Staging System for Mesothelioma

After the tests: Staging. Staging is the process of finding out how far the cancer has spread. This is very important because your treatment and the outlook for your recovery depend on the stage of your cancer. 

At this time, there is a staging system only for mesothelioma around the lung (pleural mesothelioma). The AJCC (American Joint Committee on Cancer) staging system uses Roman numerals from I to IV (1 to 4) for the different stages. As a rule, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, such as stage IV, means a more advanced cancer.

After looking at your test results, the doctor will tell you the stage of your cancer. Be sure to ask your doctor to explain your stage in a way you understand. This will help you decide on the best treatment for you.

Resectable versus unresectable cancer 

For treatment purposes, doctors often group mesotheliomas based on whether or not it is likely that the cancer can be removed by surgery. If it can be removed it is called resectable. If it cannot be removed it is unresectable. Whether or not the cancer can be removed is based not only on the size of the tumor and how far it has spread, but also on the mesothelioma subtype, where the tumor is, and whether the patient is healthy enough to have surgery.

Even if the cancer can be removed, in most cases there are cancer cells that cannot be seen that are left behind after surgery. For this reason, many doctors advise using other forms of treatment (like radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy) along with surgery when possible.

Other factors

While the stage of this cancer is important in looking at a patient's chances for survival, other factors should also be taken into account. Some of these include:

• Being able to carry out normal tasks of daily life
• Younger age
• Epithelioid subtype
• Not having chest pain
• Not too much weight loss
• Normal levels of a substance in the blood called LDH
• Normal red blood cell counts, white blood cell counts, and blood platelet counts

Source: American Cancer Society

How is mesothelioma found?

As a rule, a chest x-ray is not useful in finding mesothelioma early. One test being studied is a blood test. This test measures the blood levels of certain substances that are higher in people who have mesothelioma. But right now blood tests are used mainly to follow the course of the disease in people who are already known to have mesothelioma.

Symptoms of mesothelioma

Most of the time mesothelioma is found when a person goes to a doctor because of symptoms. Early symptoms can be very general and are often ignored. Most people with this type of cancer have symptoms for only a few months before the cancer is found.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma (lining of the chest) can include:

· Pain in the lower back or at the side of the chest

· Shortness of breath

· Trouble swallowing

· Hoarseness

· Cough

· Fever

· Sweating

· Tiredness

· Weight loss

· Swelling of the face and arms

· Muscle weakness

Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma (lining of the abdominal cavity) can include:

· Belly pain

· Weight loss

· Nausea and vomiting

· Fluid or swelling in the abdomen (belly)

Of course, these same symptoms can also be caused by other problems. But if you have worked with asbestos and you have any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor right away.

If there is reason to think you might have mesothelioma, the doctor will ask you questions about your health and do a complete physical exam. The exam can help tell if you have fluid in the chest, belly, or around the heart. This fluid can be a sign of mesothelioma. Then one or more of the tests listed below can be used to find out if you have cancer.

Imaging tests

These tests allow the doctor to see pictures of the inside of your body. These tests might be done for a number of reasons, such as to help find an area that might be cancer, to learn how far cancer has spread, and to see if treatment is working.

Chest x-ray: X-rays might show thickening of the lining of the lungs or other changes caused by asbestos. They can also show changes that may suggest mesothelioma.

CT scan: A CT scan (or CAT scan) is like an x-ray but it gives detailed cross-sectional pictures of your body. Instead of taking one picture, a CT scanner takes many pictures as it moves around you. A computer then combines these pictures to show slices of your body.

CT scans are often used to help decide if you have mesothelioma and to help find the exact place of the cancer. They can also help find out much the cancer has spread. Before any pictures are taken, you may be asked to drink a liquid that helps outline your intestines (gut). You may also get an IV (intravenous) line which is used to put a different kind of contrast dye into your blood. This helps better outlines parts of in your body.

