Archive for asbestos personal injury trust lawyer baltimore
Mesothelioma News – Dr Is In Sunday – What Exactly Is Mesothelioma?
Posted by: | CommentsA Flash player error has occurred, please make sure you have the latest Adobe Flash Player.
Mail this post
Mesothelioma News – Alimta(R) (pemetrexed For Injection) Receives Positive Opinion From…
Posted by: | CommentsEli Lilly and Company announced that the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has issued a positive opinion for the use of ALIMTA as monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with other than predominantly squamous cell histology in patients whose …
Mail this post
Mesothelioma News – Insurers seek asbestos law review
Posted by: | CommentsUK insurers are hoping to overturn a new Scottish law that allows people to claim for past exposure to asbestos.
Mail this post
Symptoms Of Mesothelioma
Posted by: | CommentsMesothelioma symptoms are common with other less serious medical conditions, making it difficult for diagnosis. Consult your physician immediately if you have previously been exposed to asbestos and have (or even do not have) any symptom/s of mesothelioma.
What is Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the membrane lining the lungs, abdomen, or heart. It is a rare cancer and the prime cause is almost always asbestos exposure (inhalation / ingestion).
Mesothelioma is usually seen in elderly patients, mostly male. The reason for this is mesothelioma takes approximately 30 to 40 years to develop and show its effects.
Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive, painful, and fatal of all cancers.
Mesothelioma Types
In a maximum number of cases (over 80%) mesothelioma is restricted to the lining of the lungs (pleura), but can also occur in the lining of the stomach (peritoneum), and in very rare cases the lining of the heart (pericardium). They are known as Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma, and Pericardial Mesothelioma respectively.
Persons at Risk of Mesothelioma
Since mesothelioma takes approximately 30 to 40 years to develop and show its effects, those being diagnosed with mesothelioma today have probably been exposed to asbestos as far back as the 60s or 70s.
Asbestos safety guidelines never existed until the late 80s, so those diagnosed today could either be directly involved with asbestos, or their relatives / friends who were indirectly exposed to asbestos.
Persons at maximum risk of mesothelioma include the following.
— Construction workers
— Building renovation workers
— Ship building workers
— Ship renovation workers
— Auto clutch and brake manufacturing workers
— Auto clutch and brake mechanics
— Asbestos mine workers
— Relatives and friends of all of the above mentioned persons
— Those living in close proximity to asbestos mines
Mesothelioma Symptoms
The symptoms of mesothelioma are non-specific to the disease. Almost all the symptoms of mesothelioma overlap with the symptoms of certain other minor diseases.
This is further complicated with the fact that the symptoms of mesothelioma occur approximately 30 to 40 years after initial exposure. When a person experiences the symptoms of mesothelioma it is easily mistaken for some other disease such as viral pneumonia.
Mesothelioma affects the linings of the lungs, stomach, or heart. As the cancer progresses, the tumors cause the affected tissues to expand and gather fluid. This excess fluid is the cause of the symptoms to appear. Mesothelioma symptoms will also depend on the location of the cancer. An x-ray will reveal the amount and spread of the fluid.
Symptoms of Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma affects the lining / tissue around the lungs with a build-up of fluid (pleural effusion). Pleural mesothelioma symptoms could include one or more of the following.
— Shortness of breath
— Mild to severe constant chest pain
— Constant mild to severe cough
— Sudden weight loss
These symptoms are common with other diseases and could be misdiagnosed for pneumonia.
What is Pleural Effusion
Pleural effusion is one of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma. It is the accumulation of fluid in between the pleura covering the chest wall / diaphragm (parietal pleura) and the pleura covering the lungs (visceral pleura). In normal circumstances these membranes are covered with a very small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant between the moving chest wall and lung. When an excess amount of fluid is collected without being able to drain due to the cancer, it results in an effusion.
Symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining / tissue surrounding the abdomen. Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms could include one or more of the following.
— Abdominal swelling
— Tissue mass in the abdomen
— Sudden weight loss
— Nausea
— Anemia
— Mild to severe abdominal pain
— Mild to severe diarrhea
— Mild to severe constipation
These symptoms are accompanied by a constant mild fever in some cases.
Symptoms of Pericardial Mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma is extremely rare. It affects the lining / tissue surrounding the heart causing a fluid build-up. Pericardial mesothelioma symptoms could include one or more of the following.
— Mild to severe chest pain
— cough
— Irregular heart-beats
— Irregular breathing pattern
— Constant unexplained fatigue
Get Diagnosed for Mesothelioma
If mesothelioma symptoms show, it means just one thing. The cancer has spread to incurable proportions.
If you know that you have been exposed to asbestos in the past, but none of the symptoms of mesothelioma are present, do not wait for the symptoms to show up. It could be very late by then. Get a diagnosis for mesothelioma performed by a surgeon who is trained in handling mesothelioma cases. Detection in the early stages (which is very rare) will help in better treatment, possibly even getting rid of the cancer.
