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Mesothelioma Latency Period

2011-01-20T04:44:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Latency Period

Malignant mesothelioma often has a long period of latency, in fact the longest of the asbestos-related diseases, before a mesothelioma diagnosis occurs in people. Diagnosis happens by mesothelioma doctors when the disease becomes apparent, but latency refers to the length of time it takes from being exposed to asbestos until the time when the disease becomes apparent in a clinical examination. Latency can be as short as 10 years or as long as 50, but the average length of latency for malignant mesothelioma is 35 to 40 years between exposure and diagnosis.

Because the latency period for mesothelioma can vary from patient to patient, so too does the age of onset of the disease vary. However, most adult mesothelioma cases are diagnosed in patients between the ages of 40 and into their 60s. Child mesothelioma, while rare, does occur in 2 to 5 percent of malignant mesothelioma diagnoses.

A shorter latency period may occur if a patient has had a higher exposure to asbestos. Many of the people who have a short latency period were exposed to asbestos on the job; this is especially true of people with occupations in shipyards as well as the asbestos and insulation industries.

The typical long latency period of this disease is a contributing factor to a poor mesothelioma prognosis. Most cancers respond much better if they are caught early in their development. Because mesothelioma remains under the surface for typically many years, it is often quite advanced once a diagnosis is made.
Forms of Mesothelioma

The different types of mesothelioma cancer are named based on the parts of the body in which the disease occurs. The three primary mesotheliomas are:
Peritoneal mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma
Pericardial mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma is found in the abdomen, while Pleural mesothelioma occurs in the lungs. Pericardial mesothelioma happens in the area of the heart. Where the cancer occurs may also play a part in the latency period; a study showed that 28 years was the average latency period for peritoneal mesothelioma with an average asbestos exposure duration of 5 years, and 35 years latency period with 11 years exposure duration for pleural mesothelioma, but exposure duration could vary widely.
Asbestos Exposure

Exposure to asbestos while on the job appears to be the major cause of mesothelioma. Asbestos was widely used in the United States in the 1960s, and thus the disease tends to become most apparent 30 to 40 years after this, so perhaps the peak of diagnoses in the U.S. will have been between 2000 and 2004. Because laws on exposure to harmful elements while on the job were put into place, it is expected that these statistics will not be on the rise. Australia and Europe may see a peak in 2010 to 2019, and it remains to be seen what will occur in third world countries without the benefit of strong occupational hazard laws in place.
The Future

These statistics may be in flux, however, for several reasons. They include:
better health care and better food, people are living longer after retirement
better occupational exposure regulations, workers are no longer exposed to high levels of asbestos
better occupational exposure regulations, workers are no longer exposed to high levels of asbestos
Fewer cases of bronchogenic cancer, which may be fatal in workers exposed to asbestos, before the mesothelioma has made a physical impact

Due to these factors, we may see more cases of new-onset mesothelioma.

Secondary or limited exposure to asbestos is a contributing factor to the difficulty encountered when trying to figure out exactly when asbestos exposure occurred. However, one of the consequences of the World Trade Center disaster may help researchers to better understand this disease. Because rescue, cleanup, recovery and volunteer personnel were exposed to asbestos along with other airborne contaminants, long-term studies of these people are under way, which may assist researchers in gaining more knowledge about this serious disease.

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Mesothelioma Information

2011-01-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Information

As with any disease or health condition, mesothelioma researchers have, over time, collected statistical information about mesothelioma. These statistics can help us learn about the proclivities of the disease and its incidence and potentially help future patients as we learn more about mesothelioma.
Incidence of Diagnosis

New cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in between 2,500 and 3,000 Americans each year. These numbers, while significant, would indicate that mesothelioma is still a relatively rare disease, though incidence is expected to rise in the next decade according to projections.
Age at Diagnosis

The first diagnosis of mesothelioma typically occurs in men and women between the ages of 50 and 70 years. Mesothelioma patients, certainly, have been diagnosed at ages younger than 50 and older than 70, but diagnoses for those age groups are considered statistical anomalies.
Does Mesothelioma Occur in a Particular Sex or Racial Demographic More than Another?

Mesothelioma is much more common in men than women, due mostly to occupational asbestos exposure being more common among men of industrial labor sites. That is not to say, however, that women cannot be diagnosed with mesothelioma. In fact, recent evidence suggests that mesothelioma incidence in women may rise in the coming years as secondary exposures to asbestos can manifest in the form of a positive mesothelioma diagnosis. Also of note is that mesothelioma is much less common among African Americans than in Caucasians, the reasons for which researchers are still investigating.
What are Typical Patient Survival Rates Following a Mesothelioma Diagnosis?

As mesothelioma is often diagnosed in its advanced stages, the mesothelioma prognosis is sometimes poor with life expectancy being little more than a year following diagnosis. If diagnosed early enough however, patient prognoses increase dramatically. Patient survival rates are often contingent on the treatments available to the particular patient. In early mesothelioma stages, tumors eligible for mesothelioma surgery and will result in improved prognoses over those who are diagnosed with stage 3 mesothelioma or stage 4 mesothelioma. As new and alternative mesothelioma treatments are researched and employed in the future, it is realistic to anticipate an improvement in patient survival rates.
Other Mesothelioma Information
Mesothelioma Latency Period

Typically, there is a great deal of time between an individual's exposure to asbestos and the development of asbestos-related health complications. Mesothelioma is associated with a long-latency period (often 20-50 years) after exposure. Over a long period of time, lodged asbestos fibers slowly inflame the lung's external tissue, often serving as a pre-cursor to the development of malignant mesothelioma.
Adult Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is most common in adults. Adults who have asbestos exposure history are typically those most at risk for the development of malignant mesothelioma. It can take many years for those exposed to asbestos exposure to exhibit the effects of exposure and, as such, mesothelioma is most often diagnosed in older individuals, often up to 40 years following exposure.
Child Mesothelioma

Childhood diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is extremely rare, although it has been documented. Mesothelioma is known only to be caused by exposure to asbestos and takes many years following exposure to asbestos to manifest in adults. Generally speaking, childhood mesothelioma is considered to be unrelated to asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma and Women

Many women that have been diagnosed with mesothelioma had no direct exposure to asbestos from working in industrial job settings. Instead they discover that they are victims of second-hand asbestos exposure that occurred while washing their husband's clothes that came home from work with asbestos fibers on them.
Mesothelioma Prevention

Mesothelioma is known only to be caused by exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that was used for many years as an industrial insulation component. As such, the best mesothelioma prevention is the avoidance of exposure to asbestos. However, in recent years, physicians and cancer specialists have been developing a mesothelioma vaccine that will arm the body's immune system with cancer fighting anti-bodies and antigens in those who are at risk for the development of mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Vaccine

Recent studies by researchers in the Netherlands have found promising results in preventative therapies for mesothelioma. Using cancer-fighting antigens within the body's immune system, mesothelioma patients have responded positively in most cases when treated with the mesothelioma vaccine. The hope is now that this therapy can be applied to those who may be at risk of developing mesothelioma in the future, particularly those who have been exposed to asbestos but have yet to develop asbestos disease.
Medical Timeline

Historical timeline containing important facts and developments related to the manufacture and use of asbestos and documented cases of mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos related diseases.
Mesothelioma Misspellings

The word “mesothelioma” is often misspelled by people searching on the internet for information about this asbestos cancer. In this section we list some of the most common misspellings that we have seen individuals use in their internet searches for mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma Misconceptions

There are several common myths and misconceptions about mesothelioma. Learn more about what the true facts are about this asbestos-related disease.
Mesothelioma Disease

Mesothelioma cancer is a rare disease that attacks the cells of the tissue that lines the body cavity called the mesothelium. It’s only known cause is exposure to asbestos fibers.