Some people are allergic to the dye and get hives, a flushed feeling, or, rarely, more serious problems like trouble breathing and low blood pressure. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have ever had a problem from any dye used for x-rays.

CT scans take longer than regular x-rays, and you need to lie still on a table while they are being done. During the test, the table moves in and out of the scanner, a ring-shaped machine that goes around the table.

PET scan: A PET scan uses glucose (a form of sugar) that contains a radioactive substance. Cancer cells in the body take in large amounts of the radioactive sugar and a special camera can find these radioactive spots. This test can help tell whether a thickening of the tissues is cancer or just scar tissue. It can also show the spread of cancer. Some newer machines are able to do both a PET and CT scan at the same time.

MRI scan: This test uses radio waves and strong magnets instead of x-rays to take pictures. It gives a very detailed picture of your insides. MRI scans may be useful in looking at the thin band of breathing muscle below the lungs (the diaphragm). Mesothelioma can spread there.

A contrast dye might be used just as with CT scans. MRI scans take longer than CT scans -- often up to an hour. Also, you are placed inside a narrow tube, which is confining and can upset people with a fear of enclosed spaces. The machine makes a thumping noise, and some places will give you headphones with music to block it out.

Blood tests

Blood levels of certain substances are often high in people with mesothelioma. But so far, these blood tests have proven more useful in people who already have mesothelioma to follow their progress during and after treatment. Other blood tests will be done to check the blood cell counts and levels of certain chemicals in the blood. These tests can give the doctor an idea of how much the disease has spread, and how well organs like the liver and kidneys are working.

Tests of fluid and tissue samples

If you have a build-up of fluid in the body that may be caused by mesothelioma, a sample of this fluid can be taken. The skin is numbed and a needle is put through the skin into the fluid, which is drawn out and sent to the lab. The fluid is tested to see if there are cancer cells in it.

This test has different names depending on where the fluid is:

· Thoracentesis removes fluid from the chest cavity.

· Paracentesis removes fluid from the abdomen (belly).

· Pericardiocentesis removes fluid from the sac around the heart.

Finding cancer cells tells the doctor that cancer is present, but not finding any cancer cells in the fluid does not always mean there is no cancer. In many cases, doctors need to get a sample of the tissue (called a biopsy) to find out if you have mesothelioma.

Biopsy methods

In a biopsy, a small amount of tissue of fluid is taken out and looked at under a microscope to see whether it contains cancer.

Needle biopsy: Tumors in the chest are sometimes sampled by needle biopsy. A long, hollow needle is passed through the skin, between the ribs, into the chest, and into the tumor. A small sample can be removed to be looked at under the microscope. But sometimes the sample is not be big enough to tell for sure whether there is cancer. If this happens, another kind of biopsy may be needed.

Endoscopic biopsies: An endoscope (scope) is a thin, tube-like tool used to look inside the body. It has a light and a lens (or camera) and tools that can be used to remove tissue that looks like it may be cancer. There are a number of different types of scopes. They are often named after the part of the body that they are used to examine, for instance:

· A thoracoscope is used to look inside the chest

· A mediastinoscope is used to look at the space between the lungs

· A bronchoscope is used to look at the lining of the lungs

· A laparoscope is used to look inside the belly

Open surgical biopsy: In some cases, surgery may be needed to get a large enough tissue sample. This allows the doctor to remove a larger sample of tumor or, sometimes, the whole tumor.

Testing the samples in the lab

No matter which approach is used to get them, biopsy and fluid samples are sent to the pathology lab. There, a doctor will look at them under a microscope and do other tests to decide whether cancer is present (and if so, what type of cancer it is). It is often hard to tell whether it is mesothelioma by just looking at the cells (or even tissue) from the fluid around the lungs, stomach, or heart. So special lab tests that look at things like proteins may be done, too.

