Surviving Mesothelioma - Fighting This Life Threatening Enemy

By Joe S.  |   Submitted On March 07, 2012

  

Mesothelioma, a disease linked to asbestos exposure, is a rare form of cancer in which malignant cells are located in the Mesothelium - a shielding sac that covers a large amount of the body's internal organs. Malignant pericardial, malignant pleural and malignant peritoneal Mesothelioma are the three main types of Mesothelioma cancer. The peritoneal form involves the tissue covering the abdominal cavity and the pleural form involves the sac that protects the pleural cavity around the lungs.

Mesothelioma is frequently mistaken for lung cancer. Generally the symptoms of mesothelioma can include: cough, shortness of breath, husky voice, and difficulty in breathing, difficulty swallowing, abdominal pain and swelling, chest pain, anemia, insomnia, loss of appetite, cachexia, fatigue, weight loss, and fluid in the abdomen or chest. It is not easy to properly diagnose mesothelioma since numerous symptoms can be confused with other illnesses such as flu, bronchitis, pneumonia and heart disease.

Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos. No amount of asbestos exposure is harmless. Some mesothelioma victims have experienced occupational exposure to asbestos over a long period of time. An example would be a plumber, boilermaker or HVAC repairmen in the 1960's; a time when many of the parts and equipment contained some asbestos. Some mesothelioma victims were exposed in a "secondary fashion" from the clothes of the person who was directly exposed. An example of this would be a woman who washes her husband's work clothes and inadvertently inhales or ingests some of the microscopic asbestos fibers. A third category of victim would be someone who was exposed to only small amounts of asbestos through casual contact with an asbestos containing product. All forms of exposure can cause mesothelioma.

Today, there is still not a complete ban on asbestos containing products in the U.S. The EPA has, however, put in certain limits on the amount of asbestos that is permitted in some products. Nonetheless, because of the costs of litigation, many manufacturers of asbestos containing products have voluntarily removed asbestos from their products. Products from other countries, however, may still contain asbestos. For example, recent testing by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization found asbestos in children's toys coming from China.

Typically, 20 to 50 years elapse between asbestos exposure and the diagnosis of Mesothelioma cancer. This latency period varies by individual but is the reason that mesothelioma typically strikes seniors.

Although mesothelioma is a particularly aggressive cancer there are treatment options available including: standard therapies - surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, alternative or complimentary therapies and clinical trials. Clinical trials are a broad category that includes various types of treatments that are being tested. Currently these therapies include: Monoclonal Antibody Approaches, Anti-angiogenesis Drugs, Vaccine Approaches - Immunotherapies, and other "biological modifiers."

There is a lot of disheartening Mesothelioma News and information on the internet regarding mesothelioma survival rate. Despite this pessimism, there are a few long term mesothelioma survivors including: Stephen Jay Gould, Rhio O'Connor, Paul Kraus, and others. In fact, Paul Kraus wrote an inspirational book about his recovery from mesothelioma titled "Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient's Guide." Today, "Surviving Mesothelioma" is the best-selling mesothelioma book in the world, according to a testimonial from a former brain surgeon. This Mesothelioma book has all the information a cancer patient needs to learn what survival behavior is all about.

DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.

For a limited time, free copies of "Surviving Mesothelioma" are available to newly diagnosed Mesothelioma patients on this website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joe_S./793584

Surviving Mesothelioma

By Judith Brandy  |   Submitted On December 21, 2005

  

Paul Kraus is a mesothelioma survivor and the author ofSurviving Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer, usually associated with previous exposure to asbestos. In this disease, malignant (cancerous) cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart).

Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.

Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos.

Characterized by a shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleural space, this is often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling 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. Be aware, however, that these symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. Obtaining a diagnosis of mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other, less serious conditions.

In June 1997, Mr. Kraus was diagnosed with mesothelioma (a "terminal" cancer) and given only a few months to live. More than eight years later, he is alive with a good quality of life having rejected surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. He took an alternative approach to healing his cancer that encompassed mind, body, and spirit.

