What is Mesothelioma Lung Cancer?
(August 28th, 2008)
Mesothelioma stands for tumor of middle lining tissues. It is an unusual and rare type of lung cancer that arises from the cells that form a membrane that lines with the abdominal cavity of the body (also known as peritoneal membrane or peritoneum). In the below diagram, we show you the Peritoneum in blue font.

Types of Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
(August 27th, 2008)
Here we analyze the different types of mesothelioma including peritoneal (cancer of the abdominal lining), pleural (cancer of the pleural sac surrounding the heart), pericardial (cancer of the pericardium) and testicular mesothelioma (cancer of the testicles).

Treatment Options for Mesothelioma
(August 26th, 2008)
Here we describe the different treatment options for mesothelioma including radiation therapy, X-rays, Thoracic surgery, palliative care, pain management, lung transplants, clinical trials and chemotherapy.

Imaging & Diagnosing Options for Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
(August 25th, 2008)
Here we analyze the different diagnosis & imaging techniques for mesothelioma including Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans as well as X-rays.

Clinical Trials for Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
(August 24th, 2008)
Here we analyze the purpose of cancer clinical trials, eligiblity & characteristics of clinical trials, different phases ranging from Phase I to to Phase III and a listing of current clinical trials from the National Cancer Institute.

Asbestos Exposure & Mesothelioma
(August 23rd, 2008)
This article analyzes asbestos, history, usage, health hazards & risks, asbestos induced diseases and a look into the types of jobs that use asbestos including automotive, building & construction, shipbuilding, etc.

Choosing a Mesothelioma Doctor
(August 22nd, 2008)
This article explains the work of specialized surgery doctors, questions you as a patient should ask them, and compares standard vs specialized Mesothelioma Doctors. It also gives tips on how to select a mesothelioma surgeon.

Staging Extent of Tumor Development for Mesothelioma Lung Cancer & A Look into Staging Systems
(July 28th, 2008)
This article looks at various cancer staging systems from the Brigham system, Butchart system, TNM staging system and provides useful information on how they help detect primary location of tumors, size & shapes of tumors as well as spread to nearby lymph nodes.

>>> Hazardous Careers - Factory Laborers @ Risk of Asbestos Exposure - Asbestos Used in 3000 Consumer Products, Factory Buildings with Asbestos Containing Products, Case Study of Kent Cigarettes Using Asbestos in Micronite Filters
(November 10th, 2008)
Factory laborers represent a broad group of American workers totalling 11% of the country's workforce that do various jobs such as front assembly line (in automotive plants), packaging lines (in clothing factories), loading and unloading raw materials and finished products, pack raw materials & package them into boxes, operate automatic and semi-automatic machinery and tools e.g conveyor belts, clean factory machinery and general working space, as well as other duties. Thousands of American factory workers may have been exposed to Asbestos on the job before the 1980s, and not aware of this. There is a slight chance even today that factory workers may be exposed to Asbestos fibers on the job, although Asbestos products were banned from industrial & commercial use in the early 1980s by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)... (Read More)

>>> Hazardous Careers - Carpenters @ Risk of Asbestos Exposure - Carpentry as Profession, Rough vs Finishing Carpenters, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Case Study of Long Beach Naval Shipyard (World War II)
(November 3rd, 2008)
Carpentry is one of the oldest professions mankind has ever done. Carpentry comes from the Latin term carpentrius which stands for 'carriage maker.' Carpenters are highly skilled craftsmen that build furniture, homes & buildings, sets for theatres & television studios, docks & wharves, windows & cabinets, among other things. Carpenters are classified as either rough carpenters or finishing carpenters. Rough carpenters perform, as the name implies, rough construction jobs such as framing residential & commercial buildings, roofing, shipbuilding, etc. Finishing carpenters on the other hand build & design furnitures of all sorts. How are carpenters at risk of asbestos exposure? Through the 20th century, carpenters worked with various different construction products that contained asbestos. Because of the properties of asbestos as an insulation agent against heat, fire and its durability, it was used in construction products to prevent the breakout of fires... (Read More)

>>> Hazardous Careers - Welders at Risk of Asbestos Exposure - Welding Process, Welding Tools, Application of Asbestos, Health Risks & Warnings
(October 26th, 2008)
Welding is a fabrication process that joins construction materials such as metals or thermoplastics by using the process of Coalescence (Coalescence is the term used to describe the process by which two or more particles merge into 1). Workpieces that are to be joined are melted and a filler material is added to form pools of molten materials that cool down to create strong joints. And due to the strong demand for metal joined parts in America, welders are employed in many different industries including aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding & manufacturing industries. The type of duties that welders perform depends on their speciality, for example those in the automotive industry are responsible for tasks such as fine-tuning automated assembly systems while those in the aerospace industry are responsible for functions such as repairing overhauled exhaust parts, shrouds, and other hardware. This makes welders particularly vulnerable to asbestos exposure in all work environments... (Read More)

