Mesothelioma is a benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumor of the mesothelium that is commonly caused by asbestos. Asbestos, although not the topic of this paper, is a fiberlike material that was used in construction materials to provide more strength and heat resistance. Any exposure to asbestos can be harmful and cause problems later in life. The chance of having problems due to asbestos is the same for all people regardless of their age, sex, race, etc. All are at risk of cancer and other diseases due to their exposure to asbestos.

How common is mesothelioma? According to Mesothelioma.com, it occurs in 14 cases out of every 1 million each year, but it is also becoming more and more common. Men over 60 years old have the greatest tendency to be diagnosed with mesothelioma. This is typically due to exposure to construction materials at some point in their lifetime.

The symptoms of mesothelioma are typically pain in the lower back, pain in the side of the chest, and shortness of breath. For a better description of the symptoms please see the more qualified information that can be found on Mesothelioma.com.

There are three different systems used to classify the stages of mesothelioma. Those systems are the Butchart System, the TNM System, and the Brigham System. The diagnosing is normally done with a tissue biopsy, but can also be done with x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs.

As with most cancers, mesothelioma is treated with one or some combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Mesotheliomaweb.org also notes that photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy are also being used in some cases.

The final takeaway is that mesothelioma is a serious condition and it should not be treated lightly. If you think you are experiencing symptoms, then get in to a doctor and get it checked out. Your health is important and your doctor will be able to help you or get you in touch with someone who can.

Jason D. Barrett is currently focused on writing informative articles for InfoBriefs.com, child insurance articles for ChildInsure.com, and technology articles for ScoutTechnology.com. This is part of his highly successful internet property development approach. Please feel free to contact Jason through one of his sites to see how he can help you develop your own internet property!

More articles at www.articles-host.com

Share This

Cancer is a result of many related diseases that begin in cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells. New cells are needed to keep the body in good health by replacing died cells. Sometimes, new cells form when old cells do not die off when they should. These uncontrolled cells form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.

Not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.

Benign tumors are not cancer. Cells in benign tumors do not invade other parts of the body. They can often be removed without problems and, in most cases do not come back.

Malignant tumors are cancer. As they multiply without control or order, cancer cells in malignant tumors invade and destroy the nearby tissue. They can also break away from the malignant tumor and spread all the body trough the lymphatic system.

Prostate cancer occurs when cancer cells in malignant tumors invade prostate.

This cancer illness can be attacked by many working methods. Treatment for prostate cancer may vary according to the stage of the cancer. It may include surgical removal, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal manipulation, biological therapy.

There is no universal treatment that will work the same in individual cases. Depending on factors like type and location of the cancer, size of the tumor, whether the disease has spread, the patient’s age and general health, the doctors may use one or, sometimes, a combination of the above methods.

Curing prostate cancer is possible, and the treatment is more effective if cancer is detected in the early stages. For early diagnose a routine tests are necessary to be performed yearly: an urine test, a digital rectum examination or PSA tests.

At the same time, when men experience difficulties while urinating, noticing a weak or intermittent flow of urine, they must go and ask a medical advice. Other symptoms for prostate health concerns include urgent needs to urinate, the need to wake up several times a night to do this or dribbling of urine after and even before urinating.

Valerian D is a freelance writer specialized in health issues affecting men like prostate cancer treatment.

More articles at www.articles-host.com

Share This

One rare form of cancer is called Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor in the mesothelial tissues of the lungs and the abdomen, arising from the inhalation of asbestos. Its rarity is one of the reasons why a lot of people are not aware of this kind of fatal disease. In fact, many people die of Mesothelioma undiagnosed. Although there is now a growing awareness of the hazards of asbestos to health, still many have not heard of Mesothelioma and thus, have not understood its nature, cause, signs and treatment. Even some physicians find it hard to detect Mesothelioma because its symptoms are akin to other diseases like lung cancer and pneumonia. Furthermore, it takes decades for a patient who was exposed to asbestos to develop Mesothelioma fifty years, at most.

Being unaware of Mesothelioma poses higher risks since it deters diagnosis and treatment. A person undergoing treatment must know the different stages of the cancer or the extent of the disease. Chances of recovering from Mesothelioma and the kind of treatment depend on the stage of the illness. There are basically two staging systems used for Pleural Mesothelioma (lungs): TNM system and Brighan system. These staging systems are also used in other kinds of cancers; however, the first is commonly used. There is no established method in determining the stage of the Peritoneal Mesothelioma cancer (abdominal) so the TNM system is used.