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Mesothelioma Prognosis

2011-01-20T04:41:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Prognosisv

When an individual is diagnosed with mesothelioma or any other kind of cancer, one of the first questions they will have is “How long do I have to live?” This is a scary question - and a hard one to ask - but one for which most cancer patients will eventually seek an answer.

It is often very difficult for oncologists and members of a patient’s medical team to give a definitive answer to this query. Indeed, every case is different and cancer can be an unpredictable disease. Sometimes, cases that look hopeless turn out to be not so bleak. In other cases, cancers that don’t look so bad progress quickly and result in an untimely death.

Overall, the prognosis has been rather grim for mesothelioma patients during these past few decades. Malignant mesothelioma is extremely aggressive and has a long latency period. Hence, cases are usually not detected until the disease has reached the advanced stages of cancer. As a result the prognosis for such patients is often not favorable; the mesothelioma survival rate following diagnosis is usually just a year or two. That doesn’t mean, however, that there won’t be exceptions and that this dour outlook will not change in years to come, especially as more and better treatments are developed.
Determining Prognosis

Currently, a number of different issues determine the mesothelioma patient’s prognosis. These include:

Type - Mesothelioma is classified as one of three types, depending on the tissues involved. The epithelial type accounts for about 50 percent of all cases, sarcomatoid mesothelioma is seen in 15 percent of diagnosed patients, and 35% have the mixed type of the disease. Those with epithelial mesothelioma have a better survival rate than the other types.

Location - Mesothelioma is also classified on the basis of location. For example, pleural mesothelioma, which attacks the lining of the lung, is the most common, accounting for approximately 8o percent of all cases. Those with this type of cancer have the best rate of survival. Peritoneal mesothelioma, found in the lining of the abdomen, is the next most common and is diagnosed in about 10 -15 percent of mesothelioma victims. It is generally harder to treat. Less common types are very difficult to treat, including pericardial and testicular mesothelioma.

Stage of the disease - The prognosis for mesothelioma cancer depends on how early the disease is diagnosed and how soon treatment can begin. Because of the disease’s extended latency period, it is often not diagnosed until it has reached Stage 3 or 4, when mesothelioma symptoms finally appear. Sadly, many of these symptoms are common to a wide range of respiratory diseases including many that are less serious, like the flu or pneumonia. This often results in misdiagnosis.

Metastasis - When a mesothelioma diagnosis is finally made, oncologists will often find that the cancer has spread - or “metastasized” - from the location of the primary tumor - usually the pleura - to other parts of the body, often to the nearby organs as well as the lymph nodes. The extent of the metastases will determine what type of treatment is recommended as well as the prognosis.

General health of the patient - Simply put, younger and stronger patients with mesothelioma live longer than those of advanced age who have extant health problems. Seniors are often dealing with issues like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, making mesothelioma surgery as well as traditional cancer treatments much more risky and severely limiting treatment options.
Additional Mesothelioma Prognosis Factors
Mesothelioma Life Exptectancy

Life expectancy for those diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma depends on a number of factors including, general patient health, cancer stage at diagnosis, and the eligibility of the patient for certain treatment options. Those diagnosed with early stage cancer and in generally good health will have a more favorable prognosis than those diagnosed with later-stage disease.
Mesothelioma Survival Rate

Most survival rates for cancer are quoted in regards to what is commonly known as the relative five-year survival rate. This indicates the number of patients who are still alive five years after they are diagnosed with the disease. Currently, the five-year survival rate for mesothelioma victims is just 10 percent. Though this seems like a grim number, it is indeed higher than it was about 10 years ago and much higher than it was 20-30 years ago.

The current one-year survival rate for mesothelioma patients is about 40 percent. This has also increased significantly in the last 10 years. Unfortunately, however, the prognosis for most mesothelioma patients remains poor overall. Many still die less than a year after diagnosis, with the average survival rate being 10-11 months, according to the American Cancer Association.
Mesothelioma Remission

Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive types of cancer and can quickly metastasize from its origin into the lungs, abdominal cavity, and lymph nodes. As a result, very few mesothelioma patients go into remission. However, if treated properly and early enough, many patients have been able to extend survival rates long beyond previous expectations. Treatment options include surgical resection, chemotherapy, and mesothelioma radiation.
Mesothelioma Cure

While there is still no cure for mesothelioma, significant strides have been made over the past ten years in the area of mesothelioma research. As a result there are new tests that have been developed to help medical professionals detect the cancer sooner and there is a wide range of new treatment options available that can lead to improved life expectancy for mesothelioma victims. Patients who are diagnosed with early-stage disease may survive many years if the cancer is treated early with surgery, chemotherapy, and managed radiation therapy. Many patients have also had success through the utilization of alternative therapies in conjunction with conventional cancer treatments.
Mesothelioma Survivors

While there is currently no cure for mesothelioma, many patients have had success in managing their cancer with not only traditional treatments like chemotherapy and surgical methods, but also through the use of nutritional supplements, palliative therapies, and body-stress reduction techniques. Some patients diagnosed with mesothelioma have survived many years after what was an initially unfavorable prognosis.
Improving the Mesothelioma Prognosis

During the last decade, the plight of mesothelioma sufferers has gained more attention and more research dollars have been funneled towards the study of this disease and the discovery of new and novel drugs and treatments to provide more hope of a better prognosis for the mesothelioma sufferer.

Scientists have been working on new tests that strive to diagnose the disease at an earlier stage. For example, the Mesomark® assay is a simple blood test that measures the rate of Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptides (SMRP) in the blood. This biomarker is released by mesothelioma cells into the bloodstream and SMRP can be elevated for many years before symptoms appear and an actual diagnosis of the disease is made. This tool for early diagnosis could potentially save hundreds of lives.

Treatments with new chemotherapy drugs like Alimta® and procedures that deliver more targeted radiation to the tumor have also helped to add to a mesothelioma patient’s life expectancy. In addition, experimental treatments such as immunotherapy, gene therapy, and photodynamic therapy have shown some success in treating this difficult disease.

Each new step in the field of mesothelioma research improves the mesothelioma prognosis little by little and provides additional hope for mesothelioma-affected individuals and their loved ones.
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Mesothelioma Stages

2011-01-20T04:39:00.002-07:00

Mesothelioma Stages

How is mesothelioma staged?