Pulmonary function tests

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) may be done after mesothelioma is found to see how well your lungs are working. This is important if you might need surgery to take out part or all of a lung. to the doctors need to know how well the lungs are working before the surgery. These tests can give the doctor an idea of how much lung can safely be removed. For PFTs, you breathe in and out through a tube that is connected to a machine that measures lung function.

Thanks to American Cancer Society for this article

Soursop Benefits for Cancer

Soursop fruit in Latin called Annona Muricata, also known by the name sabrang jackfruit, jackfruit londo, jackfruit buris, and in Bali is more recognizable as srikaya Java. In LN also known as Soursop. In addition to delicious, this fruit is also rich in medicinal content.

Efficacy of soursop fruit provides effect anti-tumor / cancer is very strong, and medically proven to cure all types of cancer. In addition to cure cancer, soursop fruit also acts as anti-bacterial, anti-fungus (fungi), effective against various types of parasites / worms, lowering high blood pressure, depression, stress, and normalize the nervous system back to a less well.

It was a sweet acidity that gives the sensation of its own for the fans. For those who like breakfast with bread, fruit soursop are also often added in the form of jam. Whatever the form of processed, soursop flavor remains strongly attached to the product, making it very easy to spot.

The content of soursop fruit is the following:

* Rich Vitamin C

Soursop fruit consists of 67.5 percent meat, 20 percent of the fruit skin, fruit seeds 8.5 percent and 4 percent of the fruit core. After water, nutrients content in soursop the most carbohydrates. One type of carbohydrate on soursop fruit is a reducing sugar (glucose and fructose) with levels of 81.9 to 93.6 percent of the total sugar content.

Soursop fruit contains very little fat (0.3 g/100 g), so it is good for health. Sour taste comes from the soursop non-volatile organic acids, mainly malate acid, citric acid, and acid Isocitrate.

Vitamins are the most dominant in soursop fruit is vitamin C, which is about 20 mg per 100 grams of meat. Requirement of vitamin C per person per day (ie 60 mg), have been fulfilled only by consuming 300 grams of meat soursop fruit. Vitamin C is high enough on the soursop is a very good antioxidant to enhance the immune system and slow the aging process (stay young).

Minerals are quite dominant is a phosphorus and calcium, each for 27 and 14 mg/100 g. Both minerals are essential for the formation of bone mass, which is useful to form strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.

Advantages soursop lies in sodium content (sodium) is low (14 mg/100 g) but high in potassium (potassium), which is 278 mg/l00 g. Comparison of potassium and high sodium is beneficial in the prevention of hypertension.

* Rich Fiber

Besides nutritional components, soursop fruit is also very rich in non-nutritional components. One of them is a lot of fiber containing foods (dietary fiber), which reached 3.3 g / 100 g of fruit flesh. 100 g of meat consumption of fruit can satisfy 13 percent of daily needs of food fiber. Soursop fruit is a fruit that is rich in phytochemical compounds, which can ensure that the fruits are very much beneficial for health.

Phytochemical compounds are likely to have health benefits, although not all scientifically proven. Soursop benefits to include medical treatment of gallstones, antisembelit, uric acid, and increases appetite. In addition, fiber content also serves to facilitate digestion, especially for the treatment of constipation (constipation).

Fruit juice (juice) soursop in the digestive system will increase the appetite. Other uses of this juice is for the treatment of hip stiffness and pain, disease hemorrhoids (piles), gallstones, and others. (By: Prof.. DR. Astawan Made, Expert Food Technology and Nutrition)

Here's a summary of usability soursop:

Soursop has a very large benefits in the prevention and cure of cancer. For prevention, it is advisable to eat or drink fruit juice soursop.

For healing, can boil 10 leaves of soursop fruit old dark green) into the 3 cups of water and boiled until it evaporates and the water stayed just 1 cup. Living water 1 cup at a minimum to the patient every day 2 times.