There are three variables in the TNM system: tumor, lymph nodes and metastasis. In the earliest stage of Mesothelioma, stage I, the malignant Mesothelioma cells start to grow and multiply only one layer of the pleura. The pleura is the membrane that encloses the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. However, there are some instances wherein the pericardium (membrane that covers the heart) and diaphragm cover are already affected. In this case, the cancer patient is still in stage I Mesothelioma.

In the second stage, the two layers of the pleura are already affected by Mesothelioma. Take note, however, that in this stage, only one side of the body is affected. Normally, the pleura produces only small amount of lubricating fluid that allows easy expanding and contracting of the lungs. The excess fluid is absorbed by the blood and the lymph vessels so theres a balance between the amount of fluid produced and removed. During the second stage Mesothelioma, fluid starts to build up between the membrane of the lungs and the membrane of the chest wall, resulting to pleural effusion. The increase in the volume of fluid produced causes shortness of breath and chest pain. Other Mesothelioma cancer patients experience dry and persistent cough. Diagnosis of the pleural effusion is achieved through a chest x-ray.

Stage III Mesothelioma means that the malignant cells have already spread to the chest wall, esophagus and the lymph nodes on one part of the chest. The patient may suffer severe pain near the parts affected. When not treated immediately or when the Mesothelioma patient doesnt respond well to medication, the cancer may advance to the fourth stage. The fourth stage Mesothelioma is formidable since at this stage the Mesothelioma cells have penetrated into the bloodstream and other organs in the body like the liver, the bones and the brain. The lymph nodes on the other side of the chest may also be affected by Mesothelioma in stage IV.

Brighan staging system, on the other hand, determines whether the Mesothelioma can be surgically removed or not and whether the lymph nodes are affected or not. In stage I Mesothelioma, the lymph nodes are not yet affected and the patient can still recover through surgery. In stage II, surgery can still be executed but some lymph nodes have already been infiltrated by the cancer cells. In stage III, the heart and chest wall are already affected; thus, surgery is no longer advisable. The lymph nodes in this stage, however, may or may not be affected. In the final stage, stage IV Mesothelioma, cancer cells have already gone to the bloodstream and other parts of the body like the heart, brain, bone and liver. In most cases, a patient who has reached stage IV Mesothelioma only has four to twenty-four months to live.

David Arnold Livingston is a believer in gaining knowledge around Health issues and recommends, as a resource: http://www.newmesothelioma.com/Mesothelioma

More articles at www.articles-host.com

Share This

The end of winter, no more short, cold and dark days. Spring is finally here and summer is fast approaching. Hot days and lots of sunshine. But not all fun and sun. The hot sun can pose a great danger for our skin and our childrens skin. In fact, one of the most important factors for feeling young and healthy is the way we take care of our skin during the summer months.

Over the last century, ever-increasing rates of skin cancer have taken some of the greatest tolls on all age groups, young and old. Yet most people dont realize that skin cancer is a very preventable form of skin cancer, and, that if recognized early enough, is very treatable. The simple fact is, if we take care of our skin during the summer, we can dramatically reduce the chances of ever getting skin cancer in the first place. The chance of getting skin cancer is directly related to the amount of sunlight we expose our skin to, especially during the summer. Furthermore, it has been shown that going to the solarium on a regular basis is also a risk for the development of skin cancer.

Overexposure to UV A and B light from the sun and the solarium damages skin cells. UV A light in spite of its lower energy, is received by the body in much larger doses, and penetrates into the skin easily causing damage. UV light mainly affects the skin and underlying connective tissues by decreasing the quantities of collagen and elastic fibers present in these tissues. With passing time, the skin becomes more wrinkled and flaccid. One of the most important factors in the pathogenesis of cancer is the fact that the absorbed UV light breaks down water molecules and induces the formation of free-oxygen radicals, which are toxic to certain elements of the skin.

For those of us who have a light or very fair complexion, (type I skin tone) avoidance of the sun and solarium as much as possible is recommended. The rest of us should adjust the amount of sun (UV light) exposure to our proper skin tones.

The reason its important to know what type of skin tone you have is because the lighter the skin, the less it is capable of dealing with the damaging elements of the sunlight and thus, more the skin needs to be protected.