Staging is the process of finding out how far the cancer has spread. Staging of mesothelioma is based on imaging studies such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRI scans. The mesothelioma treatment and life expectancy for patients with the disease largely depends on the stage (extent of spread) of their cancer. Since pleural mesothelioma occurs most frequently and has been studied the most, it is the only mesothelioma for which a staging classification exists.
Mesothelioma Staging Systems

Today, there are three primary staging systems used to assess how far mesothelioma cancer has spread and each system uses four stages to describe the progression of the disease. It is the definition of each stage within the various systems that can vary slightly.
Butchart Staging System

The staging system most often used for mesothelioma cancer is the Butchart system and is focused on defining the location of the primary tumor mass in body for each stage. The system doesn’t address how many cancer cells are present, how big the tumor is or the level of cancer present in the body overall.
TNM Staging System

The TNM Staging System, developed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), is similar to staging systems used for other types of cancer. It considers the characteristics of the tumor (T), whether or not lymph nodes are involved (N) and if the cancer has metastasized to other locations in the body (M).
Brigham Staging System

The Brigham Staging System also has four stages of progression and is very similar to the TNM Staging System. The primary difference between the two is that in addition to defining the location of the tumor, and assessing lymph node involvement and the presence of metastatic disease, the Brigham System also helps assess the possibility for and effectiveness of surgical intervention at each stage.
The Stages of Mesothelioma

The four stages of mesothelioma, as noted above, vary slightly within each system but can be generally characterized as indicated below. Please click into the individual pages to get more information about each stage in general and as is it defined within each staging system:
Stage 1 Mesothelioma

In Stage 1 the tumor is localized, there is no lymph node involvement and the cancer has not spread to other organs or tissues.
Stage 2 Mesothelioma

In Stage 2, the tumor is larger and has invaded the lung or diaphragm. Lymph nodes may also be involved.
Stage 3 Mesothelioma

In Stage 3, mesothelioma has invaded a single region or area such as the chest wall.
Stage 4 Mesothelioma

In Stage 4, mesothelioma has invaded multiple regions such as different areas of the chest wall, the diaphragm and/or the pericaridium. Lymph glands are also involved and the cancer has spread to other organs.
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Mesothelioma Types

2011-01-20T04:38:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Types

Types of Mesothelioma by Site
Pleural Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesothelioma often originates within the chest cavity and can, at times, involve the lung. This particular form of mesothelioma can metastasize to numerous organs in the body - even the brain - and tends to do so more frequently than not.

Pleural mesothelioma is not always easily detectable. Frequently, in the early stages of the disease, such as stage 1 mesothelioma, symptoms may be mild. Patients usually report pain in one area of the chest that never seems to go away, weight loss and fever. Occasionally, other symptoms are more severe and include problems with breathing due to fluid build up in the chest. A CT Scan of the chest area has proven to be the best test for identifying how far along the disease has progressed.

Frequently serum markers are used to diagnose of various forms of cancer. Mesothelioma cannot be diagnosed using this method as no serum markers currently exist. If high levels of hyaluronic acid are present it may be possible to distinguish mesothelioma types from other types of cancer or to determine the effectiveness of a treatment protocol.

The mesothelioma survival rate for patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma typically is not high as patients often do not live beyond seventeen months from the onset of symptoms. Only 8% of those with a mesothelioma diagnosis will live three to five years from the onset of mesothelioma symptoms.
Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma is the least common form of mesothelioma. Pericardial mesothelioma, as the name suggests, involves the heart. This rare type of mesothelioma cancer invades the pericardium, the sac that surrounds the heart. As the cancer progresses, the heart is not able to deliver oxygen as efficiently to the body causing further decline in health at an increasingly rapid rate. The symptoms most commonly associated with pericardial mesothelioma mimic those of a heart attack: nausea, pain in the chest and shortness of breath.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma originates in the abdomen and will frequently spread to other organs in area including the liver, spleen or bowel. Severe abdominal pain is the most common complaint that patients present to mesothelioma doctors. There may also be a discomfort level with fluid buildup in the abdomen as well. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include difficult bowel movements, nausea and vomiting, fever and swollen feet.

The survival rate is even worse for those diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma with patients typically surviving only ten months from the time that they first started experiencing the symptoms noted above.
Types of Mesothelioma Tumors
Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer and of all asbestos related diseases, the most serious. The symptoms associated with the disease make it difficult for doctors to diagnose. Often, by the time that a proper diagnosis is made, the disease has progressed to a point where patients do not respond well to treatment therapy. Malignant mesothelioma is caused almost exclusively by the inhalation of airborne asbestos particles. Another unique factor associated with the disease is that there can be a long latency period between the time of asbestos exposure and the actual manifestation of the disease in the form of malignant mesothelioma.
Benign Mesothelioma

Benign mesothelioma, or non-malignant mesothelioma, is much easier to treat than the malignant form of the cancer and can be treated successfully in many cases.
Mesothelioma Cell Types
Epithelial Mesothelioma

Epithelial Mesothelioma is the most common cell type and accounts for approximately 50-75% percent of all diagnosed cases each year. These cells are uniform in shape, with an elongated pattern that makes them easily distinguishable when viewed under high magnification. These types ofcancercells are adenocarcinomas, malignancies which are more commonly associated with pure lung cancers as opposed to cancers of the mesothelium.
Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is a less common cell type, accounting for between 7 and 20% of mesothelioma cases each year. These cells grow forth out of supportive structures, such as muscles and bones.
Biphasic Mesothelioma

Biphasic mesotheliomas are those with a mix of epithelial and sarcomatoid cell types. Mesothelioma treatment options do not vary greatly for different cell types, but often sarcomatoid mesotheliomas are more difficult to treat as a result of the surrounding affected tissues that they spread from.
Papillary Mesothelioma

Papillary mesothelioma, also known as well-differentiated mesothelioma, is a form of the asbestos cancer that typically affects women. In many cases this cell type is benign and not likely to spread to other organs in the body.
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Mesothelioma Diagnosis

2011-01-20T04:36:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Diagnosis

How do medical professionals diagnose mesothelioma?

If you believe that you may have mesothelioma, a qualified medical professional will use a variety of diagnostic tests and methods to confirm the presence of the disease.

The first step that mesothelioma doctors will take in evaluating an asbestos related disease is to obtain a full medical history to determine the level and severity of mesothelioma risk factors and presenting mesothelioma symptoms. This interview will consider among other things, where asbestos exposure occurred, the length of exposure and the amount of asbestos that you were exposed to.

