Lung Mesothelioma Asbestos

Chemotherapy Schedules

How often you will receive chemotherapy will be determined by your doctor, taking into consideration factors such as the stage of your cancer, the types of drugs you receive, the anticipated toxicities of the drugs and the time necessary for your body to recover from these toxicities. The doctor may also consider whether the goal of the chemotherapy is to control the growth of the cancer, or to ease symptoms associated with the disease.

In general, chemotherapy treatment is administered in "cycles" - a "cycle" being defined as a period of treatment followed by a period of rest. This cycle allows the cancer cells to be attacked by the drugs, and then allows the body's normal cells time to recover. The combination of drugs used, the length of time to administer the drugs, how often they should be repeated and the number of cycles recommended have been analyzed very well in clinical trials.

For mesothelioma patients, the "standard" treatment is a combination of Alimta and cisplatin, administered IV, with a 10 minute infusion of Alimta followed by two hours of cisplatin, given in 21 day cycles. Modifications to this schedule may be made according to what your doctor feels is appropriate in your particular case.

The number of treatment cycles, or the length of time between the beginning and end of chemotherapy may vary, however in general, 3 to 4 cycles of treatment are given before response is evaluated; 2 to 3 cycles are considered a minimum to assess for effectiveness. After response to the treatment has been determined, the following criteria will be used to decide whether chemotherapy should continue:

• If there is shrinkage of the tumor, or the disease is kept stable, chemotherapy may be continued for as long as it can be tolerated and there is no disease progression.

• If there is continued disease progression, chemotherapy will be stopped, and the patient will be given alternative options.
The goal of setting a chemotherapy schedule is to make treatment as effective, timely and trouble-free as possible, but while the drugs are working to kill cancer cells, they may also affect healthy cells causing side effects.

Common Side Effects of Chemotherapy Includes:
-Fever of, or greater than 101 degrees
-Nausea
-Diarrhea or constipation
-Fatigue
-Tingling or numbness in the fingers or toes
-Ringing in the ears
-Bruises or rashes
-Sores in the mouth or throat
-Reduced white blood cell count {neutropenia} making you more prone to infections. For this reason your full blood count should be monitored closely.

Be sure you report all over-the-counter and prescribed medicines to your physician. Don't take aspirin unless it has been approved by your physician. Ask your pharmacist if aspirin is part of the drugs you want to purchase.

Stay away from people who have colds or the flu. Chemotherapy can compromise your immune system and lower your resistance to germs.

It is normal to feel sad, angry or afraid, however, letting these emotions get out of control can affect negatively your overall well-being. Look out for the help of family, friends, your doctor, a counselor or a support group.

Chemotherapy treatment should be a cooperative effort between you and your doctor. The interaction that takes place is important to your health. It will not only help you feel better, but will also address any potential problems with improper communication.

Patients should educate themselves about mesothelioma and treatment options and reach out to available resources to make coping with a mesothelioma diagnosis easier.

There are three main modes of treating mesothelioma, these are; Chemotherapy, Surgery and Radiotherapy. Surgical procedures used in treatment of the disease are of three types;-Diagnostic Procedures, Palliative Procedures, Potentially Curative Procedures

Diagnostic Procedures

Diagnostic surgery is a necessary step in confirming and staging mesothelioma.

Thoracoscopy enables a physician to examine the pleural space and to take multiple tissue biopsies under direct vision. In up to 98% of cases, a definitive diagnosis can be obtained. Often, chemical pleurodesis aimed at reducing the accumulation of fluid in the intrapleural space, can be accomplished during the same procedure. It is also possible to gauge the extent of the tumor, and to see the possibility of removing the tumor surgically. While less invasive than an open biopsy, it can only be performed on patients where tumor has not completely blocked the pleural space.

VATS, or video-assisted thoracic surgery is an alternative to thoracoscopy, although because of its more invasive nature, it could lead to seeding of the tumor {dislodgement of fragments of the tumor by contact}. By using small incisions on the skin, the surgeon can view the pleural space with the assistance of a camera, and obtain sufficient tissue samples for analysis by a pathologist. Extent of the tumor (i.e., pleural involvement, chest wall invasion) may also determined, and recommendation as to the type of debulking {shrinking} procedure necessary can be made at this time.

Mediastinoscopy is sometimes used as an aid in staging extent of disease when enlarged nodes are seen using imaging techniques.

Laproscopy is used in mesothelioma patients in cases where imaging techniques suggest possible invasion of the tumor through the diaphragm. This information can be important in evaluating a patient for potential pleurectomy{complete removal of pleura on one side} or extrapleural pneumonectomy{complete removal of one lung}.

Palliative Procedures
Palliative surgical procedures are those which treat the symptoms of mesothelioma, without aggressively treating the disease itself.

