How Does Mesothelioma Affect Me?
Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath, cough, and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid are often symptoms of mesothelioma.
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swellilng and pain due to ascites --a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Other symptoms of Peritoneal Mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
Mesothelioma symptoms:
Chest wall pain
Pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
Shortness of breath
Fatigue or anemia
Wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up (hemoptysis)
Abdominal pain
Ascites, or an abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen
A mass in the abdomen
Problems with bowel function
Weight loss
Blood clots in the veins, which may cause thrombophlebitis
Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a disorder causing severe bleeding in many body organs
Jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin
Low blood sugar level
Pleural effusion
Pulmonary emboli, or blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
Severe ascites
*Consult a physician for advice and a diagnosis.
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Those at an increased risk of developing Mesothelioma
Workers at a shipyard
Workers at an asbestos mine and mill
Producers of asbestos products
Workers in the heating and construction industries
Trades people
Friends and family of the workers in the above listed fields.
Mesothelioma Resource Online, presents information that will help you understand the disease; its causes, effects and how you can best cope with it. We will also suggest resources where you can reach people, organizations and committees dedicated to helping patients of Mesothelioma in every way possible ---from emotional to legal perspectives and more!
Mesothelioma is sometimes misspelled as mesotheliomia, mesotheelioma, mesothilioma, mesothelimoa, mesotheloma, mesotheleoma, mesotheiloma, and mesotheliom. Before you start your search make sure that you know exactly how mesothelioma is spelled to get the best search results.
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What to ask a potential Mesothelioma Lawyer
Selecting a mesothelioma lawyer to represent you in your lawsuit is a important decision to make. You should feel good about the people at the law firm that you deal with and be satisfied with their answers to your questions.
When deciding to hire an attorney for legal services, you should be confident that they have the experience and knowledge to represent you effectively. You might ask the following questions of potential mesothelioma lawyers who would represent you in an asbestos case:
How long has the firm been doing these kinds of cases?
How many mesothelioma cases do you handle currently?
How many mesothelioma cases have you overseen?
Will your law firm work on my case, or will my case be outsourced to another law firm?
How many cases like mine has your law firm taken to trial?
What kind of verdicts have you obtained?
If you take a case to trial, will an attorney from your law firm actually be responsible for representing me at trail?
With everything that has been going on since the diagnosis of the condition you may be tempted to just type in "mesothelioma attorney" into a search engine and pick one of the names that pop up arbitrarily.
Deciding which is the right firm to choose can be very challenging because you will find that there are a plethora of firms to choose from.
You may decide to just go with the first name on the list, many people do just that.
However, with all that is at stake do you really want to put your fate in the hands of someone you chose by making a hasty decision?
Find out how reliable the attorney's network is. If your attorney knows others across the country that will share their knowledge and research then it is more likely that a strong case can be built for you.
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How is mesothelioma treated?
Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
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Mesothelioma Litigation - Types of Lawsuits
There are two types of lawsuits that can be filed in asbestos injury cases. If a family member has passed away from an asbestos-related disease, a wrongful death suit can be filed. In a personal injury claim, the individual suffering with an asbestos-related illness must be the one to file suit. Specific rights in these lawsuits depend on the county and state where the case is filed.
Employees of companies that used asbestos are not the only individuals who have rights against asbestos manufacturers. Although the vast majority of mesothelioma litigation cases are between primary asbestos exposure victims and the manufacturers of asbestos containing products, other groups have rights as well. For example, if you experienced secondary exposure and have developed an asbestos-related disease because a spouse or family member worked with asbestos, you may also have a claim.
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Phoenix dui lawyers-Need Positive Thinking Trained
Former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, had words of wisdom are timeless: A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an Optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. No different from the objects facing the pessimistic and optimistic. There is only a different perspective. The optimist looked at him with positive thoughts, while the pessimistic with negative thoughts.