In addition, he/she will perform a medical exam to look for signs and symptoms of various types of mesothelioma. For example, if pleural mesothelioma is suspected the doctor will look for fluid in the chest, peritoneal mesothelioma often shows fluid in the abdomen and pericardial mesothelioma presents with fluid in the area of the heart.
Diagnostic Tests
Imaging Scans

Diagnostic image tests like x-rays, CT scans and MRI's are useful in obtaining more information about the cancer including how far it is progressed. Each method provides another piece of information for your doctor to assist him/her in making an accurate diagnosis. Chest x-rays are used to identify abnormalities in the lungs including unusual thickening, mineral deposits and fluid in the chest area. CT scans are capable of providing images of the same location from many different angles. MRI technology uses magnetic fields rather than x-ray to provide additional views.
Biopsies

A biopsy is an important diagnostic procedure recommended by doctors for patients presenting with signs and symptoms of mesothelioma that have a history of asbestos exposure. Fine needle aspiration is the less invasive type of biopsy that can be performed. More invasive surgical biopsies are recommended if results from a needle biopsy are inconclusive or if a needle biopsy is not recommended for medical reasons.
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Mesothelioma Symptoms

2011-01-20T04:32:00.000-07:00

Mesothelioma Symptoms

What are the warning signs of mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose because the early signs and symptoms of the disease can be subtle at best. Symptoms are all too frequently ignored or dismissed by people who are inclined to attribute them to common every day ailments. Sometimes patients live with symptoms for up to 6 months before being diagnosed but usually the symptoms are present for two to three months prior to a mesothelioma diagnosis.

About 60% of patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma experience lower back pain or side chest pain and there are frequent reports of shortness of breath. Lower numbers of people may experience difficulty swallowing, or have a persistent cough, fever, weight loss or fatigue. Additional symptoms that some patients experience are muscle weakness, loss of sensory capability, coughing up blood, facial and arm swelling and hoarseness.

Peritoneal mesothelioma originates in the abdomen and as a result, symptoms often include abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, and vomiting. In the event that there is a hernia present, fluid buildup may occur in the abdomen as well.

Anyone previously exposed to asbestos displaying any of these symptoms should seek medical attention from mesothelioma doctors who specialize in treating mesothelioma like Dr. David Sugarbaker.
How long does it take for mesothelioma symptoms to appear?

One of the most unique facts about mesothelioma is that the disease is characterized by a long latency period that is very often associated with the disease. The latency period is the amount of time that elapses from the first point of asbestos exposure to the point where symptoms begin to appear so that a diagnosis can be made. In some mesothelioma cases the latency period is reported to be 10 years but the average latency for the majority of cases is between 35 and 40 years. As a result, the cancer often progresses to later stages before a diagnosis is made. When diagnosed in the later stages, mesothelioma treatment options become more limited and are less effective.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Provided below is a list of symptoms that mesothelioma patients may experience. Please click on a symptom to learn more about it.
Anemia

Mesothelioma patients diagnosed with anemia have a lower than normal red blood cell count or hemoglobin in the blood which can cause fatigue and if left untreated, result in a loss of bone marrow.
Blood Clotting Disorder

A symptom experienced by many mesothelioma patients that can lead to anemia and other serious complications if not given appropriate medical attention.
Bowel Obstruction

A very painful symptom that can sometimes develop in peritoneal mesothelioma patients due to fluid buildup in the abdomen.
Chest Pain

Often experienced in pleural mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma patients, chest pain can develop as the tumor grows and places strain on the lungs and heart.
Dysphagia

Pleural mesothelioma patients often develop difficulty swallowing (esophageal dyphagia) as the mesothelium continues to grow on the lungs.
Fluid Effusion

An effusion can occur in mesothelioma patients when there is fluid buildup affecting either the pleura or pericardium.
Hemoptysis

Hemoptysis, or the symptom of coughing up blood, can have its origins in the lungs, bronchi or trachea of mesothelioma patients.
Nausea

Nausea is experienced in a number of cancer patients as it is often a side effect of chemotherapy treatment. Those diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma may also experience nausea as a result of increasing abdominal pressure.
Peritoneal Effusion

Peritoneal mesothelioma patients may experience a buildup of fluid in the peritoneum as the tumor continues to grow. This can result in an effusion which can inhibit the function of abdominal organs.
Pleural Effusion

In pleural mesothelioma patients, pleural effusion may develop when there is a large amount of fluid present in the pleura, the lining between the lungs and chest cavity.
Weight Loss

Weight loss can occur in mesothelioma patient as a side effect from cancer treatment or as the result of other symptoms that may also be present such as difficulty swallowing or nausea.
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Mesothelioma Causes

2011-01-20T04:12:00.001-07:00

Mesothelioma Causes
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.

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Mesothelioma Cancer

2011-01-20T04:08:00.001-07:00

Mesothelioma Cancer

Malignant mesothelioma is the most serious of all asbestos-related diseases. Although uncommon, mesothelioma cancer is no longer considered rare. Making a correct mesothelioma diagnosis is particularly difficult for doctors because the disease often presents with symptoms that mimic other common ailments. There is no known cure for mesothelioma, but treatments such as mesothelioma radiation and chemotherapy have helped to improve the typical mesothelioma prognosis.
The cavities within the body encompassing the chest, abdomen, and heart are surround by a membrane of cells known as the mesothelium. Mesothelial cells assist in general organ functions.

The mesothelium is particularly important to organs which are commonly in motion, such as expansion or contraction of the lungs, stomach, or heart. Lubrication from the mesothelial cells allows free range of motion within the body. The mesothelium of the chest, abdomen, and cardiac cavity are called the pleura, the peritoneum, and the pericardium, respectively. Each of these groupings of mesothelial cells are extremely critical to the functions of the body structures which they encompass.

Malignancies (cancerous tumors) occurring within the mesothelial membranes are known as malignant mesothelioma, or simply mesothelioma. Benign tumors of the mesothelium are known to occur, but are much rarer than the more common mesothelioma cancer.

While tumors of the mesothelium were first recognized in the late 18th century, it was not until the middle of the 20th century that this particular cancer was studied and examined with more detail. It was at this time where suspicions of the cancer’s causal relationship with asbestos exposure became more substantiated. A joint study through the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the University of the Witswaterand/Johannesburg General Hospital in South Africa provided the most compelling evidence of the nexus between asbestos exposure and the development of pleural mesothelioma.

Incidence of mesothelioma is still quite rare, with only 2,500-3000 diagnoses in the United States each year. There was a spike in reported diagnoses between 1970 and 1984, which has been attributed to the latency period between diagnosis and the height of industrial exposures- which occurred roughly 40-60 years prior to this time. Exposure was common in nearly all industries but was particularly common in the WWII-era military industrial cycle, including Navy Shipyards.

Although this cancer is much more common in men over the age of 60 (largely attributed to the industrial exposures within male-dominated industries), mesothelioma in women and children has been described as well. Mesothelioma causes for diagnosis in women and children are mainly attributed to secondary exposure to asbestos, as it was not uncommon for men to bring asbestos back into the home on their body or clothing if proper cleaning facilities were not available on site.

There are three recognized mesothelioma cell-types. Between 50 and 70% of all mesotheliomas are of the epithelial variety. While prognosis is generally poor, these are considered less aggressive than mesotheliomas of the sarcomatoid and biphasic variety, which comprise the remainder of diagnoses. Mesothelioma treatment options for each type of diagnosis are essentially the same, depending on stage at diagnosis and overall patient health.