>>> Hazardous Careers - Steel Mill Workers @ Risk of Asbestos Exposure - Time Period (World War II), Use of Asbestos in Steel Mills, Case Study
(October 20th, 2008)
Certain groups of workers are at high risk of asbestos exposure due to the surroundings or envinronment around which they work. In the United States, the peak period when asbestos was very popular started from the World War II to the early 1980s. Workers in the construction, shipbuilding, railworks, and the steel manufacturing industry were at great risk of asbestos exposure as they inhaled the fibers that dissipitated into the air due to disturbance. This puts steel mill workers at great risk of asbestos exposure as well, especially those steel mills built before the 1980s. Steel mills are work areas where laborers are required to work around extremely hot areas that involve working with very hot substances (liquids, solids), hot locations or hot machinery... (Read More)

>>> 15 Year Shipbuilder Survives Mesothelioma Lung Cancer - Cancer Treated with Precise Radiation & Advanced Surgery Techniques
(October 16th, 2008)
Houston, TX. - Former Navy shipyard worker (shipbuilder) John Ross built ships for 15 years before coming to find out that he had inhaled asbestos fibers that formed the deadly mesothelioma lung cancer in his lungs. Mr. Ross lived and worked in Mississippi but has now traveled to Houston for cancer treatment; accompanied by his son John Ross Jr. and daughter Dorothy. The family says they have spent tens of thousands of dollars for his treatment & checkup costs as well as the 700 mile, 11 hour journey to Houston... (Read More)

>>> Hazardous Careers - Firefighters at Risk of Asbestos Exposure
(October 14th, 2008)
Firefighters are constantly at risk in their jobs, but one of the most unique and dangerous risks they are exposed to is asbestos exposure. Asbestos by definition is the name of several minerals that naturally occur in the environment as bundles of fibers and are separated into thin durable threads. Beginning the late 1800s, asbestos was used across many industries including automotive, building & construction, shipbuilding among other industries. Asbestos is also known to cause diseases such as pleural effusions, asbestosis, mesothelioma lung cancer and pleural fibrosis. Unlike many dangers that firefighters face, there is nothing that warns them that they could be exposed to this deadly substance called Asbestos. Even in situations where firefighters are properly wearing their masks, safety equipment and fireproof jackets, they could still be exposed to Asbestos... (Read More)

>>> Risks of Mesothelioma Cancer Development & Asbestos Exposure Among Women
(October 6th, 2008)
Mesothelioma lung cancer & asbestos exposure is commonly picturized as a bunch of men working around metal works or shipyard industries or in a vermiculite mine with asbestos products. While this is true to some extent, women are also at equal risk of developing asbestos related diseases including Asbestosis. Cases of women developing mesothelioma are rising rapidly, and most of them occur through second hand asbestos exposure. An instance of second-hand asbestos exposure is when a husband who has worked around asbestos products in his shipyard job comes home with asbestos fibers on his clothes and his wife washes those clothes. The asbestos fibers could easily diffuse from the husband's clothes and be inhaled by the wife. Second hand asbestos exposure is not the only way women develop mesothelioma or asbestos related diseases... (Read More)

>>> New York Business Owner & Air Monitor Places Residents & Workers at Risk of Mesothelioma Lung Cancer
(September 29th, 2008)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Mark Desnoyers, owner of Adirondack Environmental Associates based in New York city was recently convicted of of falsifying test results for asbestos removal companies in a Utica Federal court. Working as an air monitor, Desnoyers's job was to assemble proper documentation of safe home asbestos abatement procedures & removal from public/commercial and residential buildings. In the court trial, it was found that Desnoyers secretly worked with asbestos abatement companies to falsify the results of his research and help asbestos abatement companies ignore environmental laws that were regulated in order to protect the general public, workers & students in public schools from being exposed to Asbestos... (Read More)

>>> Pleural Effusions - Introduction, Signs & Symptoms, Diagnosis Techniques, Types of Fluids & Draining Pleural Effusions
(September 21st, 2008)
Pleural Effusions is the accumulation of excess fluids in the pleural cavity, which inhibits the normal expansion/contraction of the lungs and can impair breathing. Normally, very small amounts of fluids are present around the pleural spaces and are generally not detectable. The Pleura is a Sac which houses the lungs, and consists of a thin membrane called the 'mesothelium.' The mesothelium is a vital part of the lungs because it enables them to expand and contract when breathing by secreting a fluid. This fluid is located in the lungs and inside of the rib cage. The official definition of pleural effusions is that it occurs when the rate of fluid formation exceeds the rate of fluid absorption, resulting in excess fluids clogging up the lungs and causing pulmonary signs and symptoms. Normal human beings have the capacity of 20-25ml of fluids in each pleural space... (Read More)

