Mesotheloma : What You Need To Know About Mesotheloma

What Is Mesotheloma?

Mesotheloma is a type of cancer that affects the inner lining of the lungs commonly referred as pleura. Mesotheloma is a rather rare type of cancer that affects only about one in every 50,000 of the general population on the average. Although mesotheloma is rare, it is often hard to diagnose in its early stages, and far too often medical practitional have overlooked its causes and symptoms as its symptoms that it shows are quite similar to other lung ailments such as pneumonia.

Causes of Mesotheloma

What are the causes of mesotheloma? Mesotheloma is usually caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos where the tiny asbestos particles that floats within the air is inhaled into the body. People who are normally affected are those who worked in the manufacturing sectors that involves the use of asbestos.

As asbestos is a great insulator and a rather flexible material, it is often used in building materials such as roofs, cements as well as flooring materials. Although asbestos has been a great material, its use has been reduced and controlled since the last several decades after findings have shown that asbestos is lethal and is the main cause of mesotheloma. And also because the first symptom of mesotheloma only start to develop after a time span of about 20 to 50 years, its use has ever since been very widespread and therefore many people have been killed by mesotheloma.

How Does Asbestos Causes Mesotheloma

Asbestos inhaled over time causes the pleura, which is found all over the lungs, and in the covering the chest cavity could result in the accumulation of water in the internal linings of the lungs. Most exposed people never know they have water acumulation in their lungs as they shows no symptoms at all initially.

However, over time the water in the lining of the lungs becomes sticky and tend to stick together with the chest cavity causing pleural thickening. A thickened pleural prohibits the free movement of the lungs when one breathe in and out resulting in some degree of loss in lungs functionality, thereby causing breathing difficulties as well as shortness of breath.

Also as time passes, the asbestos in the pleura acts as an irritant and causes the growth of deformed malignant cells which then reproduce very rapidly and attack on other mesothelial cells. Eventually, this malformed cells becomes what is known as mesotheloma cancer.

Symptoms Of Mesotheloma

Generally the symptoms of mesothelioma could include one or more of the followings:

* Acute Shortness Of Breath
* Severe Cough
* Pain In The Chest
* Appetite Loss
* Easily Fatique


More severe symptoms where the cancer cells could have spread to other organs or other part of the body. Symptoms may include:

* Trouble Eating And Swallowing
* Blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
* Eyes and skins turns yellowish
* Swelling of the neck area and face

Mesotheloma Diagnosis and Treatment

Mesotheloma diagnosis can be overwhelmingly difficult as its symptoms are similar to other lung ailments. However, successful early diagnosis of mesotheloma greatly improves the chances of survival. Also thanks to the advance in research and technology, there are now many treatments available for mesotheloma ranging from the traditional surgery, immunotherapy to radiation as well as chemotherapy.

Despite of the many available form of treatments, chemotherapy has been proven to be the most successful in treating early stages of mesotheloma. The success rate has been more than 70% for the treatment of stage I and stage II mesotheloma in prolonging the life to 5 years or more.

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TIPS TO ELIMINATE STRESS

Almost everyone must have experienced stress, but would anyone be able to handle it well? Not necessarily. There are some people who already have the means to overcome the stress they experience, some others may be too protracted so that the impact of increasingly severe stress. Many of the experiences that offer a variety of ways to cope with stress, and of course that all is not necessarily suitable for everyone. Basically we have to maintain a balance ourselves in many ways to avoid stress, here are some tips that maybe you can try when you start feeling signs of stress and a sense of "emptiness" in living your activity. These tips my friend synthesis of various experiences and great people I ever met in this life.

• Look at water in the pond

The pool is meant here is the fish pond. Try to imagine when poked your head above water pool, what can you see? 1. You'll see the fish swimming freely. Now the analogy yourself such as fish. Basically, you have freedom, you are free to find happiness, then for what you continue to dissolve in grief and burden. 2. Crystal clear water you can see, hear and feel the coolness gemericiknya, this can help relax your mind. 3. You can see the shadow of your face, see that your face is so cute, so too bad if the sadness and fatigue are always visible.

• Sleeping with a different position than usual

There may be no direct relationship with stress, but how this can be tried because it can change the mood to rest and to provide a new atmosphere

• Eat your favorite foods

This method is mostly done, nobody likes to eat sweets when stressed, nobody likes to eat and there are also many who eat spicy food when strees. This interrupted individual taste. What is clear for some people to eat their favorite meals are able to restore their morale.

• Mop floors

A bit odd really. But this way I found to someone. Maybe your friends can try it. Originally by ngepel own room, rooms so clean, fragrant and comfortable to live in, this can enhance our mood and spirit for the rest we can get back. But it would be very useful also when the rooms of others were also in pelkan too ... hehehe. Add a reward!

• Walk away

Walking here in the context of walking alone. According to sources I encountered while walking we can express our resentment if we're upset or introspection. Many things also that we can meet when walking, may meet with people who are not more fortunate than us so it can add a sense of gratitude, or can also meet the wise man who actually gave us a lot of new spirit. Can also meet old friends so we can reminisce with the beautiful things first. Anyway the important moment is the moment of introspection, with introspection, we can find an appropriate way to address our problems.

• Create article

This is even stranger. People were told to write the stress instead? Where can! Upss wait, it is the tips that I dug from a successful writer. It turned out that by writing some of our feelings will channeled through the text. Feelings of sadness, anger, resentment will disappear after the write. I was different again, when I'm sad, upset, angry I write it in the form of a letter, but the letters keep me save it, and if one day I read the letters big enough to make me laugh, good laugh at myself and laugh events that occurred at that time.