Pleural mesothelioma (affecting the lung’s protective lining in the chest cavity) represents about three quarters of all mesothelioma incidence. Peritoneal and pericardial mesotheliomas, affecting the abdominal and cardiac cavities comprise the remainder. Testicular mesothelioma is extremely rare and is typically presents with metastases of the peritoneal variety.
How is Mesothelioma Cancer Treated?

Mesothelioma, while certainly an aggressive disease, is a treatable malignancy. While there is no cure for mesothelioma, treatment options including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are available for many patients. While a combination of Alimta® and Cisplatin is currently the only FDA approved chemotherapy regimen, several clinical trials are currently in progress utilizing other drugs including Gemcitabine and Onconase, with many showing dramatically improved results in certain cancer patients.

Radiation therapy is also utilized, but typically in conjunction with other treatment methods like surgery and chemotherapy. Surgical resection of mesothelioma is possible in early-stage-diagnosed patients. Aggressive surgeries such as extrapleural pneumonectomy can extend survival rates far beyond previously-thought timeframes. Diagnostic and palliative surgeries such as pleurocentesis and pleurodesis are also common in patients of malignant mesothelioma cancer.

Alternative therapies have also been used effectively by many mesothelioma patients to assist in managing symptoms of the disease and conventional treatments. These treatments are mainly preferential but can be extremely valuable to many patients.
How is Mesothelioma Cancer Diagnosed?

Mesothelioma can be a difficult malignancy to diagnose because the symptoms and pathology of the disease closely resemble other respiratory conditions. For this reason, misdiagnosis is not uncommon in mesothelioma patients. Symptoms of mesothelioma include chest pain, chronic cough, effusions of the chest and abdomen, and the presence of blood in lung fluid.

Diagnostic surgeries, including a biopsy, will typically be required to determine the type of malignant cells that are present in the body. Typically a body imaging scan, including a magnetic resonance image (MRI) or computer topography (CT scan) will be required to determine the extent and location of the disease.

Mesothelioma patients are generally referred by their personal physicians to one of the many renowned mesothelioma doctors in the United States. These oncologists are well versed in the disease behavior and pathology and are the most familiar with cutting-edge mesothelioma treatment options. Dr. David Sugarbaker of the Brigham and Women's Hospital, an extension of Harvard University and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA, is at the forefront of mesothelioma treatment through the International Mesothelioma Program.
What Causes Mesothelioma Cancer

Mesothelioma is known only to be caused by exposure to asbestos, though cases have been documented in children or other individuals with no asbestos history. Asbestos is a microscopic and naturally-occuring mineral that lodges in the pleural lining of the lungs and the peritoneal lining of the abdominal cavity. In most cases, several years will pass (up to 60) before mesothelioma develops in those who had been exposed to asbestos.

In many cases, those diagnosed with mesothelioma who are known to have been exposed to asbestos may be eligible for financial compensation from asbestos manufacturers for their illness. Those who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and were exposed to asbestos should fill out the brief form on this page. We'll rush you a complimentary mesothelioma and asbestos exposure information kit detailing new mesothelioma treatments, active clinical trials, top doctors, as well as how to obtain compensation for asbestos-related health conditions like mesothelioma.
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Colon cancer

2011-01-18T04:41:00.000-07:00

Colon cancer

Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine (colon), the lower part of your digestive system. Rectal cancer is cancer of the last several inches of the colon. Together, they're often referred to as colorectal cancers.

Most cases of colon cancer begin as small, noncancerous (benign) clumps of cells called adenomatous polyps. Over time some of these polyps become colon cancers.

Polyps may be small and produce few, if any, symptoms. For this reason, doctors recommend regular screening tests to help prevent colon cancer by identifying polyps before they become colon cancer.

Lung Cancer Causes

2011-01-16T02:24:00.002-07:00

Lung Cancer Causes

Cigarette smoking is the most important cause of lung cancer. Research as far back as the 1950s clearly established this relationship.

Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, many of which have been identified as causing cancer.

A person who smokes more than one pack of cigarettes per day has a 20-25 times greater risk of developing lung cancer than someone who has never smoked.

Once a person quits smoking, his or her risk for lung cancer gradually decreases. About 15 years after quitting, the risk for lung cancer decreases to the level of someone who never smoked.

Cigar and pipe smoking increases the risk of lung cancer but not as much as smoking cigarettes.

About 90% of lung cancers arise due to tobacco use. The risk of developing lung cancer is related to the following factors:
the number of cigarettes smoked,

the age at which a person started smoking,

how long a person has smoked (or had smoked before quitting).

Other causes of lung cancer include the following:
Passive smoking, or secondhand smoke, presents another risk for lung cancer. An estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year in the U.S. that are attributable to passive smoking.

Air pollution from motor vehicles, factories, and other sources probably increase the risk for lung cancer, and many experts believe that prolonged exposure to polluted air is similar to prolonged exposure to passive smoking in terms of risk for developing lung cancer.

Asbestos exposure increases the risk of lung cancer nine times. A combination of asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking raises the risk to as much as 50 times. Another cancer known as mesothelioma (a type of cancer of the lining of the chest cavity called the pleura or of the lining of the abdominal cavity called the peritoneum) is also strongly associated with exposure to asbestos.

Lung diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also create a risk for lung cancer. A person with COPD has a four to six times greater risk of lung cancer even when the effect of cigarette smoking is excluded.

Radon exposure poses another risk.

Radon is a by-product of naturally occurring radium, which is a product of uranium.

Radon is present in indoor and outdoor air.

The risk for lung cancer increases with significant long-term exposure to radon, although no one knows the exact risk. An estimated 12% of lung cancer deaths are attributable to radon gas, or about 21,000 lung cancer-related deaths annually in the U.S. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after cigarette smoking. As with asbestos exposure, smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer with radon exposure.

Certain occupations where exposure to arsenic, chromium, nickel, aromatic hydrocarbons, and ethers occurs may increase the risk of lung cancer.

A person who has had lung cancer is more likely to develop a second lung cancer than the average person is to develop a first lung cancer.

How to Recognize Breast Cancer Symptoms

2011-01-15T14:06:00.002-07:00

How to Recognize Breast Cancer Symptoms on Howcast

Lung Cancer

2011-01-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

What is lung cancer?

Cancer of the lung, like all cancers, results from an abnormality in the body's basic unit of life, the cell. Normally, the body maintains a system of checks and balances on cell growth so that cells divide to produce new cells only when new cells are needed. Disruption of this system of checks and balances on cell growth results in an uncontrolled division and proliferation of cells that eventually forms a mass known as a tumor.

