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Posts Tagged ‘Chemotherapy’

Chemotherapy Effectiveness Studied for Mesothelioma Patients

Article by Peter Kent

Although mesothelioma cancer has no current cure, many medical professional believe that chemotherapy can be a successful treatment of symptom control of the condition, however, this continues to be debated, according to a study from The Lancet, a British Journal.

Researchers studied 409 patients all of which were suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma in different parts of the world. The patients were randomly assigned an active symptom control treatment or a treatment that included an active control treatment with one of two chemotherapy medications. According to the study, “the active symptom control treatments included steroids, bronchodilators, analgesic medications and palliative radiotherapy.”

Following the study, the patients with both treatment options were compared and, according to researchers, “the addition of chemotherapy to active symptom control presented no significant benefit or advances in survival rates or quality of life” among mesothelioma victims.

Diagnosing and Understanding Chemotherapy, Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is a disease in which malignant cancer cells develop in a thin layer of tissue that lines the chest cavity covering the lungs, which is also known as the pleura, or the peritoneum, which is the tissue lining the abdomen and most of the organs, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

The American Cancer Society (ACS) describes chemotherapy as a treatment for cancer; it is often given to a patient when cancerous cells spread rapidly to healthy cells.

Doctors must adequately evaluate a patients age, health and stage of cancer prior to administering chemotherapy. For mesothelioma patients, chemotherapy is not a curative method of treatment, but is actually administered to mesothelioma patients for several reasons including the following:

* stop growth and spreading of a cancer, to control the cancer

* minimize or shrink tumors – this method is also known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy

* palliative chemotherapy in which pain and other symptoms are meant to be reduced

* the destruction of microscopic disease that remains after a surgical procedure, also known as adjuvant chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is administered either as a catheter placed into a large vein in the body or a catheter attached as a port that is placed into the chest area under the skin for a period of time.

Living With Mesothelioma

Unfortunately, victims of mesothelioma continue to receive setbacks for their life-threatening condition, as there are currently no successful treatments for the deadly cancer.

However, an individual has the opportunity to participate in an array of clinical trial treatment groups as well as the opportunity to develop a mesothelioma lawsuit to derive monetary compensation as a means of repayment for the condition, which is often associated with extremely expensive medical bills.

Speaking with a qualified medical attorney who can offer a free legal consultation as to the creation of mesothelioma litigation can offer a mesothelioma victim peace of mind and insight into overcoming the financial burden of their condition.

About the Author

To learn more about mesothelioma cancer and additional treatments, visit http://www.mesothelioma-law-now.com/. Also, individuals can find other information about topics ranging from the Avandia risks to the latest on truck accident jury verdicts by visiting http://www.LegalView.com/.

Mesothelioma Treatment: Chemotherapy

Article by Laura Russell

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy

Article by Agatha Simona

Mesothelioma chemotherapy involves the treatment of cancer of mesothelium by delivering chemical agents and drugs that kill the malignant cells and structures in the body and arrest the production of cancerous cells. As the disease is, commonly, diagnosed in patients in it’s later stages, they are not eligible for curative surgery. Thus, chemotherapy is the widely practiced therapeutic modality in the treatment of mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy : Mechanism of Action of Drugs

The chemical agents used in mesothelioma chemotherapy differ from each other in their mechanism of action and in the phases of cell division where they act to arrest the metastasis of the cancerous cells.

Chemical agents may act by inhibiting cell division among uncontrollably dividing cells by creating unstable cross-links in the cell’s DNA or by binding with an enzyme essential for cell division.There are other chemical agents that facilitate the process of apoptosis, by which malfunctioning and malformed cells are destroyed and removed from the body , so that these cancerous cells may not divide and generate similar cells.The third mechanism of action of the drugs involves targeting tumor-specific antigens in a cell or specific molecular abnormalities that are known to lead to cancer. The action of these agents is described as monoclonal antibody therapy and they are categorized as chemotherapeutic agents.