After drinking, he said, the body feels the effects of heat, similar to the effects of chemotherapy. In 2 weeks time, the results can be checked to the doctor, he said quite nutritious. Soursop leaves are said nature such as chemotherapy, is even better because soursop leaf cells only kill cells that grow abnormally and allow cells to grow normally. While there are effects of chemotherapy also kills some normal cells.

Source: kkkmedicine.blogspot.com

Medicinal Benefits of Soursop

Soursop is a fruit that has the most delectable flavor. The soursop is a large fruit of a small, fast-growing tree. The fruit is picked from the tree before it has fully ripened as it will be badly bruised if allowed to ripen and fall. The fruit is mature and is ready for eating when it feels slightly soft and is light green externally. The skin is thin and is covered with conical nibs. The white, pulpy flesh, which contains juice, is peppered with small shiny, black inedible seeds, and has a pleasant, sweet-acidic taste. As it is rather fibrous, its squeezed juice makes a better choice, and has, in fact become more popular than the fresh fruit as such. Soursop has few seedless varieties, but they are rare, and tend to have fibrous flesh.

Medicinal Benefits: Soursop is not only a delicious and healthy fruit but it is use medicinally to treat illness ranging from stomach ailments to worms.

• The seeds, which have emetic properties, can be used in the treatment of vomiting.
• The leaf decoction is effective for head lice and bedbugs.
• The crushed fresh leaves can be applied on skin eruptions to promote healing.
• The juice of the fruit can be taken orally as a remedy for urethritis, haematuria and liver ailments.
• The juice when taken when fasting, it is believed to relieve liver ailments and leprosy.
• To speed the healing of wounds, the flesh of the soursop is applied as a poultice unchanged for 3 days.
• A decoction of the young shoots or leaves is regarded as a remedy for gall bladder trouble, as well as coughs, catarrh, diarrhea, dysentery, fever and indigestion.
• Mashed leaves are used as a poultice to alleviate eczema and other skin problems and rheumatism.
• The root bark is use as an antidote for poisoning.
• Soursop flowers are believed to alleviate catarrh.
• Decoction of leaves used as compresses for inflammation and swollen feet.

Nutrient Value per 100 grams servings:

• Vitamin: C 20.6
• Calcium: 14
• Iron: 0.6
• Calories: 66
• Dietary Fiber: 3.3g
• Protein: 1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 14mg
• Sugars: 13.54g
• Total Carbohydrate: 16.84g
• Total Fat: 0.3g
• Saturated Fat: 0.05g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 0.09g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.06g

Culinary uses: eaten fresh as fruit; made into cakes, ice cream, preserved, beverages and for flavoring. The young soursop, where the seeds are still soft, is used as a vegetable. The fermented fruit is also use to make an apple cider-like drink.

Source: hubpages.com

Can mesothelioma be prevented?

The best way to prevent this disease is to avoid contact with asbestos in homes, public buildings, and at work. People who could be exposed to asbestos at work include miners, factory workers, insulation workers, railroad workers, ship builders, makers of gas masks, and construction workers.

If there is a chance of exposure, say, in fixing up old buildings, then workers should take special measures to protect themselves. If you live in an older home, there may be asbestos in the insulation or in other materials. An expert can check your home to see if there is any danger. Even if asbestos is in the materials used to build the home, it may not pose a danger if the materials are in good condition. If you decide to have the asbestos removed, you should hire a qualified person to do this job. You should not do it yourself.

What Causes Mesothelioma?

A risk factor is anything that affects a person's chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. Some risk factors, such as smoking, can be controlled. Others, like a person's age or family history, can't be changed. But risk factors don't tell us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several risk factors, does not mean that you will get the disease. And some people who get the disease may not have had any risk factors.

Researchers have found some risk factors that increase a person's risk of mesothelioma. 

Asbestos

The main risk factor for mesothelioma is contact with asbestos. In fact, most cases of mesothelioma have been linked to asbestos in the workplace. In the past, asbestos was used in insulation, and in other things like floor tiles, door gaskets, roofing, patching compounds, and more. Since asbestos is a natural mineral, it can also be found in dust and rocks in certain parts of the United States. Most asbestos use stopped after 1989, but it is still used in some products.