Its not difficult to determine what your skin type is. There are six types and by using the scale below, you can determine for yourself how much skin protection you may need.

Skin type I never turns brown, only burns.
Skin type II browns very slowly and easily burns.
Skin type III browns easily and rarely burns.
Skin type IV is typical of that of southern Europeans (Mediterranean type).
Skin type V is slightly pigmented similar to those living in India.
Skin type VI is black.

If you fall into either of the first two categories, your skin must be protected at all times from the dangerous effects of the sun!!!!!

Skin cancer can be broken down into Melanoma- and non-Melanoma types. The latter consists of both squamous cell- and basal cell skin cancer. Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. The proliferation of pigmented skin cells anywhere in the body can, if not diagnosed and treated early, cause death. The frequency of Melanoma around the world is increasing at very rapid rates!!

Squamous cell type of skin cancer is also a malignant form of skin cancer that is directly related to the amount of sun exposure and can quickly spread to other parts of the body.

Basal cell type skin cancer is not malignant and thus wont spread to other parts of the body. However, there is local destruction of the affected skin areas and thus excision of the lesion is a must.

Well, you may ask how do I protect myself from the dangers of the skin cancer? The answers may not be as difficult to follow as you may think. First and foremost, always protect skin of young children and kids. Their skins are sensitive to sun exposure and burning the skin only increases the risk in later years of developing cancer. It is important to remember that the many years of continuous sun exposure increase the chance of getting skin cancer. In other words, the skin doesnt forget!! Sporadic sun exposure is more than enough to guarantee a nice brown skin color and the proper production of vitamin D in the body.

If someone wants to get a quick tan, than be sure to use self-browning creams, but remember, they wont protect your skin from sun overexposure and burning. Carotin derivative products have been shown to protect the skin from within and in general have an anti-cancer effect.

During the hot months, a good rule of thumb is to avoid strong sun exposure in the middle of the day, say between 2 and 3 pm, when the sun is hottest. Try to stay in the shade as much as possible and when going into the sun, put on a hat, sunglasses and a shirt just to be sure. Sun tanning protective creams are also a must. A wide spectrum UV protection and a minimum factor of 15 should be applied to the skin at all times for maximum protection. But remember, the best protection from skin cancer is to avoid the exposure to the skin.

Finally, and equally important, is that we recognize on ourselves any first signs of potential cancer. Especially be aware of any small wounds or scars on the skin that dont seem to heal after a month or so. Be aware of skin moles that suddenly begin to itch, bleed, peel, grow, change color or become painful. In any of the above instances, be sure to contact your dermatologist immediately for a full check up. Remember, early diagnosis and treatment along with regular screening is the best way to ensure many happy, healthy summers to come.

Dr. Randy Simor is a medical graduate from the Semmelweis Medical University in Budapest, Hungary, 1999. Since 1999, he has worked continuously within the healthcare industry as a clinical research associate, a consultant for a multi-national pharmaceutical company, and a business development director for one of Budapest’s largest private outpatient, one-day surgery clinics. As an entrepreneur, Randy is owner and director of a newly established management company for medical tourism, CARE Ltd. The company primarily focuses on medical tourism for plastic surgery, dental & oral surgery, Laser eye surgery and a wide variety of other diagnostic, surgical and wellness services.

More information can be found at http://www.careinhungary.com

More articles at www.articles-host.com

Share This

We are constantly hearing ideas and claims of what we should eat to keep us from getting cancer. There is always new research somewhere showing how eating this or that will help us and potentially protect our bodies from getting cancer. Some of the studies are valid, some are not; some of the research shows that it cannot completely prevent it, simply reduce our chances by this percentage or that percentage providing we are male or female, black or white, old or young, etc.

Well few of these things are as good as green tea researchers say, of course the Chinese have been saying it for 10,000 years. A brand new research now shows that the phytochemicals in green tea are absolutely incredible. Something that the Asian cultures have known throughout their history, in fact it is quite well known that green tea is known to prevent many forms of cancer such as; Leukemia, Pancreatic cancer, Colon cancer, Lung cancer and Breast cancer. Some say that if green tea was a medicine or drug it would be considered more of a wonder drug than most other cancer drugs. Green tea is considered by many to be a powerful herb, which would be wise to incorporate into your diet.

There are presently no known side effects for green tea, yet it appears to be one of the most incredible anti-cancer compounds around. Think on this.

Lance Winslow

More articles at www.articles-host.com

Share This