Tumors can be benign or malignant; when we speak of "cancer," we are referring to those tumors that are malignant. Benign tumors usually can be removed and do not spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, grow aggressively and invade other tissues of the body, allowing entry of tumor cells into the bloodstream or lymphatic system and then to other sites in the body. This process of spread is termedmetastasis; the areas of tumor growth at these distant sites are calledmetastases. Since lung cancer tends to spread or metastasize very early after it forms, it is a very life-threatening cancer and one of the most difficult cancers to treat. While lung cancer can spread to any organ in the body, certain organs -- particularly the adrenal glands, liver, brain, andbone -- are the most common sites for lung cancer metastasis.

The lung also is a very common site for metastasis from tumors in other parts of the body. Tumor metastases are made up of the same type of cells as the original (primary) tumor. For example, ifprostate cancer spreads via the bloodstream to the lungs, it is metastatic prostate cancer in the lung and is not lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Picture

The principal function of the lungs is to exchange gases between the air we breathe and the blood. Through the lung, carbon dioxide is removed from the bloodstream and oxygen from inspired air enters the bloodstream. The right lung has three lobes, while the left lung is divided into two lobes and a small structure called the lingula that is the equivalent of the middle lobe on the right. The major airways entering the lungs are the bronchi, which arise from the trachea. The bronchi branch into progressively smaller airways called bronchioles that end in tiny sacs known as alveoli where gas exchange occurs. The lungs and chest wall are covered with a thin layer of tissue called the pleura.

Lung cancers can arise in any part of the lung, but 90%-95% of cancers of the lung are thought to arise from the epithelial cells, the cells lining the larger and smaller airways (bronchi and bronchioles); for this reason, lung cancers are sometimes called bronchogenic cancers or bronchogenic carcinomas. (Carcinoma is another term for cancer.) Cancers also can arise from the pleura (called mesotheliomas) or rarely from supporting tissues within the lungs, for example, the blood vessels.

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Prevent Cancer Now

2011-01-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Prevent Cancer Now

It’s no secret: We all hope we don’t get cancer. Yet consider this: On a typical day in the Ottawa region, 16 people will be told by their doctors they have cancer, according to the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. In 2009, some 75,000 people will have died from cancer in Canada, with a predicted 171,000 new cases; and nearly half of all males and four in 10 females will get cancer in their lifetimes, with one in four of us dying from it (Canadian Cancer Statistics 2009, Canadian Cancer Society). Meanwhile, the search for the elusive cure for cancer continues without major breakthroughs, leaving those with cancer to face limited and often brutal treatment options.

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raven symone weight loss

2011-01-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

raven symone weight loss

Raven-Symone’s weight loss was apparent on the red carpet at the People’s Choice Awards Wednesday night. The actress is best known as the full-figured star of That’s So Raven, and the last time she had made a public appearance was in November when she stopped by the Soul Train Awards.

Fast forward to Wednesday, and Raven-Symone was looking great as she flaunted her weight loss in slim black leather pants and a black top that showed more cleavage than we’re used to seeing from the former Disney star.Raven explained to People that the weight loss occurred naturally after her popular Disney show ended. “That’s what stress does to you,” she told People magazine.

The 25-year-old actress showed up to the show wearing an all-black ensemble with slim leather pants, but she said that she never had any body image issues. In fact she loved the way she looked when she was heavier This got us thinking about other young ladies in Hollywood that are rockin slimmer and healthier new looks- Like Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Osbourne! Miss Kelly O- lost 50 lbs and went from what she calls: cherubic and chubby, to rocking a bikini! And she says shes never felt more confident. And dream girl Jennifer Hudson teamed up with Weight Watchers and went from a 16 to a jaw-dropping 4! Ladies- we always thought you looked good- but weve got to admit- youre confidence is stunning! For Teen CelebTV- Im Elena.

best regards

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Definition of bladder cancer

2011-01-08T04:35:00.001-07:00

Definition of bladder cancer

Definition of bladder cancer: Cancer that forms in tissues of the bladder (the organ that stores urine). Most bladder cancers are transitional cell carcinomas (cancer that begins in cells that normally make up the inner lining of the bladder). Other types include squamous cell carcinoma (cancer that begins in thin, flat cells) and adenocarcinoma (cancer that begins in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids). The cells that form squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma develop in the inner lining of the bladder as a result of chronic irritation and inflammation.

Estimated new cases and deaths from bladder cancer in the United States in 2010:

New cases: 70,530
Deaths: 14,680

See the online booklet What You Need To Know About™ Bladder Cancer to learn about bladder cancer symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and questions to ask the doctor.

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Female Breast

2011-01-08T04:29:00.000-07:00

Female Breast

The female breast is either of two mammary glands (organs of milk secretion) on the chest.

Important..What Is Breast Cancer?

2011-01-08T04:24:00.000-07:00

Important..What Is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. To better understand breast cancer, it helps to understand how any cancer can develop.

Cancer occurs as a result of mutations, or abnormal changes, in the genes responsible for regulating the growth of cells and keeping them healthy. The genes are in each cell’s nucleus, which acts as the “control room” of each cell. Normally, the cells in our bodies replace themselves through an orderly process of cell growth: healthy new cells take over as old ones die out. But over time, mutations can “turn on” certain genes and “turn off” others in a cell. That changed cell gains the ability to keep dividing without control or order, producing more cells just like it and forming a tumor.

A tumor can be benign (not dangerous to health) or malignant (has the potential to be dangerous). Benign tumors are not considered cancerous: their cells are close to normal in appearance, they grow slowly, and they do not invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors are cancerous. Left unchecked, malignant cells eventually can spread beyond the original tumor to other parts of the body.

The term “breast cancer” refers to a malignant tumor that has developed from cells in the breast. Usually breast cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands, or the ducts, the passages that drain milk from the lobules to the nipple. Less commonly, breast cancer can begin in the stromal tissues, which include the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast.

Breast Anatomy
Larger Version

Over time, cancer cells can invade nearby healthy breast tissue and make their way into the underarm lymph nodes, small organs that filter out foreign substances in the body. If cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they then have a pathway into other parts of the body. The breast cancer’s stage refers to how far the cancer cells have spread beyond the original tumor (see Stages of Breast Cancer table for more information).

Breast cancer is always caused by a genetic abnormality (a “mistake” in the genetic material). However, only 5-10% of cancers are due to an abnormality inherited from your mother or father. About 90% of breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and the “wear and tear” of life in general.

While there are steps every person can take to help the body stay as healthy as possible (such as eating a balanced diet, not smoking, limiting alcohol, and exercising regularly), breast cancer is never anyone's fault. Feeling guilty, or telling yourself that breast cancer happened because of something you or anyone else did, is not productive.
Stages of Breast CancerStage Definition
Stage 0 Cancer cells remain inside the breast duct, without invasion into normal adjacent breast tissue.
Stage I Cancer is 2 centimeters or less and is confined to the breast (lymph nodes are clear).
Stage IIA No tumor can be found in the breast, but cancer cells are found in the axillary lymph nodes (the lymph nodes under the arm)
OR
the tumor measures 2 centimeters or smaller and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes
OR
the tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
Stage IIB The tumor is larger than 2 but no larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes
OR
the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
Stage IIIA No tumor is found in the breast. Cancer is found in axillary lymph nodes that are sticking together or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone
OR
the tumor is any size. Cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, which are sticking together or to other structures, or cancer may be found in lymph nodes near the breastbone.
Stage IIIB The tumor may be any size and has spread to the chest wall and/or skin of the breast
AND
may have spread to axillary lymph nodes that are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer may have spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone.

