases, cancer is considered as a threat to human civilization. Though with the advancement of medical sciences several new treatments have been discovered, but till now there are some forms of it, diagnosing and treating which are really difficult for the oncologists. Mesothelioma is a perfect example of such cancer.

This rarest from of cancer is usually detected in the last stages because its symptoms resemble with those of others. At that stage, treating the disease becomes very difficult and curing the disease becomes impossible. Mesothelioma can only be cured if the treatments are started in the early stages.

After detecting Mesothelioma, usually the doctors perform any of the three types of treatments, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Most of the times a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy is performed. Around 74.6% success rate has been noticed in this combination treatment. But, it has been proved by the scientists that all these treatments have side effects on the patients. That's why modern science has discovered much advanced and side effect less treatments for Mesothelioma.

The newly discovered treatments include immunotherapy and gene therapy. Under the immunotherapy, the immunity mechanism of the patients is improved which help them to fight against the cancerous cells. On the other hand, in the gene therapy the cancerous cells of the patients are manipulated through genes and converted into virus (like cold) and then the oncologists start performing virus treatment.

No matter whether you are a patient, a near-dear one of a patient or know someone who is suffering from this deadly disease, go for or suggest the person to go for these treatments which have huge possibility to relieve a patient from sufferings and if started in the early stages then these can even cure a patient.

Toxic History of Asbestos and Sickness

Asbestos has been used for centuries. Named by ancient Greek civilaizations, it has been used throughout history for its flame retardant properties in many different applications. Among the the many uses for asbestos throughout history, the most common uses were for insulation, especially in high heat areas such as boilers, pipes, ovens, and heating ducts.

The detrimental health effects of asbestos have also been documented for an extensive period of time. Many early reports of sickness caused by asbestos exposure reported the same symptoms as mesothelioma. Some called it a "sickness of the lungs," but it was not until the early 1900s when medical professionals began to agree that asbestos was the cause of a specific cancer in the lungs.

Seemingly oblivious to the linkage between asbestos and lung cancer, asbestos was used in construction for many more years. Residential, commercial and industrial construction all relied heavily on asbestos up until around the 1970s. Records indicate that asbestos was used extensively in the construction of U.S. Navy ships, which affected a large percentage of men and women serving on those vessels. These materials were widely used in the engine and boiler rooms, as well as other areas below deck for fire safety purposes.

Because of this high exposure rate, veterans make up a large percentage of mesothelioma vicitms. Statistically, 30 percent of mesothelioma victims are veterans and Navy veterans account for 16 percent of asbestos-related lung cancer.

Another group affected by asbestos exposure has been those who have worked in asbestos mines or mines contaminated with asbestos. This trend has also been noted historically; many researchers found that people working in asbestos mines led unnaturally short lives comparably speaking. Despite the research and knowlege of many scientists and companies, many workers were continually exploited in the manufacturing and mining processes up to and past the time when laws were put in place to protect workers.

Mesothelioma is a rare but deadly form of lung cancer that is almost always caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos. No known treatment can currently completely cure the effects of mesothelioma, which is why it is imperative that a patient recently diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer locate an experienced mesothelioma lawyer who can provide a free legal consultation as to the development of a possible mesothelioma lawsuit. Developing litigation of this nature may result in monetary funds being dispersed to a victim, who can then use such compensation to pay for costly medical treatments and increase quality of life during their cancer.

Weitz & Luxenberg lawyers: Are you in pain from a shoulder pain pump?

Lawyers at the leading personal injury law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg are accepting shoulder pain pump cases involving people who are experiencing extreme pain after insertion of a shoulder pain pump. The excruciating pain is a sign of a serious and permanent shoulder condition known as Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL). PAGCL can make the simplest daily tasks painful. For example, many people with PAGCL experience unbearable pain while sleeping or while moving their shoulder to eat.

What is a shoulder pain pump?

A shoulder pain pump is a medical device that is implanted into the shoulder during surgery to alleviate post-surgical shoulder joint pain. The pump works by continuously infusing pain medication directly into the shoulder through a catheter.

