Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Mesothelioma Survival Rate

In mesothelioma diagnosis, the questions that often follow may concern typical survival rates for mesothelioma patients. In general, approximately 10 percent of mesothelioma patients will live for at least five years after they are diagnosed with the cancer. According to medical research, the average survival for a mesothelioma patient is approximately four to 18 months after diagnosis.
Understanding the average mesothelioma survival rate can be complicated because various factors influence the data. Survival rate may be influenced by the level of the cancer’s development (stage), the size of the tumor, whether or not surgery may be preformed and the age and general health of the patient, among other contributing conditions.
For example, a patient diagnosed with mesothelioma in stage one (the earliest developmental stage of the cancer), whose general health is otherwise good, may be a candidate for surgery. If the surgery is successful and the patient responds favorably to additional treatments, their survival may far surpass average survival rates. 

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Mesothelioma Cause

What are the main causes of mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is most predominantly caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers that are inhaled through the mouth and nose may eventually become embedded in the lining of the lungs, causing damage and resulting in mesothelioma lung cancer or asbestosis (scar tissue formation in the lungs). It has also been found that swallowing asbestos fibers could contribute to a form of mesothelioma originating in the abdomen called peritoneal mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma cancer generally results from occupational exposure but there are instances of environmental exposure to asbestos that can cause mesothelioma disease. Oftentimes second hand exposure of a family member to an asbestos workers dirty work clothes can result in that family member having a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Asbestos insulation workers appear to have the highest death rate. One study reports that almost six percent of asbestos workers fall victim to mesothelioma or experience mesothelioma symptoms and asbestos insulation workers are over 300 times more likely to die from mesothelioma than the general public.

Epitheloid Mesothelioma

Epithelioid mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma and accounts for 50 to 70 percent of mesothelioma cancer cells. The individual cells are relatively uniform in shape with a unique tubular pattern and a cell nucleus that, when viewed under high magnification, is visibly distinguishable from other cell nuclei. However, other types of cancer can take a similar form, and if these cancers appear in the mesothelium, they can be confused with epithelioid mesothelioma. Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer often confused with epithelioid mesothelioma.

Epithelioid Mesothelioma Versus Adenocarcinoma
Mesothelioma, including epithelioid mesothelioma, is a type of cancer that occurs in the mesothelium, which is an epithelium (protective layer of tissue) that surrounds certain organs. Epithelia, which are found throughout the body, exist to separate different bodily environments. For example, epithelial cells are found in the skin, which separates the outside of the body from the inside of the body. Depending on the location, an epithelium can serve many functions, including protection, absorption, filtration, excretion, secretion or sensory reception.

Adenocarcinoma is another type of cancer that can be found in the mesothelium. However, unlike epithelioid mesothelioma, adenocarcinoma does not originate in the mesothelium, but rather in the lining or inner epithelium of an organ. When an adenocarcinoma occurs in the lining of the lungs it can spread to the mesothelium, or pleura, surrounding the lungs. Since epithelioid mesothelioma can also appear in the pleura, it can be easily confused with adenocarcinoma.

Furthermore, since both epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma derive from epithelial tissue, they have a similar cellular appearance. Although research does show that the tumor cells in epithelioid mesothelioma are usually more regularly uniform, cube-shaped and spread out than the tumor cells in adenocarcinoma (which are more columnar and crowded), this distinction is difficult to make on a case-by-case basis. To add to this confusion, chemical staining of epithelioid mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma cancer cells sometimes shows similar results.

The clinical signs for adenocarcinoma of the lung and malignant mesothelioma are also similar. The symptoms of these diseases, both of which typically affect the older population, include chest pain, pleural effusions (fluid build-up) and respiratory difficulty. This is why cancer of the mesothelium, or epithelioid mesothelioma, and cancer of the lung epithelium, adenocarcinoma, are often mistaken for one another and therefore misdiagnosed.

If you or a loved one has had asbestos exposure and received a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma, it may be worthwhile to seek a second diagnostic evaluation, either by the same physician or an oncology specialist who has experience in mesothelioma cases. The mesothelioma prognosis for patients with epithelioid mesothelioma is typically quite bleak.

