WHAT IS MESOTHELIOMA

Mesothelioma is a benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumor affecting the mesothelium, a membrane that covers most of the internal organs of the body. Most mesothelioma begin pleura (lining of the lungs) or peritoneum (membrane lining the abdomen). Benign mesothelioma can be called a fibroid, and mesothelioma cancer is also known as malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma can still be identified, depending on where it happens. For example, a malignant pleural mesothelioma, a cancer that starts in the lungs. Most people who develop mesothelioma worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. Benign Mesothelioma does not seem to be no relationship between exposure to asbestos.

Understanding Mesothelioma

The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most internal organs. It consists of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ, the other bag around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released when these layers, so moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting states of the lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.

The mesothelium has different names depending on its location in the body. Peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the bodies into the abdominal cavity. Pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall cavity, the pericardium covers and protects the heart. Mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis, and tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.

Understanding Mesothelioma: Asbestos Exposure

www.mesovideolibrary.com – During the manufacturing, installation and use of asbestos, microscopic fibers can become airborne, inhaled, and lodged in the lungs. This short educational video explains how asbestos exposure can cause serious health problems. Watch this video on our website www.mesovideolibrary.com Learn more about products that carry a high risk of asbestos exposure by calling us at 866-404-5805 or e-mailing us at info@mesovideolibrary.com.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma Research- H. Richard Alexander, MD

www.curemeso.org Learn about mesothelioma research and statistics from the International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma 2008. Presentation by Dr. Richard Alexander, internationally recognized surgical oncologist and clinical researcher. He treats cancer patients at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center and is associate chairman for clinical research in the University of Maryland Department of Surgery. For more videos and personalized information about mesothelioma research & treatments and clinical trials, please visit www.curemeso.org.

How is Mesothelioma Treated?

Dr. Case discusses treatment options for mesothelioma lung cancer including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. This segment is part of the program that is offered for free on www.mesodvd.com.

Mesothelioma Is Not Lung Cancer

Sometimes people do confuse between mesothelioma cancer and lung cancer. But still both the cancer is dangerous and prevention is advisoble because for mesothelioma cancer there still no cure for it.
In this video, Dr. Case describes the differences between mesothelioma cancer and lung cancer. Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos and is around the lung, while lung cancer is inside the lung

Woman Suffers From Mesothelioma

This is a 2 minute Fox News Interview with Julie Gundlach who was recently diagnosed with Mesothelioma. Its show her fight and her determinant against it.

Histopathology Lung, pleura–Mesothelioma

Histopathology Lung, pleura–Mesothelioma.
This is some of the video that show about the cancer. A light tutorial that gives you an image about how its look alike.

mesothelioma

Everybody is worried to get this disease. Currently there is no 100 percent that Mesothelioma is an incurable asbestos cancer. This short film was produced to raise awareness of the issues around mesothelioma. It includes interviews with people who have the disease. It was produced for Action Mesothelioma day on belhalf of Forum of Asbestos Victim Support Groups. For more information visit www.ActionMeso.info. In other word prevention is better than cure. From this

Mesothelioma Treatment

Though there is no known cure for mesothelioma, there are a few treatment methods that can alleviate suffering and extend life. Different treatment methods are suggested for different types of mesothelioma.

Surgery for pleural mesothelioma

There are two general types of surgical treatment for pleural mesothelioma - Palliative surgery and Curative surgery.

There are four types of surgery for treating pleural mesothelioma -

• Pleurectomy/Decortication
• Pneumonectomy
• Thoracentesis and Extrapleural
• Pneumonectomy and Pleurodesis

There are also procedures used to help control symptoms, including thoracocentesis

Surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma

The surgery for peritoneal mesothelioma is called a peritonectomy. An operation called laparotomy is generally performed which involves the opening up of the abdominal cavity to remove a part or whole of the tumor. It is usually only palliative.

Doctors have developed a technique known as cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in recent years for peritoneal mesothelioma. In this method, as much tumor as possible is removed surgically. Then chemotherapy is given straight into the peritoneal cavity. According to some studies, this can work better if it is heated initially to a few degrees above body temperature, which is known as hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Promising results have been achieved using these techniques. In one recent study, the 5 year survival rate of patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery followed by HIIC was 63%. In another, the median survival rate for patients treated this way was 87.2 months, over 7 years.

Surgery for pericardial mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma can occasionally be treated with surgery. As much of the tumor and pericardium as possible is removed. Even if surgery is performed, the entire tumor or all of the cells are not likely to be removed or treated. So, further systemic treatment like radiation or chemotherapy is usually needed subsequent to surgery.

Surgery for mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis

This surgery is not curative. Usually the surgery is done because it is believed that the patient has a hernia, and the mesothelioma is found. Usually all of the tumor cannot be removed.

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Symptoms of Mesothelioma may not appear until 25 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Roughly 15 percent of Mesothelioma cases are discovered in the early stages before cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Survival rate within 5 years from the time of diagnosis is 50 percent, provided there is no cancer found in the lymph nodes at the time of surgery. However, in most cases the cancer has spread without detection by current medical tests. Factoring in all stages of Mesothelioma, the 5-year survival rate is only about 14 percent.

There are many times when the early diagnosis of Mesothelioma is by accident during tests for other unrelated medical conditions. Although symptoms from Mesothelioma do not normally occur until cancer has spread too far to be cured, there have been occurrences when symptoms occur in some patients early.

Prompt attention to symptoms can result in early diagnosis and treatment can result in a cure for some patients. However, for others this can improve their chances of treatment extending their life, as well as relief of some of the symptoms.

Here is a list of common symptoms of mesothelioma :

• Persistent Cough
• Chest pains, which are often aggravated by breathing deep.
• Hoarseness of the voice.
• Loss of appetite and weight loss.
• Blood in the sputum (spit or phlegm) or rust-colored sputum.
• Shortness of breath. Fever without signs of the Influenza (Flu) or Pneumonia.
• Recurring cases of Bronchitis and Pneumonia.
• Wheezing when breathing.

Here is a list of Symptoms from Spreading to Distant Organs

• Bone pain
• Neurological Changes: Weakness of numbness of limbs, dizziness
• Jaundice: Yellow coloring of the skin or eyes
• Masses at the surface of the body in the lymph nodes around the neck or collarbone

Mesothelioma Doctor Explains Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

Mesothelioma Video from www.mesothelioma.us In this video a medical doctor explains types of mesothelioma. In the full DVD he explains mesothelioma stages, mesothelioma types, mesothelioma symptoms, and mesothelioma diagnosis. Most importantly mesothelioma treatments are discussed.