What is Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL)?

Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL) is a painful shoulder condition caused by cartilage break down in the shoulder. The break down of cartilage causes bone to meet bone leading to excruciating pain and limited range of motion. This condition can require further shoulder surgery. PAGCL is a permanent condition and so, only its symptoms can be treated.

Shoulder pain pump lawsuit for Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis (PAGCL)

Studies have linked shoulder pain pumps to permanent cartilage damage. Another study has shown that as many as 63% of patients who use shoulder pain pumps are at risk of developing PAGCL. By the end of 2008, more than 75 shoulder pain pump lawsuits had been filed throughout the U.S. against the manufacturers of pain pumps and various anesthetic (pain) drugs. The shoulder pain pump lawsuits allege that the manufacturers of shoulder pain pumps failed to warn the U.S. medical community that the safety of using pain pumps had not been established and that continuous injections of commonly used anesthetics into the shoulder joint may lead to serious and permanent injury.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Mesothelioma Traditional Treatment

Mesothelioma is rare kind of cancer and person dies within year or two after diagnosis. The explore of asbestos would during the work place and military services. It shows symptoms like chest pain,coughing, breathing difficulty which is mis leaded to some common problems and not detected at early stages.

Traditional treatment of mesothelioma If the mesothelioma is diagnosed at the early stage then doctors prefer to go by the traditional way of treatment of mesothelioma rather than surgery. These include radiation and chemotherapy which are used to kill the cancerous cell responsible for the cancer without harming the patient. The side effect of this therapy is that it kills most of the healthy cells along with the cancerous cell and patient lose their hair, having the feeling of weakness and sickness, problem in eating. Doctored generally go with the chemotherapy to nullify these effects.

The chemotherapy is the treatment which works on the logic of killing the cancerous cells by giving chemical medication. This drug is given on the regular basics may weekly or monthly through blood stream or swallowing the drugs. The patients can stay at the home but may visit the doctor regularly.

Radiation treatment works on killing the cancerous cell with the help of high energy radiation like x-rays and stop them from growing. These are external beam radiation the patients are directed towards directly on the affected parts of the body. This treatment takes 30 days and has to done in same way for some weeks. In the internal radiation therapy doctors put the container of radiative mixture next to affected area either by using surgery or body cavity. Some of them were left in the body and rest are removed. Radiation treatments can be done with the help of radio pharmaceuticals drugs can be given through the ingestion or injected in the body. To find out more information please visit Mesothelioma Blog.

An Introduction to the Devastating Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a diagnosis that nobody wants to hear from their doctor. Why? The disease is a malignant form of cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos.

Mesothelioma gets its name from the part of the body that it first attacks. The Mesothelium is a membrane in the internal area of the body. It lines the lungs, heart and abdominal cavity and acts as a protective barrier. Mesothelioma is the growth of tumors in this lining. The tumors are cancerous and malignant. Because of their location, they also are able to spread readily to critical parts of the body.

The most common type of Mesothelioma is known as pleural. This version of the cancer is found in the mesothelium lining of the lungs. The reason it is the most common form has to do with the simple fact that most people breathe in asbestos particles when they are around them. These particles manifest in the Mesothelium lining in the lungs and tumors can then grow.

There are two other types of Mesothelioma that can occur as well. Peritoneal Mesothelioma grows in the lining of the abdominal cavity. As the name suggests, Pericardial grows in the lining of the heart. Neither is a good place to have a tumor, but tumors on the heart are particularly bad news.

All cancers are maddening and scary, but Mesothelioma is one of the most frustrating. Why? It can take decades to manifest as a tumor with symptoms. Most people exposed to asbestos don't know they've been exposed. They can then go 25 or 30 years feeling just fine. Slowly, but surely, they start feeling tightness under the ribs, a lack of appetite and so on. The next thing they know, they've been diagnosed with a malignant tumor. All from a period of exposure they probably don't even recall!

Is there a cure for Mesothelioma? No. Surgery can sometimes be a solution if things are caught early enough, but the cancer is usually fatal. This is perhaps the number one reason Mesothelioma is so feared.