Mesothelioma Risk

Asbestos-related deaths have increased fourfold in the past three decades. We want to help those that have been at risk. Although asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, the latency period after exposure could last 15 to 50 years. This means if you worked in a job with asbestos 40 years ago you could be developing mesothelioma now. If you were exposed to loose asbestos fibers, you should be tested regularly for mesothelioma.

Virtually all cases of mesothelioma are related to inhaling of asbestos fibers. There are about 3,000 cases per year (mostly men over the age of 40) and there will be about 300,000 cases before 2030. Mesothelioma usually spreads rapidly through the mesothelial cells to the heart and abdominal organs. The life span is typically 24 months after diagnosis, but it depends on what stage the cancer is detected, the health of the patient and other factors.

The onset of mesothelioma symptoms usually takes a long time. The first symptom is often a constant chest pain. This pain is later accompanies by difficulty breathing due to an accumulation of fluid in the chest. Other symptoms include coughing, fever and weight loss. Mesothelioma can be diagnosed by your doctor with a chest CT-scan.

Risk factors are the most important elements which are looked into when a disease is studied in detail. Risk factors are essential to know when a disease is being diagnosed in a person as they help locate a disease if the patient has been suffering from a set of symptoms and in studying the causes of these symptoms.
In short, risk factors increase your chances of diagnosing any disease following exposure or contact with any harmful agents. As with any other disease, risk factors are also taken into consideration when mesothelioma is diagnosed in a person.

It is a proven fact that the biggest risk factor for mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring fibrous mineral. It has been established that previous exposure which took place 20-50 years back could eventually cause mesothelioma. Even short term exposure to low doses of asbestos can lead to mesothelioma. Here we have discussed all the mesothelioma risk factors in detail which will give you an insight how this deadly cancer is contracted.

Asbestos exposure is the main risk factor for developing mesothelioma. Asbestos belongs to a family of fibrous minerals made of silicate. Its usage was very common in numerous products like insulation, floor tiles, door gaskets, soundproofing, roofing, patching compounds, fireproof gloves and ironing board covers and even brake pads due to its fire retardation properties. It was found that people working in asbestos industry developed mesothelioma by inhaling asbestos. Asbestos particles settle in the lining of the lungs, chest and abdominal cavity and cause cancer.
Mesothelioma can occur in any person who has been directly or indirectly exposed to asbestos regardless of trade, age, sex or race. Even people who inhale asbestos particles from the clothing or other items of affected people can get mesothelioma.
However, with recent studies, it has come to light, that it is not solely asbestos exposure which is a risk factor for mesothelioma. There are some other risk factors for mesothelioma too.

Tobacco as a Risk Factor
Although, no direct link between tobacco and mesothelioma has been established, yet it has been found that a combination of smoking tobacco and inhaling asbestos can be a huge mesothelioma risk factor. It was found that people who worked in asbestos industry and also smoked were 50 to 90 times more likely to develop pleural mesothelioma or lung cancer. Also, according to researches, more asbestos workers are known to die of lung cancer rather than mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Cause

What are the main causes of mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is most predominantly caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos fibers that are inhaled through the mouth and nose may eventually become embedded in the lining of the lungs, causing damage and resulting in mesothelioma lung cancer or asbestosis (scar tissue formation in the lungs). It has also been found that swallowing asbestos fibers could contribute to a form of mesothelioma originating in the abdomen called peritoneal mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma cancer generally results from occupational exposure but there are instances of environmental exposure to asbestos that can cause mesothelioma disease. Oftentimes second hand exposure of a family member to an asbestos workers dirty work clothes can result in that family member having a mesothelioma diagnosis.

Asbestos insulation workers appear to have the highest death rate. One study reports that almost six percent of asbestos workers fall victim to mesothelioma or experience mesothelioma symptoms and asbestos insulation workers are over 300 times more likely to die from mesothelioma than the general public.

Mesothelioma

What is mesothelioma?

Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Although uncommon, mesothelioma is no longer considered rare. Making a correct mesothelioma diagnosis is particularly difficult for doctors because the disease does not respond well to therapy. There is no known cure for mesothelioma, but treatments such as mesothelioma radiation and chemotherapy have helped to improve the typical mesothelioma prognosis.

The chest cavity, abdominal cavity, and the cavity around the heart are surrounded by a layer of specialized mesothelial cells. Most other internal organs are also covered by these cells. The tissue formed by these cells is called mesothelium.

A special protective lubricating fluid that allows organs to move around is produced by the mesothelium. This protective fluid helps the lungs to move without resistance inside the chest cavity while breathing. The medical name for the mesothelium of the chest is the pleura and the medical name for the mesothelium of the abdomen is the peritoneum. The mesothelium of the "sac-like" space around the heart is called the pericardium.

A malignant (cancerous) tumor of the mesothelium is called a malignant mesothelioma. As most mesothelial tumors are cancerous, malignant mesothelioma is often simply called mesothelioma. Mesothelioma tumors can also be benign (noncancerous) but benign mesotheliomas are much more rare.

Mesothelioma was recognized as a tumor of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium in the late 1700's. However it was not until much later, in 1960, that this particular type of tumor was described in more detail and even more importantly, its association with asbestos exposure was recognized. The first report linking mesothelioma to asbestos exposure was written by J.C.Wagner, and described 32 cases of workers in the "Asbestos Hills" in South Africa. Since then, the relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure has been confirmed in studies around the world.

The incidence of mesothelioma in the United States remains very low, with 14 cases occurring per million people per year. Despite these numbers the noticed threefold increase in mesothelioma in males between 1970 and 1984, is directly associated with environmental and occupational exposure to asbestos, mostly in areas of asbestos product plants and shipbuilding facilities including Navy Shipyards.

Although the disease is much more commonly seen in 60-year old men, mesothelioma in women and children has been described as well. Mesothelioma causes are not so well understood in these latter two groups, but there is some evidence of possible asbestos exposure for some of these cases as well.

Malignant mesotheliomas are divided into three main types. About 50% to 70% of mesotheliomas are the epithelioid type. This type has the best prognosis (outlook for survival). The other two types are the sarcomatoid type (7%-20%), and the mixed/biphasic type (20%-35%). Mesothelioma treatment options for all three types are the same.

About three-fourths of mesotheliomas start in the chest cavity. They are known as pleural mesothelioma. Another 10% to 20% begin in the abdomen. These are called peritoneal mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma, starts in the cavity around the heart, and is very rare. The covering layer of the testicles is actually an outpouching of peritoneum into the scrotum. Mesotheliomas that affect this covering of the testicles are quite rare.

Yahoo Domain

Domain Name is a lot more than you might think.  Your domain can be your first impression and your new marketing plan. You have to learn more about it and why you should take the time to choose good one for yourself and how to go about it.
Domain Name is an address for the internet. It helps people find your website. Just as homes and businesses have street addresses, all websites have domain names. The Yahoo! Domain name is yahoo.com. A domain name is made up of two parts, typically preceded by www. using yahoo.com as an example.
The first part is a unique name that represent website, yahoo.
The second part, .com is the extension and stands for commercial. There are many available though like .com, .net, .biz, .info, .edu, .uk and .us are the most popular the most popular extensions.
A good name helps  you in numerous ways which are:-
For Business
   Add your domain name to your business card, email and other advertisement
    .Build credibility because  it shows your customers that you have established business
     .Improve your marketing because it provide customers an easy way to remember and contact you
     .Protect your brand by securing the domain name that best represent your business name and keep it out of the hands of your competitor
For Consumers
   Describe your as best as you can with your domain name.
Keep these tips in mind as you select your domain name:-
1- Your domain should reflect your business name, or topic your site will cover.
2-  It should be a unique and concise name that is easy to say, remember and spell.
3-  You can use only letters, numbers and hyphens in your domain name. Spaces or other symbols are not allowed
4-  If your first choice isn't available, try arranging the word order, adding hyphens or using abbreviations or locations to come up with unique alternative.
    Once you have a domain name, you need a website. It is easy to add Yahoo! services that help you build a full website or open an online store.