Having positive thinking had to be socialized and trained constantly so that someday will grow into the character. But how to cultivate this habit? The following tips can be useful.Verbal affirmations every dayWhen we encounter a problem or opportunity, there are two possibilities that could be done. We felt able to cope or do, but on the other hand would doubt our ability. Technically, we are in fact very capable of doing it but we pulled uncertainty in a static manner so that we can not do anything.According to some experts, the best way to overcome this problem is to do affirmations, that is to say positive words to us. In the morning after waking up, say to ourselves that we can do anything we want. Such "You can!" or, "You can do it!" The louder our words more able to influence our subconscious. Do it every day for about 10 minutes.Use positive wordsUsing positive words have a good influence. An expert named Dr. Susan Jeffers says, "No matter whether we believe in the words or not, but those words affect our subconscious." If we are accustomed to using negative words, the results of which we can negatiflah. So even if we always use positive words positive results that we will be.Attach a picture or writingAttaching the visualization of what we want will have a positive impact in the achievement. What we want to reach, attach pictures or words. Look at every opportunity, imagine what we will feel when can reach it. This will encourage positive thoughts.Fill around us with positive imagesThis could be a positive image of the words of motivational posters, inspirational images, even writing affirmations to convince themselves in a small card or paper paste which is easily seen.Because it gave the room decoration with posters or pictures that can arouse inspiration or pep up our confidence. One time when we're stressed, look, or read so that we will refocus on the desire we are pursuing.Often say "Thank You"Gratitude will affect our minds. Saying "Thank You" will publish a positive mind. But how many times a day we say "Thank You"? We may even forget to say thank you when, for example, helped people in the fall. Yet more often grateful, the more positive thoughts awakened.Listen to motivational descriptionListening to motivational exposure will build positive thoughts. We can hear the show on the radio or adjust motivational motivational CDs while driving on the road. It would be a kind of "charging" for our mental.
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Mesotheolima Lawyers San Diego
Understand how to choose a lawyer for this disease, you should first understand the basics of the disease. In the simplest sense, mesothelioma is a cancer of the protective layers of the body cavities, known as the mesothelium.
These tissues have different names depending on the organs they protect. You have probably heard of the peritoneum–this is the covering around the stomach and intestines. Other organs and cavities have their own membranes as well.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of these tissues. They often do not just affect the tissues–they affect the organs they surround and can spread elsewhere. This cancer is most often contracted by exposure to asbestos, a highly dangerous mineral often found in floors, ceilings, and some products.
Employers and landlords are supposed to protect you from asbestos, but often this does not happen. If you have mesothelioma you have probably been exposed to asbestos. If so, you should contact mesotheloma attorneys in your area to see if you have a case against the party responsible for your exposure.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, your oncologist may be your best source of names for attorney contacts. She will likely have already worked with them on cases and can tell you not only who specializes in your type of cancer but who is best and who is within a short distance from your home or work. If she does not have the right kind of specialist, there are other ways to find the right professional for your case.
You can check with other doctors who deal specifically deal with mesothelioma if your doctor is more of a general oncologist. These doctors may have worked more closely with mesothelioma lawyers in your area of southern California. You can also call local hospitals, various cancer support groups–area law schools are also excellent for references. Also check your union or professional group if you were exposed on the job.
Regardless of where you find your contacts, interview the lawyer, check on his or her background, and get references if you can. If you are ill, the last thing you need is more trouble.
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Mesotheolima Treatment
If there’s one thing we know about mesothelioma treatment, it’s this: we’re still being challenged to arrive at efficacy.
Despite years of research since the disease was first identified, it’s still difficult to identify the best approach to treating the disease, says David Rice, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon and nationally known mesothelioma expert who practices at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.
The very rareness of the cancer—only about 3,000 people a year are diagnosed in the United States—makes it difficult to run the kind of research studies needed to compare treatments and determine the ideal therapy at each stage of the disease. “There isn’t a lot of evidence-based science in this disease,” Dr. Rice admits. So when his patients ask him what the best treatment is for the disease, he tells them what we tell you in this section, adding that “we don’t have a reliable cure for this disease.”
Thus, a major goal of treatment is to reduce pain and suffering and prolong a patient’s life as long as possible while providing them with the highest quality of life possible.
Choosing the right mesothelioma doctor is an important first step in planning for treatment.
There are a number of mesothelioma experts, like Dr. Rice, practicing in specialized clinics throughout the country. Each of these cancer specialists has an acute knowledge of the behavior and pathology of malignant mesothelioma and its treatment. It is likely that if you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, you will be referred by your personal physician to a larger scale comprehensive cancer center.
The most important consideration in mesothelioma treatment is the cancer stage and type, said Dr. Rice. Treatment decisions also depend on whether the cancer is localized to the chest or has spread to the chest wall, diaphragm, or lymph nodes, your age and overall health, and the center where you’re being treated. Learn more about finding a doctor here.
Conventional treatments for mesothelioma involve surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
As with most solid tumors, doctors turn to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to manage mesothelioma. When exploring the various treatment options available with your doctor it is important to be informed about the risk and benefits of each one before making a final decision.