Chest Tube Drainage and Pleurodesis is considered the most common of palliative treatments. Fluid build-up, or pleural effusion, is most often the first symptom which will prompt mesothelioma patients to seek medical attention. Once this effusion has occurred, it is many times persistent, returning rapidly after initial thoracentesis (draining of the fluid). In order to eliminate this problem, the pleural space must be closed. This is accomplished by use of a talc slurry or other sclerosing agent which produces an adhesion that causes the layers of the pleura to stick together thus closing the pleura space.

Thoracoscopy and Pleurodesis is done in conjunction with VATS using a powdered form of talc versus talc slurry. Both this and chest tube drainage and pleurodesis will be only effective if there is no tumor encasing the lung which restricts its expansion.

Pleurectomy, used as a palliative procedure, may be performed where more extensive surgery is not an option. In these cases, it is understood that all visible or gross tumor will not be removed. It is considered the most effective means of controlling pleural effusion in cases where the lung's expansion is restricted by disease.

Potentially Curative Procedures
These procedures are performed with "curative intent". Their goal is removal of all gross disease, with the knowledge that microscopic disease will most likely remain. Adjuvant therapy (another form of treatment in addition to the primary therapy) in form of chemotherapy and or radiotherapy is given to eliminate any residual disease.

For Pleural Mesothelioma:
-Pleurectomy/Decortication is usually performed on patients with early stage disease (Stage I and selected Stage II), and attempts to remove all gross tumor. If it is found that all tumor can not be removed without removing the lung, this may be done at the same time and is called pneumonectomy.

-Extrapleural Pneumonectomy is considerably more radical than other surgical approaches, and should be carried out by surgeons with great expertise in evaluating patients and performing the procedure itself.

For Peritoneal Mesothelioma:
• Cytoreductive Surgery is aimed at removing all or nearly the entire gross or visible tumor in the peritoneal cavity. In order to treat any remaining cancer cells, Intra-Peritoneal Hyperthermic (heated) Chemotherapy (IPHC) is then delivered to the abdominal cavity. The type of chemotherapy drug used may vary according to the physician's preference.

Surgery is usually combined with other types of treatments to achieve maximal result during treatment.
Patients should also educate themselves about mesothelioma and treatment options and reach out to available resources to make coping with a mesothelioma diagnosis easier.

The picture of lung disease is that of no hope. Lung cancer affects millions of Americans and others around the world. Understanding the symptoms, treatments, causes such as smoking, and signs will help to increase awareness of this debilitating lung disease. This section of the website is devoted to helping to promote awareness of this disease.

Just what is Lung cancer? It's a condition in which cancerous cells grow uncontrollably and reproduce cause devastating effects on the lungs. Healthy cells are replaced by abnormal cells that turn into tumors that destroy the lungs.

There are tow main types of lung disease. They are non-small cell which current accounts for 80% of diagnosed cases, and small cell making up the remaining 20%. Lung cancer usually always starts in just one lung. If left untreated, it can spread to other vital organs of the body as well such as the lymph nodes, the brain, bones, and liver just to name a few.

Although over eighty percent of patients develop lung disease due to smoking, this is not the all-inclusive cause. Studies have shown that many environmental factors influence the probability of contracting lung cancer. Such factors include environmental pollution, toxic gas emissions, and exposure to carcinogens such as in asbestos and other toxic inhalants.

Small cell is most often caused by smoking tobacco. The early symptoms and signs of this form of lung disease may show up as persistent coughing that gradually increases over time, sputum changes in color and quantity, excessive wheezing, loss of appetite and chronic fatigue. Other related symptoms could include rapid weight loss, unexplained back pain, and swelling in the face and neck.

Like all cancers, early detection is the key to increasing the survival rate. Doctors may use a variety of tests to diagnose cancer cells in the lungs. These include a physical examination accompanied with advanced image scanning of the chest and lungs.

The following tests may be used to diagnose lung cancer: CT scans (takes 2 dimensional x-ray pictures of the lungs), chest x-rays of the lung cavity, MRI or magnetic Resonance Imaging, PET scan or Positron Emission Tomography which uses cellular reactivity to sugar, and a biopsy which is removing part of the tissue for further microscopic examination.

Other no so intrusive tests may incorporate the use of a bronchoscop where the physician is able see the lungs and surrounding areas through a small hollow tube that magnifies the images, and sputum cytology - where a sample phlegm is taken and analyzed with a high powered microscope for abnormal cell growth and tissue.

Doctors have a variety of methods in lung caner treatment. They include the use of various conventional medical practices such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiological therapy. Once a diagnosis of confirmed, only then will your doctor design a treatment plan that will be most effective. This all depends on your current health, how advanced the cancer is, and on whether the cancer has mastasized.

The way to protect yourself is to increase your awareness by visiting information sites that contain pictures, photos, and new articles about this disease. Prevention is the key, and if you are beyond that, then early detection holds the greatest chance of your survival rate. Your may want to look into alternative treatments as well which will be available from this site with promising results.