Inflammatory breast cancer is considered at least stage IIIB.
Stage IIIC There may either be no sign of cancer in the breast or a tumor may be any size and may have spread to the chest wall and/or the skin of the breast
AND
the cancer has spread to lymph nodes either above or below the collarbone
AND
the cancer may have spread to axillary lymph nodes or to lymph nodes near the breastbone.
Stage IV The cancer has spread — or metastasized — to other parts of the body.

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Death gets more expensive in King County

2011-01-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

Death gets more expensive in King County

SEATTLE - They say two things are certain, death and taxes. But some families feel like the two go hand in hand because of a new rule at the King County Medical Examiner’s office.

Lisa Lane remembers her mother as a strong woman who lived life to the fullest.

"A really vibrant bright woman who did everything she wanted to do," says Lane.

She says her mother used to smoke and she developed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (C.O.P.D). Lane cared for her for three years until her mother died just before Christmas.

"I touched her arm and the heat just left her body. Just like that it was amazing," Lane says.

But the chill really set in when Lane noticed a King County Medical Examiners permit fee at the bottom of the funeral home invoice.

"It made me mad. I felt like it was sneaky, kind of," says Lane. "I never heard of it before."

The county's medical examiner instituted the fee for cremations three years ago, and in 2011 included the fee for burials as well. It pays for a review of every death in the county.

"There is not any of this money going into the Medical Examiners budget or the county coffers," says Gareth Johnson, Prevention Division manager for the county’s Department of Public Health. "It's being used only to cover the costs of conducting this review."

"I can only use that money to conduct a quality review of every death in the county to make sure we know why people died," says Johnson.

"King county is the only county that is doing this for both cremation and burial," says John Eric Rolfstad, executive director of the People's Memorial Association. "It's the only jurisdiction in the country that is doing this for deaths."

Rolfstad claims reviewing every death is unnecessary.

"If a person is 85 years old and dies of lung cancer on hospice, does the county need to look any further into this death?" he asks.

"Part of the problem is that taxpayers in this state don't like taxes, so we get fee'ed to death, literally," says Rolfstad.

Lane had no choice to pay the fee. Otherwise she couldn't lay her mom to rest.

"It just doesn't seem right," she says.

The county says the new fee will not only pay for a review of every death, but allow them to add more death investigators and pathologists for the process. The increase in staff will expedite the time it takes for them to determine cause of death.

By ELISA HAHN

Blood test to spot cancer gets big boos

2011-01-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Blood test to spot cancer gets big boos

J&J announces plans to help bring 'liquid biopsy' to the market

BOSTON — A blood test so sensitive that it can spot a single cancer cell lurking among a billion healthy ones is moving one step closer to being available at your doctor's office.

Boston scientists who invented the test and health care giant Johnson & Johnson will announce Monday that they are joining forces to bring it to market. Four big cancer centers also will start studies using the experimental test this year.

Stray cancer cells in the blood mean that a tumor has spread or is likely to, many doctors believe. A test that can capture such cells has the potential to transform care for many types of cancer, especially breast, prostate, colon and lung.

Initially, doctors want to use the test to try to predict what treatments would be best for each patient's tumor and find out quickly if they are working.

"This is like a liquid biopsy" that avoids painful tissue sampling and may give a better way to monitor patients than periodic imaging scans, said Dr. Daniel Haber, chief of Massachusetts General Hospital's cancer center and one of the test's inventors.

Ultimately, the test may offer a way to screen for cancer besides the mammograms, colonoscopies and other less-than-ideal methods used now.

"There's a lot of potential here, and that's why there's a lot of excitement," said Dr. Mark Kris, lung cancer chief at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He had no role in developing the test, but Sloan-Kettering is one of the sites that will study it this year.

Many people have their cancers diagnosed through needle biopsies. These often do not provide enough of a sample to determine what genes or pathways control a tumor's growth. Or the sample may no longer be available by the time the patient gets sent to a specialist to decide what treatment to prescribe.

Doctors typically give a drug or radiation treatment and then do a CT scan two months later to look for tumor shrinkage. Some patients only live long enough to try one or two treatments, so a test that can gauge success sooner, by looking at cancer cells in the blood, could give patients more options.

"If you could find out quickly, 'this drug is working, stay on it,' or 'this drug is not working, try something else,' that would be huge," Haber said.

The only test on the market now to find tumor cells in blood — CellSearch, made by J&J's Veridex unit — just gives a cell count. It doesn't capture whole cells that doctors can analyze to choose treatments.

Interest in trying to collect these cells soared in 2007, after Haber and his colleagues published a study of Mass General's test. It is far more powerful than CellSearch and traps cells intact. It requires only a couple of teaspoons of blood and can be done repeatedly to monitor treatment or determine why a drug has stopped working and what to try next.

"That's what got the scientific community's interest," Kris said. Doctors can give a drug one day and sample blood the next day to see if the circulating tumor cells are gone, he explained.

The initial version of the test used a microchip with tiny posts to capture the cells. A second, updated version uses a herringbone design instead of posts. Four cancer centers will do tests this year using that new design with a grant from the Stand Up to Cancer telethon.

The test can find one cancer cell in a billion or more healthy cells, said Mehmet Toner, a Harvard University bioengineer who helped design it. Researchers know this because they spiked blood samples with cancer cells and then searched for them with the chip.

Studies of the chip have been published in the journals Nature, the New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine. It is the most promising of several dozen that companies and universities are rushing to develop to capture circulating tumor cells, said Bob McCormack, technology chief for Veridex.

The agreement announced Monday will have Veridex and J&J's Ortho Biotech Oncology unit work to improve the microchip, including trying a cheaper plastic to make it practical for mass production. No price goal has been set, a company official said, but the current CellSearch test costs several hundred dollars.

The companies will start a research center at Mass General and will have rights to license the test from the hospital, which holds the patents.

In a separate effort, Mass General, Sloan-Kettering, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston will start using the test this year. They are one of the "dream teams" sharing a $15 million grant from the Stand Up to Cancer telethon, run by the American Association for Cancer Research.

Already, scientists have been surprised to find that more cancer patients harbor these stray cells than has been believed. In one study, the test was used on men thought to have cancer confined to the prostate, "but we found these cells in two-thirds of patients," Toner said.

This might mean that cancer cells enter the blood soon after a tumor starts, or that more cancers have already spread but are unseen by doctors.

Or it could mean something else entirely, because researchers have much to learn about these cells, said Dr. Minetta Liu, a breast cancer specialist at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. She led a session on them at the recent San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and has been a paid speaker for Veridex. She hopes the cells will someday aid cancer screening.