>>> Symptoms of Mesothelioma Lung Cancer - Pleural Effusions, Other Common Symptoms & Asbestos Exposure
(September 20th, 2008)
Symptoms of mesothelioma usually do not surface for upto 20 - 50 years after initial exposure, after which they do. This therefore makes an accurate mesothelioma diagnosis almost impossible for medical doctors. After symptoms start to surface, almost nothing can be done to stop the progression of this disease because of the long latency period, and advancement of malignant tumors into the lungs. Symptoms of mesothelioma vary with where the malignant tumors are located and the type of mesothelioma, examples include peritoneal, pericardial & pleural mesothelioma. Overall health of the patient as well as the age also plays an important role in what kinds of symptoms appear... (Read More)

>>> Former Alcoa Employee to Sue Company for $20 Million from Wrongful Death Resulting from Asbestos Exposure
( September 16th, 2008)
Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled a landslide victory for victims of mesothelioma lung cancer & other asbestos related diseases in a ruling saying a corporation has full duty to prevent its employees from going home at the end of the workday in clothes that are contaminated with asbestos fibers. Knowing that the families of such workers could also be exposed to the tiny dangerous asbestos fibers that can easily be inhaled if they become airborne, the company has an important duty to set precautions for its employees and prevent asbestos exposure. The company being sued is Alcoa, a large corporation that engages in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina worldwide. The plaintiff is Amanda Satterfield, a beautiful young woman who died on January 1st, 2005, just at the age of 25. Amanda's family is suing Alcoa for $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages... (Read More)

>>> Dangers of Asbestos in Older Homes, Public Buildings & Schools
(September 15th, 2008)
Presence of Asbestos in public buildings, public schools and older homes is becoming an increasing concern for the US government and school administrators, as well as landlords. This is because if asbestos fibers are disturbed into the air, people passing by these buildings could inhale them and be susceptible to mesothelioma lung cancer, asbestosis and other related diseases. In this article, we explore the dangers of asbestos in older homes, school buildings & public places. The image on the left is of asbestos fibers that were commonly used in insulation products such as heat shrinkers, expandable sleevings, dual wall polyolefins and hot stamp markers... (Read More)

>>> New Clinical Trial Studying Chemotherapy & Radiation Treatment Protocols for Pleural Mesothelioma
(September 5th, 2008)
A new clinical trial to study alternative radiation & chemotherapy treatments for pleural mesothelioma is underway at the The Mesothelioma Center within the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Robert Taub, the pioneer of the study and director of the Mesothelioma Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia and professor of clinical medicine at Columbia University (College of Surgeons Department) quotes, "Current surgical and chemotherapy treatments of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma are unsatisfactory, and have not been shown to significantly prolong survival. In this study, we will investigate whether a combination of chemotherapy and radiation targeted directly at the lung's lining can improve outcomes while avoiding surgery. In addition, this approach has shown to have minimal toxic side effects compared to systemic chemotherapy...." (Read More)

>>> Asbestos Kills 28 Year Old Woman - Precise Cause of Death Unknown
(August 31st, 2008)
Leigh Carlisle (photo left) developed mesothelioma lung cancer at the tender age of 26 years and has since then battled this disease courageously. However, she had no clue how she contracted this disease and why it would come at such a young stage in her life. She is perceived as the United Kingdom's youngest mesothelioma cancer victim. Since mesothelioma lung cancer develops 20-30 years after initial asbestos exposure, this may mean Ms. Carlisle was exposed to asbestos at a very young age. But where and how? Unfortunately, she never got to know the answer as she passed away on Wednesday August 27th, 2008 at a hospital in North Manchester, UK. Industrial lawyers have started investigating the possibility that Ms. Carlisle could have been exposed to asbestos whilst at school as asbestos fibers in school buildings is very common... (Read More)

>>> Pain Management for Mesothelioma & Lung Cancer Patients - Types of Pain, Pain Control, Side Effects of Pain Medicines & How to Administer Pain Medicines
(August 26th, 2008)

Most lung cancer patients fear the pain resulting from it, rather than the cancer itself. Pain management theories were developed to help patients control or minimize their pain while undergoing cancer treatments. About 80% - 90% of cancer patients control their pain through a combination of pain medicines & other exercises. In order to successfully control pain from cancer, it is important to understand where that pain originally derives from. Cancer pain occurs when malignant tumors slide or press on internal organs such as bones, nerves and the lymph nodes. The extent of pain also depends on the location of the tumor and what organ it is pressing on. For example, a small tumor pressing on a vital organ of the body such as the lungs can cause lots of pain, while a large tumor elsewhere could cause little pain... (Read More)

>>> Thoracic Surgery - Thorax Definition, Types of Thoracic Surgery, The Society for Thoracic Surgeons, Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS), How to Prepare & Risks Involved
(August 25th, 2008)