Surgery
Only about 1 in 5 patients with metastatic pleural mesothelioma undergo surgery. There are two main surgeries: pleurectomy/decortication, in which the surgeon tries to remove as much of the tumor from around the lung as possible, and the more radical extrapleural pneumonectomy, in which the lung itself is removed.
There is a lot of debate as to which is “best,” said Dr. Rice, although studies find that most long-term survivors have had surgery. He personally believes that pneumonectomy is best for tumor control if followed with radiation. Studies find it prevents tumor recurrence in the chest in 80 to 85 percent of patients who have the surgery.
However, Dr. Rice noted, it is a long, intensive operation with a 55 percent complication rate and a 3 percent risk of death, higher in some institutions. “So you only want to perform that surgery if the patient has a reasonably good prognosis,” said Dr. Rice. Translation: it doesn’t appear that the cancer has spread outside the chest.
Patients best suited for pneumonectomy are younger, with the epithelial form of the disease, no obvious lymph gland involvement, and are otherwise healthy enough to withstand the rigor of the procedure. Dr. Rice actually waits until he has the patient’s chest open in the operating room and biopsies the lymph nodes before deciding which procedure to perform.
Pleurectomy/decortication has a higher failure rate, with the tumor recurring in the chest cavity 50 to 80 percent of the time. However, that rate may change with improved radiotherapy techniques, Dr. Rice said. The reason for the high recurrence is that it’s impossible to completely remove the tumor without removing the lung.
However, he noted, there is no difference in survival rates between the two surgeries. Part of the reason is that the cancer has often spread to other parts of the body by the time it is diagnosed even if it appears to be confined to the chest.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, also known as systemic therapy, uses oral or infusion-based medications to kill cancer cells throughout your body. Chemotherapy is used both before and after surgery, as well as in people who can’t handle surgery. It is also used in the palliative setting to reduce pain and improve quality of life.
The most commonly used chemotherapy drugs for mesothelioma are cisplatin combined with pemetrexed (Alimta) or raltitrexed (Tomudex). Other combinations include gemcitabine, carboplatin or oxaliplatin.
If you can’t manage combination therapy, your doctor may start on just one drug. Sometimes, your doctor may infuse the medication directly into your chest cavity, a procedure called pleural chemotherapy, or, abdomen, called intraperitoneal chemotherapy. You may also get a second course of chemotherapy, called “second-line” chemotherapy, with pemetrexed or other drugs, raltitrexed plus oxaliplatin, or the triple drug combination of irinotecan, cisplatin and mitomycin.
Some centers are beginning to provide intraperitoneal chemotherapy before surgery, followed by chemotherapy shortly after surgery. You can learn more about this approach here. There is also work underway to personalize chemotherapy based on the genetic characteristics of your tumor.
Radiation
Radiation can be an important part of mesothelioma treatment. The problem is that because the cancer is near the heart and lungs, it’s challenging to provide the kind of high-dose, intensive therapy needed to shrink the tumor. However, a newer option, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), which can more accurately target cancer cells and avoid healthy tissue, may provide better results when performed by experienced clinicians.
Investigational therapies are being explored through clinical and surgical trials at many of the nation’s top cancer centers.
There are more than 50 studies on new therapies for mesothelioma in the U.S. that are looking for volunteers. Researchers are investigating new targeted drugs and chemotherapies, as well as new protocols for giving the medications; immunotherapy, which harnesses the power of the immune system to fight the disease; phototherapy, in which you are injected with a drug that bonds to cancer cells and is activated by high-intensity light; genetic therapies; and novel radiotherapy techniques like tomotherapy to treat the disease. Learn more about participating in a clinical trial here.
At some point, the management of the disease will shift from trying to cure the disease to trying to keep the patient as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.
This is the palliative care stage, when many people enter a hospice program. The primary goal at this stage is maximizing patient comfort. Medication to help with pain, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms that may be experienced is a mainstay. So is emotional and spiritual support for you and your family.
Alternative therapies for mesothelioma can be used to ease side effects of traditional cancer treatment.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) includes such therapies as massage, acupuncture, and meditation. They can be a powerful part of your overall management plan, helping you better manage the stress and anxiety of the disease and conventional treatments.
Topics in this Section
Conventional Therapies
Conventional therapies for mesothelioma include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
Experimental Therapies
Several forms of mesothelioma treatment such gene therapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy and multimodality therapy are still in their preliminary stages.