"The dream is, a woman comes in for her mammogram and gets a tube of blood drawn," so doctors can look for cancer cells in her blood as well as tumors on the imaging exam, she said.

That's still far off, but Mass General's test already is letting doctors monitor patients without painful biopsies. Like Greg Vrettos, who suffered a collapsed lung from a biopsy in 2004, when he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

"It had spread to both lungs and they couldn't operate," said Vrettos, 63, a nonsmoker and retired electrical engineer from Durham, N.H. Tests from the biopsy showed that he was a good candidate for the drug Iressa, which he has taken ever since. He goes to Boston every three months for CT scans and the blood test.

"They could look at the number of cancer cells and see that it dropped over time. It corresponded with what the scans were showing," Vrettos said of doctors looking at his blood tests.

The test also showed when he had a setback last January and needed to have his treatment adjusted.

"I think it's going to be revolutionary," he said of the test.

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE

Elizabeth Edwards dies of cancer

2011-01-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Edwards dies of cancer

ELIZABETH Edwards, the high-profile wife of former Democratic vice-presidential candidate John Edwards, has died of cancer at 61 in her home in North Carolina.

Yesterday Ms Edwards announced said she had stopped cancer treatment after doctors informed her that any further therapy would be useless.

Ms Edwards, who separated from her husband after news that the former senator fathered a child with another woman, has been battling cancer since 2004, when he was John Kerry's running mate on the defeated Democratic ticket.

Media in her home state of North Carolina said that Ms Edwards's family had gathered around her in her final hours, including her husband, who moved back to help care for her and their two young children.

"The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered," Ms Edwards said on her Facebook page yesterday.

"We know that. And, yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human."

She had noticed a lump on her breast during a presidential campaign trip and began treatment in 2005.

The cancer went into remission after surgery and months of treatment, but it returned in early 2007 as John Edwards was once again campaigning for the White House.

Mr Edwards dropped out of the political scene when news of his affair broke after he ended his 2008 presidential bid.

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Exercise may extend life after prostate cancer diagnosis

2011-01-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

Exercise may extend life after prostate cancer diagnosis

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer often have a number of treatment options ranging from watchful waiting to surgery. But new research suggests they have another, readily accessible and totally noninvasive weapon in their arsenal: physical activity.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that men who engaged in various levels of physical activity during the years after their diagnosis with prostate cancer enjoyed substantial reductions in overall mortality (that is, death from any cause). And those who engaged in modest amounts of vigorous activities such as biking, tennis, jogging or swimming for three or more hours a week substantially reduced their risk of dying specifically from prostate cancer.

In short, the study found that those who walked 90 minutes per week at a normal to very brisk pace had a 46-percent lower risk of dying of any cause compared with those who walked for shorter durations at an easy walking pace. Men who got three hours per week of vigorous activity had a 49-percent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 61-percent lower risk of dying from prostate cancer compared with men who got less than 1 hour per week of vigorous activity. Men exercising vigorously before and after diagnosis had the lowest risk.

The findings were culled from data collected over 18 years from more than 51,000 male physicians participating in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, launched in 1986 with followups every two years. From that data pool, researchers identified 2,705 cases of prostate cancer and 548 deaths, 112 (20 percent) of them resulting in death from that cancer. Researchers made adjustments to account for the effect of advanced disease on the ability to engage in physical activity and for the effect of physical activity that preceded diagnosis.

While prostate cancer is the most common cancers among American males (), it is also one of the least likely to kill them, with a 10-year survival rate of 93 percent.

The study's authors suggest a number of means by which physical activity might influence cancer survival, from modulating insulin activity and inflammation to altering the immune system's behavior. They write that more research is required to pin down the precise mechanism of action.

Obviously nobody's suggesting that physical activity is a cancer cure. But this research, particularly when viewed along with earlier studies linking exercise to better outcomes for patients with colon and breast cancer, is grounds for hope that people with prostate cancer may be able to, er, take steps to keep themselves alive and kicking.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget | January 6, 2011; 7:00 AM ET

Standard Treatment for Cancer

2011-01-06T04:22:00.000-07:00

Standard Treatment for Cancer

here are four standard methods of treatment for cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and biologic therapy. Clinical trials may be an option for some as cancer treatment who meet certain study criteria. Others may choose alternative cancer treatments, which are usually not FDA-approved and often given in locations outside of the U.S.

When initially diagnosed with cancer, a cancer specialist, an oncologist, will provide you with the cancer treatment options. He or she will recommend the best treatment plan based on your type of cancer, how far it has spread, and other important factors like your age and general health.

Ultimately, you are the one who makes your treatment decisions based on your doctor's recommendations, possible second opinions, and other information gathered from qualified professionals.

Methods of Treatment for Cancer
Surgery: Surgery can be used to prevent, treat, stage (determine how advanced the cancer is), and diagnose cancer. In relation to cancer treatment, surgery is done to remove tumors or as much of the cancerous tissue as possible. It is often performed in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

For those whose cancer is not treatable, palliative surgery may be an option to relieve pain that may be caused by the cancer. Palliative surgery is not intended to treat or cure the cancer, or even to prolong life.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses of drugs to eliminate cancer cells. Unlike surgery, chemotherapy affects the entire body, not just a specific part. It works by targeting rapidly multiplying cancer cells. Unfortunately, other types of cells in our bodies also multiply at high rates, like hair follicle cells and the cells that line our stomachs. This is why chemo can cause side effects like hair loss and an upset stomach.

Chemotherapy is most commonly given by pill or intravenously (IV), but can be given in other ways. A single type of chemotherapy, or a combination of drugs, may be prescribed for a specific length of time. Like surgery, chemotherapy can be prescribed alone, in conjunction with radiation therapy or biologic therapy.

Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy uses certain types of energy to shrink tumors or eliminate cancer cells. It works by damaging a cancer cell's DNA, making it unable to multiply. Cancer cells are highly sensitive to radiation and typically die when treated. Nearby healthy cells can be damaged as well, but are resilient and are able to fully recover.

Radiation therapy may be given alone, along with chemotherapy, and/or with surgery. The decision to combine radiation therapy with other types of treatment depends on the stage of cancer and other factors.

Biologic or Targeted Therapy:
Biologic therapy is a term for drugs that target characteristics of cancerous tumors. Some types of targeted therapies work by blocking the biological processes of tumors that allow tumors to thrive and grow. Other types of therapies cut off the blood supply to the tumor, causing it to basically starve and die because of a lack of blood.

Targeted therapy is used in select types of cancer and is not available for everyone. It is given in conjunction with other cancer treatments.

Clinical Trials: Research studies of the latest drugs and therapies against many types of cancer are continuously being conducted. This type of research requires human volunteers to test the safety and effectiveness of new therapies.

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Prostate Cancer - Radical Prostatectomy

2011-01-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

Prostate Cancer - Radical Prostatectomy

Prostate Cancer Surgery

2011-01-05T08:52:00.002-07:00