The term "Thoracic" derives form the word Thorax, which stands for the breasts or chest from ancient Latin & Greek languages. Thorax refers to the area of the body that is located between the neck and the abdomen including organs such as the heart, the great vessels, esophagus, lungs, trachea, pleura, mediastinum, the chest wall and diaphragm.. Thoracic surgery is the use of medicine to treat diseases of the chest including lung cancers, coronary artery diseases, tumors contained in the chest cavity, heart & lung transplants, and abnormalities of the great vessels and heart valves. Thoracic surgeons are some of the most highly educated surgeons because after college and medical school, they have to spend 5 years in a general surgical residency, another 2-3 years to thoracic surgery residency and pass a tough examination set by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. The patient is placed under general anesthesia and endotracheally intubated... (Read More)

>>> Clinical Trials for Mesothelioma Lung Cancer - Basic Info, Trial Phases, Eligibility & Current Clinical Trials
(August 14th, 2008)

Clinical trials are a means of testing new drugs & health products in the market on patients that are most likely to benefit from them. Clinical trials measure the effectiveness & safety of new drugs before they are released to the general public. Cancer clinical trials for mesothelioma are ongoing all over the country and any patient who wishes to undergo one should talk to his/her doctor for eligibility & benefits. It is important to understand that clinical trials are for newly released drugs that could have both benefits & risks. The risks are that the drugs could negatively impact your health, while the benefits are you will receive treatment from top notch doctors who are leaders in the field of medical research. For example, some of the mesothelioma lung cancer clinical trials are conducted by some of the top medical doctors in the US. Since lung cancer clinical trials are done in large US Cancer centers, travel may be necessary... (Read More)

>>> Lung Transplant for Mesothelioma Patients - How To, Risks Associated, Symptoms & Prognosis
(August 3rd, 2008)

Lung transplants become a necessary survival option for mesothelioma patients when a person's respiratory system has been damaged to a level where he/she will not be able to live without a replacement lung. For instance in a disease known as pulmonary fibrosis, the lungs become so scarred such that their air sacs are replaced with fibrotic tissues. These tissues accumulate in masses and lose the lung's ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. It is of utmost important that the lungs be able to transfer oxygen to the rest of the body via the bloodstream and when this is interrupted, the patient's life is threatened. Once the lungs become extremely scarred, there is no reversal, meaning they cannot heal themselves; thus a lung transplant will be necessary. A lung transplant surgery is a complicated task and can only occur when the right donor is available. The donor's lungs are carefully removed and immediately transported to the hospital where the receiving patient is being cared for. Since lungs can only be preserved for 5-6 hours, it is important that once they are extracted from the donor's body, they be immediately delivered to the receiving patient... (Read More)

>>> Testicular Mesothelioma - Symptoms, Development, Diagnosis & Treatment Options for Testicular Mesothelioma
(August 1st, 2008)

Testicular mesothelioma is when malignant tumors invade the tunica vaginalis; a membranous lining that surrounds, protects & insulates the testicles. Since the testicles are the reproductive organs of the human body, it can be very dangerous if they are damaged by cancerous tumors. The tunica vaginalis is composed of mesothelial cells, which are cells that line the body's serous cavities and internal organs and provide protective, non-adhesive surfaces. Mesothelial cells also help in transporting fluids and cells across the serous cavities. The image on the left is of the tunica vaginalis composed of 2 layers; parietal (outer) layer and visceral (inner) layer... (Read More)

>>> Classification of Malignant Tumours (TNM) Cancer Staging System - Intro, Tumor Classification & Parameters, Applications & Objectives
(July 30th, 2008)

The TNM (Classiciation of Malignant Tumors) Cancer staging system was designed to gauge the extent of Cancer in a patient's body. T stands for the size of the Tumor and if the tumor has invaded nearby tissues, N stands for lymph nodes that may have become malignant, and M stands for metastasis (spread of cancer from one organ of the body to another). TNM was designed by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) and serves as a worldwide standard for determining the extent of lung cancer in human body. It also works in conjunction with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)... (Read More)

>>> Staging Extent of Tumor Development for Mesothelioma Lung Cancer & A Look into Staging Systems
(July 28th, 2008)

Staging Mesothelioma cancer is finding out the extent of a patient's Cancer and how far the primary tumor has spread in the body. Staging is conducted to help identify any clinical trials the patient can participate in, as well as estimate prognosis & plan treatment options. There are 3 main staging systems, detailed below. They are the Brigham System, Butchart System and the TNM system. All 3 of these systems have the following in common:

- They detect the primary location of the tumor
- They determine the size & number of tumors that have developed
- They determine whether cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes
- They determine the type of cells involved & grade of the tumor
- They look for development of Metastatic cancer... (Read More)