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy: Pemetrexed & CisplatinThe combination therapy of Pemetrexed and Cisplatin, along with folic acid and Vitamin B12 is the standard for mesothelioma chemotherapy. Combination therapy is preferred over single agent therapy because patients often become resistant to the chemical agent and may demonstrate intolerable side effects when subjected to multiple cycles of a single agent whereas, the body doesn’t develop resistance to one agent when mesothelioma patients are exposed to combination therapy.

When used as a single agent for treatment of mesothelioma patients, Cisplatin displayed limited effectiveness and showed severe side effects, but the combination therapy of Pemetrexed & Cisplatin ,popularly known as Alimta therapy, significantly increased the median survival time and symptoms control. Vitamin B12 and Folic acid are administered to alleviate the toxicity and side effects of the chemical agents used in mesothelioma chemotherapy.

Pemetrexed Chemotherapy: Pemetrexed is an Antifoliate and inhibits the action of Folic acid in cell division by arresting the synthesis of DNA and RNA by interfering in production of specific enzymes responsible for their synthesis. This hampers the process of cell division and cell replication. Thus, Pemetrexed inhibits or slows down the growth of malignant mesothelioma cells.

Cisplatin Chemotherapy: Cisplatin is a Platinum agent that inhibits the process of cell replication by forming unstable cross-links in the DNA structure of the cancerous cell. Cisplatin was primarily used for single agent therapy, but after it’s efficacy as a combined therapy drug became known, it’s administered with Pemetrexed to mesothelioma patients.

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Treatment RegimenA mesothelioma patient undergoes a 21 day chemotherapy cycle. The patient is administered the drug combination of Pemetrexed and Cisplatin respectively on the first day of the cycle. This is followed by a 20 days waiting period to allow the patient’s immune system to recover from the side effects associated with the chemotherapy. Thus, the next cycle begins on the 22nd day. The doctor decides the course for the mesothelioma chemotherapy for the patient depending on the severity of the metastasis , age of the patient and the objective of the chemotherapy.

Side Effects of Mesothelioma ChemotherapyThe cytotoxic effect of the chemical agents on all rapidly dividing cells is the main reason for the side effects associated with mesothelioma chemotherapy. The drugs inhibit the cell division of all rapidly growing cells because they are unable to discern the internal structure of cancerous cells from that of the normal dividing cells. This lack of specificity of action on cancer cells leads to side effects like hair loss, digestive tract disorders and anemia. For example ,when the chemical agents act on the bone marrow and the blood cells causing neutropenia, shortfall in the count of neutrophills, the doctor has to wait before he can resume the second cycle on the mesothelioma patient.

However, the use of more targeted drugs with lesser toxicity profiles have considerably lessened the side effects of chemotherapy. The combination therapy and vitamin supplements to alleviate the toxicity of the drugs have also helped to a large extent in reducing the side effects of mesothelioma chemotherapy.

About the Author

Mesothelioma cancer patient resource with questions and answers about Mesothelioma Chemotherapy, a deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure.

Chemotherapy, used to treat cancers, including mesothelioma, involves the administering of a stringent regiment of drugs designed to destroy cancer cells. And while scientists are seeking a cure, chemotherapy can prevent the spread of cells or augment the impact of radiation or immunotherapy.

Dr. Jason Foster is one of a very small number of surgical oncologists in the United States practicing HIPEC, or hot chemotherapy. It’s used to treat cancers of the appendix, ovaries, colon as well as mesothelioma. Surgeons first remove the visible tumor from inside the abdominal cavity, then fill the cavity with a heated chemotherapy solution. The chemo essentially “washes” out the microscopic cancer cells from the patient’s abdomen. It’s these tiny cancer cells that often re-implant and cause the cancer to return. 65-80% of abdominal cancer returns in patients treated with traditional surgery followed by IV chemotherapy. To learn more about this approach or to make an appointment with Dr. Foster, visit www.nebraskamed.com or call 1-800-922-0000.