In his book about mesothelioma, Kraus sets out how he beat the odds. The introduction reflects Paul's inspiration and commitment to life:

"In my eighth year after diagnosis I remain well. I have outlived my prognosis by at least seven years and the medical specialist I visited not long ago told me that 'you will be around for a lot longer yet.' My survival has been hard work. The underlying assumption with all that I have done, and continue to do, is a strong belief that our bodies are designed with amazing self-healing capacities."

Mr. Kraus has made himself available to other patients who would like to speak with him. The Surviving Mesothelioma website provides details about the book, how to speak directly with Mr. Kraus, facts and statistics about mesothelioma, conventional, alternative, biological and immuno-therapies, the latest medical news, directories of clinics that take a holistic approach to healing, and a patient forum where patients can share information and discuss issues of importance.

Get more information here: Understanding Mesothelioma

Judith Brandy is a writer, science fiction fan and cancer survivor who runs a SF website and a couple blogs on science fiction and dealing with cancer. Yes, it's an odd combination, but Judith's mission is to be both a haven against the storm of living with a serious illness and an educator on how-to take preventative, proactive steps. Her mission is to bring this information to the science fiction community.

Visit her sites here: Science Fiction Buzz and Understanding Mesothelioma

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Judith_Brandy/5603

The Concept of Hope and Mesothelioma Survivors

By Tony Ulrich  |   Submitted On March 06, 2010

  

I am a kidney cancer patient and my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer seven months before I learned about my disease. That doesn't make me a doctor or an expert, but I think it gives me some credibility and will put things into perspective as you read this article, especially when I talk about things like 'hope' and 'positive attitude'.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that comes with a very poor outlook on survival, if we solely look at the data and statistics. A cure is yet to be found. New promising treatment protocols have been introduced over the past few years; however, the associated costs are astronomical and therefore those options are out of reach to most mesothelioma victims.

I was actually beating all odds, because given my age and overall health, chances where less than 2% that the blood I had encountered in my urine, would only a few weeks later lead to a kidney cancer diagnosis. By that time, I was able to deal with it fairly reasonable, because my family and I just went through the whole nightmare of coping with cancer news when my wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer. So I know how it feels to a newly diagnosed mesothelioma patient and their families. And I also know how hard it is to absorb all the well intended advice that comes pouring in from all over the place, along with statements like: "Do not give up hope." And in retrospect I must admit that all those people were right, because eventually, it was hope and the belief that living a healthy lifestyle will help us surviving the cancer.

But let's go back to mesothelioma. Celebrex is COX2 inhibitor which has shown remarkable results in a study that was recently conducted. I will purposely not go into numbers here, but they are available on the Internet.

However, the in general the picture is still the same. Malignant mesothelioma remains one of the most difficult to treat forms of cancer and therefore comes with a rather poor prognosis. That leaves the majority of mesothelioma cancer patients often with only one weapon: their hope.

And yes, there are examples where mesothelioma survivors lived significantly longer than anyone could have ever predicted. Interestingly enough, all those individuals, who were able to do that, have one thing in common: they all kept emphasizing the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, that not only consists of pristine nutrition, usually a whole food and plant based diet, but also mental health. I actually prefer the term mental health over hope, because hope is commonly slightly connotated with desperation.

I'm no Pollyanna and I have good and bad days like everybody else. But I do know that our physical and emotional health helped my wife in going through all the turmoil with our cancers. And I am convinced that this principle is equally applicable to mesothelioma patients, or anybody else who suffers from a severe health condition and wants to play in active role in getting healthy again.

The author Tony Ulrich was diagnosed with kidney cancer in October of 2009. In his research on what his cancer could have been caused by, he came across with data that suggests a strong link to environmental toxins, such as asbestos. Please visit his Kidney Cancer and Asbestos Mesothelioma website for more details.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tony_Ulrich/493667