Always remember that all of the above symptoms could be caused by mesothelioma, or could be caused by some less serious condition having nothing to do with mesothelioma. Never come to a conclusion by yourself that you have mesothelioma even if most of the mentioned symptoms are present. Get it checked / diagnosed by a trained physician / surgeon, because only they will be able to make a definitive diagnosis of the symptoms.
| By Kevin Mathias Published: 6/29/2007 |
Mail this post
A Mesothelioma Treatment
Posted by: | Comments
Mesothelioma Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is an option of treatment for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma. If diagnosed, you must find out about the benefits and side-effects of chemotherapy for mesothelioma before treatment begins.
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer of the mesothelium. Mesothelium is the thin membrane that covers the lungs, stomach, and heart. The prime function of the mesothelium is to release a small amount of lubricating fluid which helps the organs to move freely without any friction. The membrane covering the lungs is known as pleura, membrane covering the stomach is known as peritoneum, and membrane covering the heart is known as pericardium. Over 80% of those suffering from mesothelioma are diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma.
Asbestos exposure is the prime cause of mesothelioma. Those at a risk of developing this deadly cancer are persons who have worked / working in asbestos mines, those living in close vicinity to asbestos mines, persons who have been in the construction industry, persons in the ship building / breaking industry, clutch and brake manufacturing workers / mechanics, and everyone who has been exposed to asbestos fibers. The main problem with mesothelioma is that it takes approximately 30 to 40 years after initial exposure for symptoms to show. Most of these symptoms are common with other more common ailments such as the common cold and flu. Almost always serious damage is already done by the time mesothelioma is diagnosed.
Treatments for Mesothelioma
Once mesothelioma is diagnosed the physician / surgeon will decide on the course of treatment depending on the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed, the age and general physical health of the patient. Options for mesothelioma treatment include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Since there is no permanent cure for mesothelioma, many unconventional forms of treatment are combined with these methods.
What is Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a therapy which makes use of certain medicines / drugs to treat cancer. Surgery or radiation therapy remove or destroy cancer cells in a particular area. This is where chemotherapy differs vastly from these two treatments. Chemotherapy works on the entire body, and is able to destroy metastasized cancer cells that have spread to distant parts away from the primary tumor. There are a vast number of chemotherapy drugs currently in use, and your physician / surgeon may use a single drug (chemotherapy) or a combination of drugs (combination chemotherapy) to cure the cancer. Combination chemotherapy is preferred because drugs used in combination tend to work more effectively and the chances of the body becoming resistant to the drugs is reduced.
Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma
The surgeon will decide on what treatment best suits a person with mesothelioma. Factors such as the stage of the cancer and the persons physical health are taken into account and treatment decided. Surgery and radiation therapy are options besides chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can be used in combination with surgery and radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy is usually given through a vein as a drip, or as an injection into the bloodstream. If found suitable the drugs may be put directly into the chest / abdominal cavity. Chemotherapy is not done at a stretch, but is broken down into a number of cycles. Treatment continues for a few days after which it is stopped for a few weeks so that the body can recover from the side-effects of chemotherapy. After the body has recovered, another cycle begins. The number of cycles depend on the stage at which mesothelioma is diagnosed, the type of drug/s used, and the body’s response to chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy Side-effects
Chemotherapy comes with a host of undesirable side-effects. Certain side-effects are common, notwithstanding the type of drug/s used in treatment. Some side-effects will depend on the type of drug/s used, amount of drug/s used, and the number of treatment cycles.
Side-effects of chemotherapy could include one or more of the following.
— Fatigue
— Exhaustion without exertion
— Hair loss
— Nausea
— Vomiting
— Anemia
Hair Loss during Mesothelioma Chemotherapy
Almost everyone undergoing chemotherapy for mesothelioma will suffer from hair loss which could be mild to severe. Hair loss usually begins within 2 weeks of chemotherapy, getting worse as treatment continues, finally improving only after a couple of months of the treatment being stopped. This sudden hair fall could cause a lot of stress to most patients, especially women. What should be understood here is that the hair will grow back once the treatment is stopped.
Nausea and Vomiting during Mesothelioma Chemotherapy
Vomiting and nausea are other common side-effects of chemotherapy during mesothelioma treatment. It is suggested that the patient eat very small meals throughout the day instead of having 3 large meals. Never eat hurriedly, always chewing the food thoroughly to make digestion easier. Until chemotherapy is stopped the patient must avoid eating any sort of fried foods, foods with fat in them, sweets, and avoid / reduce the amount of meat intake. It is best to have a lot of fresh vegetables. Ask the physician for advice on what to eat and what to avoid.
Find out Side-effects of Chemotherapy Before Treatment Begins
Many patients suffering from mesothelioma are not aware of the side-effects of chemotherapy. If they go into treatment without knowing all the side-effects, it could be very difficult on them, causing unwanted stress. If diagnosed with mesothelioma, and the surgeon decides to go in for chemotherapy, find out about all the possible side-effects and what measures could be taken to reduce them.
Once chemotherapy has begun, let your surgeon know of all the side-effects that you face, however minor. These side-effects could be minimized with further medication making life for the patient more comfortable.
| By Kevin Mathias Published: 7/11/2007 |
. Errors Involving Chemotherapy Medications Common in Outpatient …
Mail this post