Jazz saxophonist Danny Moss was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2005. He talked about his illness and chemotherapy treatment in an interview with Virtual Medical Centre. On 28 May 2008, he passed away, aged 80. Warning: This video contains depictions of deceased persons and may be offensive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

www.mesovideolibrary.com – Visit the Mesothelioma Video Library to view Mary Jane Williams describing her experience with chemotherapy as a form of mesothelioma treatment. http Call us at 866-404-5805 or e-mail us at info@mesovideolibrary.com for more information on mesothelioma treatment options.

www.mesovideolibrary.com – Chemotherapy was a major portion of Ernie Conry’s pleural mesothelioma treatment. He describes his experience with mesothelioma treatment. View this video on our official website www.mesovideolibrary.com If you have questions about asbestos exposure or mesothelioma, contact us at 866-404-5805 info@mesovideolibrary.com.

Gemcitabine, a chemotherapy drug administered to combat numerous types of cancer, is being used to treat mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos. It works by interfering with the process of DNA replication in rapidly developing cancer cells, thereby stopping the spread of harmful growths.

A UK medical journal, The Lancet, released disturbing results of a study finding no benefit of chemotherapy on patients suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

The research, considered a setback for scientists seeking treatment for the condition, was conducted by Nicholas J. Vogelzang, MD, director of the Nevada Cancer Institute in Las Vegas, and was released in May 2008.

Chemotherapy Ineffective Mesothelioma Treatment

The study found that chemotherapy not only did not offer any improvement among mesothelioma patients but was found to have no significant impact whatsoever on survival rate of victims.

According to the study, the median average of survival rate between victims who received an active symptom control (ASC) versus those who received the same treatment plus chemotherapy was less than a month apart, suggesting no beneficial impact, although, the study did suggest further investigation into treatments of ASC and chemotherapy were likely required.

What is Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma?

MPM is considered an advanced and more severe form of malignant mesothelioma and has been characterized as an aggressive tumor with poor prognosis, according to a study published in The Oncologist, an international medical journal, in 2007. The cancer typically affects an individual’s lungs and causes extreme difficulties when breathing.

The condition is also difficult to treat because of the high rate of misdiagnosis among patients. Unfortunately, the incidence of this condition has also been on the rise, and experts speculate that through the next 10 to 20 years, the number will only increase.

Mesothelioma Causes

For years, mesothelioma has been linked to the inhalation of vermiculite asbestos fibers and dust. Vermiculite is a mineral that was heavily mined. During the 20th century, several vermiculite mines, although the exact number is unknown, were functional in the United States, with countless other mines in operation throughout the world.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently in charge of regulating and issuing guidelines for the safe removal and cleanup of asbestos in homes and building throughout the country. However, there is a large number, although estimates are not clear, of structures with asbestos-ridden insulation currently in the United States and improper exposure to such could increase risk of developing a form of mesothelioma.

Additional Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment Options

While the unfortunate truth is that malignant pleural mesothelioma is usually fatal among victims, there are a few treatment options for managing the disease, however these often depend upon the symptoms and stage of the illness.

Surgery is the most common mesothelioma treatment, although a study released in July 2007 in The Oncologist emphasized that the role of surgery in managing MPM is debatable. However, the three main surgical techniques used to manage MPM are pleurodesis, pleurectomy/decorication (P/D) and extrapleural pnemonectomy (EPP).

The study noted that as of yet, there have been no controlled studies determining whether one surgical procedure is better than another. Of the surgical procedures, the P/D and EPP methods aim for local control of the disease and while P/D has a limited morbidity, EPP has between 1.5 to 5 percent mortality rates.

It is often recommended that individuals who suffer from this type of mesothelioma or any form of mesothelioma locate an experienced mesothelioma attorney. Because of the high costs and technical difficulties associated with mesothelioma treatment, a mesothelioma lawsuit may potentially offer relief in the form of monetary compensation, especially since mesothelioma is considered by some to have been highly preventable.