When asbestos fibers are breathed in, some can travel to the ends of the small air passages and reach the lining of the lungs. There they can damage the cells lining the lungs, and with time lead to pleural mesothelioma. If swallowed, these fibers can also reach the lining of the abdominal cavity (belly) where they play a part in causing peritoneal mesothelioma.

People who may be at risk for asbestos exposure include some miners, factory workers, makers of insulation, railroad workers, ship builders, gas mask makers, and construction workers. Studies have shown that family members of people exposed to asbestos at work have an increased risk of mesothelioma, too, because asbestos fibers are carried home on the clothes of the workers.

Asbestos was used in the insulation of many older homes and public buildings around the country, including some schools. Because the asbestos is contained within the building materials, a large amount is not likely to be found in the air. The risk is thought to be much less unless the asbestos is somehow released into the air, such as when building materials begin to rot over time, or during remodeling or removal. 

The risk of getting mesothelioma depends on how much asbestos a person was exposed to and for how long. Mesotheliomas take a long time to develop. The time between the first exposure and finding the disease is often between 20 and 50 years. Also, once you have been exposed to asbestos, the risk of mesothelioma appears to be lifelong and it does not go down over time.

To learn more, see our document called Asbestos.

Other risk factors

Radiation: There is some evidence linking thorium dioxide (Thorotrast) to mesothelioma. Thorotrast was once used in certain x-rays. It has not been used for many years.

SV40 virus: Some studies have suggested that infection with simian virus 40 (SV40) might increase the risk of mesothelioma. Some polio vaccines made between 1955 and 1963 were contaminated with SV40. Research into this is still going on.

Age: Mesothelioma is rare in people under age 45. The chance of having it goes up with age. About 3 out of 4 people with mesothelioma are over 65 years old.

Sex: The disease affects men about 4 times more often than women.

How Many People Get Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is fairly rare. There are about 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma each year in the United States. The average person has a lifetime risk of mesothelioma of about 1 in 770. Most people who get mesothelioma are over 65 years old. Men are much more likely than women to get this disease. Mesothelioma is more common in whites and Hispanics/Latinos than in African Americans or Asian Americans.

What is Cancer?

The body is made up of hundreds of millions of living cells. Normal body cells grow, divide, and die in an orderly way. During the early years of a person's life, normal cells divide faster to allow the person to grow. After the person becomes an adult, most cells divide only to replace worn-out, damaged, or dying cells. Cancer begins when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but they all start because of this out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.

Cancer cell growth is different from normal cell growth. Instead of dying, cancer cells keep on growing and form new cancer cells. These cancer cells can grow into (invade) other tissues, something that normal cells cannot do. Being able to grow out of control and invade other tissues are what makes a cell a cancer cell.

In most cases the cancer cells form a tumor. But some cancers, like leukemia, rarely form tumors. Instead, these cancer cells are in the blood and bone marrow.

When cancer cells get into the bloodstream or lymph vessels, they can travel to other parts of the body. There they begin to grow and form new tumors that replace normal tissue. This process is called metastasis (muh-tas-tuh-sis).

No matter where a cancer may spread, it is always named for the place where it started. For instance, breast cancer that has spread to the liver is still called breast cancer, not liver cancer. Likewise, prostate cancer that has spread to the bone is called metastatic prostate cancer, not bone cancer.

Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For example, lung cancer and breast cancer are very different diseases. They grow at different rates and respond to different treatments. That is why people with cancer need treatment that is aimed at their own kind of cancer.

Not all tumors are cancerous. Tumors that aren't cancer are called benign (be-nine). Benign tumors can cause problems-- they can grow very large and press on healthy organs and tissues. But they cannot grow into other tissues. Because of this, they also can't spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). These tumors are almost never life threatening. (cancer.org)