Alternative Treatments
These untraditional treatment approaches can complement conventional therapies and allow the patient to be more at peace and comfortable during this difficult time.
Treatment by Stage
This section lists typical treatment strategies based on the stage of the mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Doctors
Medical doctors who specialize in aggressively treating mesothelioma cancer state by state.
Mesothelioma Experts
Medical doctors with a longstanding expertise in treating malignant mesothelioma.
Clinical Trials
Information about current studies of promising new or experimental mesothelioma treatments.
Mesothelioma Clinics
Top Cancer Centers for mesothelioma treatment have been listed alphabetically by state for your convenience.
Ask Your Doctor
We have listed some questions that you might want to ask your doctor in this section.
Treatment Side Effects
While undergoing treatment for mesothelioma, you should be prepared for the following treatment side effects.
Caregiver Resources
Resources for family members and loved ones responsible for caring for mesothelioma patients.
Mesothelioma Research
Selected abstracts relating to malignant mesothelioma from PubMed, the National Library of Medicine's search service.
Mesothelioma Treatment Alerts
Articles regarding the most recent advances in mesothelioma treatment that are helping to improve longevity and quality of life in patients.
Sources:
Campbell NP, Kindler HL. Update on malignant pleural mesothelioma. Semin Respir Crit Care Med. 2011;32(1):102-110.
Sugarbaker, David, Zellos, Lambros S. Multimodality treatment of diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma. Seminars in Onology. 2002; 29 (1): 41-50.
Chua TC, Yan TD, Morris DL. Surgical biology for the clinician: peritoneal mesothelioma: current understanding and management. Can J Surg. 2009;52(1):59-64.
Dhalluin X, Scherpereel A. Treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma: current status and future directions. Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. 2010;73(2):79-85.
Friedberg JS. Photodynamic therapy as an innovative treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2009;21(2):177-87.
Garland LL. Chemotherapy for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. Current treatment options in oncology. 2011. epub
Stevens LM, Lynm C, Glass RM. JAMA patient page. Palliative care. JAMA. 2006;296(11):1428.
Rice, David M.D. Telephone Interview. April 29, 2011.
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Mesothelioma - Dare to Forgive Others
Beginning in August 2011 there is interesting news from Iran. A beautiful woman who poured the acid damage to her face and her eyes blind to forgive the offender.The woman is Ameneh Bahrami, Iranian-born in 1978, which doused Majid Movahedi in 2004 because of rejected courtship. Movahedi was arrested while waiting for qisas punishment, ie punishment principled retaliation in kind, a kind of punishment "lives life to pay". In the case Bahrami, he may ask the court to blind the eyes of actors as they experienced.The court ruled the law qisas conducted on July 31, 2011 and broadcast live by television. A few seconds before the acid is splashed in the eye Movahedi, a doctor who would pour liquid Bahrami was asked, "What would you do now?"Movahedi was crying uncontrollably as she knelt. Fear of blindness and eye shadow incomparable pain that made her beg for forgiveness. Everyone was tense watch. A signal from the process Bahrami qisas punishment would be carried out. However, Bahrami was saying the words beyond expectations. "I forgive him, I forgive him," said Bahrami. Then the eyes of the perpetrator had survived.What a noble attitude Bahrami, he courageously forgiving those who have blinded him throughout his life. "The best thing is to forgive when we are in a position of power," Bahrami said explaining his decision. But there Bahrami mother saying that we ought to refer to. He said, "Forgiveness is going to calm Bahrami and our family."Friends of the Extraordinary,As I discussed in a live talk show on network Radio Sonora on Monday morning, to review the story "Do not Save the Potato Rot ', forgiveness is not easy. But forgiveness can calm us. Conversely, revenge is not necessarily eliminate hatred. Maybe it will grow a sense of guilt within us because of revenge after that we feel as bad as those who have made us suffer.Scientifically any excuse or forgive the other person has a positive value. The results showed that those who harbored grudges and nurture hatred, his life was not calm. Medically they have a high pulse (unhealthy), high blood pressure, and muscles tighten. If allowed to continue they could be having a heart attack. Instead, they are willing to forgive others, normal blood pressure, normal cardiac work, and his muscles relaxed. In short, a forgiving have better health records.The study showed that "forgive others" not only good for mental health, but also good for our physical health. Therefore, before Idul Fitri, which will fall a few days away, let's open the door of forgiveness. It would not hurt to forgive others, we even have the benefit of no measure.
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