• Look at photos of our parents

Parents are indeed remarkable spirit. Be thankful friend if both your parents are still there, because they can be the spirit for you. Surely you do not want to disappoint them though right? Make a friend's apartment away from their parents, these tips might be helpful to mengambalikan your spirit. I am inspired by the film 3 idiot, because I'm watching? I've watched it 9x. very inspiring ... but of course must be able to filter out the good, the good and the bad we take our raw waste. Ok.

• Rest, eat, and exercising regularly

Usually stress induced by our conditions of stable sodium absorption ratio, usually appear when the condition of our body fatigue. The hard workers who spend their everyday work, especially for those of you who run an Internet business, of course you all night vigil in front of the computer to work. There are times when you must pay attention to your body condition, with adequate rest in bed, maybe you can reduce tension in front of the computer. Sports are simply too important to stretch the muscles of our body. In addition to the sports we can maintain fitness and staminakita so it does not easily tired and stressed. This diet is also very important to be maintained, late meals and foods that do not meet nutritional needs can also trigger stress.

• Vacation

There are times when we need a holiday, whether with friends or family. You can also anywhere depending on individual taste. Vacation here you can eliminate fatigue on routine activity that you do.

• Prayer

Tips for last when all the ways you have to do is pray. Pray to God that provided health care, bring myself to Him, pray, and always say thanks for all the abundance of His blessings. It has a big influence so that you avoid the attack of severe stress.

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Can stress cause physical disorders in the human body?

Stress not only contains the ability to destroy the quality of our lives both mentally and emotionally, but stress can cause a number of serious physical disorders that are associated with recurrent stress and chronic stress. Most people do not understand this fact and thus continue to wear down both their bodies and mind not knowing how to deal with the root cause – stress.

For many people who leave stress untreated for years and years in their life, disorders like high blood pressure and diabetes begin to materialize and cause sickness. These two physical ailments can typically be taken care of with stress reduction techniques, but others are more serious which may lead to death.

One such serious disorder is heart disease. When a man or a woman has a sudden heart attack, it is often preceded by some sort of stressful event. For example, you will find statistics that show many more heart attacks in areas where there has been a large stressful event such as an earthquake, where hundreds or thousands of lives were affected by it.

Another heart related ailment that is stress related is called Angina. Angina is a heart muscle pain that is caused by a deficiency of oxygen reaching the heart muscle cells. When there is an increase in oxygen demand that coincides with narrowed cardiac arteries for example, angina is the result.

If you are living a very high stressed life or dealing with chronic stress problems then another physical ailment that you are in danger of is called diabetes mellitus. Chronic stress has been shown to precipitate insulin resistance. This contributes to the onset of diabetes.

Chronic stress also causes serious problems with the digestive system. In fact, digestion may be paused during the “fight or flight” response, and ongoing stress impedes its progress. The fight or flight response can come in the form of any type of event where your mind is in great fear.

When this happens, blood concentrations of sugars and fats rise during the stressful event, which puts a demand on the pancreas to supply insulin. Over time, the body becomes insulin-resistant.

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Holistic Drug Treatment Options

Drugs can be abused in many different ways and there is no typical scenario for all drug addicts. The types of drugs that are abused are countless and can include both street drugs and prescription drugs. Drug addicts are found in all parts of society, but regardless of the social background of an addict, recovering from an addiction is very hard. Traditional drug treatment programs, such as the well-known 12-step program, focus on the belief that substance addiction is a disease. This belief typically sets addicts up for failure because the first lesson taught in a treatment session is that addiction is a disease over which they have no control; therefore they believe that they can never become drug-free without lifelong support and treatment. Holistic drug treatment takes a completely different approach to the addiction, and offers freedom from such dependent thinking.

Holistic drug treatment was developed with the idea that addiction is not a disease, and that if addicts are ready, they can conquer their addictions. With the guidance and support of well-trained, experienced staff members at a Narconon holistic drug treatment center, addicts are able to regain control of their lives. Narconon is one the most successful holistic drug treatment centers in the nation, with a proven success rate of 76% of graduates choosing to remain drug-free after 5 years, while conventional treatment programs can boast a success rate of only 15-20%.

The Narconon holistic drug treatment program has great success because of the alternate approach to defeat drug addiction. Students begin the program with holistic drug detox, which rids their bodies of the residuals left behind from the drugs they’ve consumed. Such drug residues, if not removed from the body, can trigger drug cravings even years after the drug was last consumed, which can lead to a relapse. Removing the drug residues through holistic drug treatment reduces the chance of confronting future cravings.

In addition to holistic drug detox, the Narconon drug rehab program will teach students how to deal with the pressures of everyday life, how to practice self-control, and ultimately, how to defeat their addiction to drugs.

The purpose of the Narconon rehab program is to assist students in starting a new, drug-free life. Every student is unique and will require a different amount of time to satisfactorily complete the holistic drug treatment program. For this reason the Narconon program does not follow a strict timeline. While students in this program typically take 3-6 months the complete the program, the duration is entirely dependent on each student and their individual progress. Since the Narconon program is dedicated to the success of the addict, all portions of the rehabilitation treatment are included in the flat rate, regardless of the duration of time spent in rehab. That allows the addict and their loved ones to be able to focus on what is important during this very important process in their lives; recovery from the addiction.

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Holistic Alcohol Treatment and Rehab

Alcohol addiction is real and for those with the addiction, it may appear difficult to escape. However, when an alcoholic chooses to seek help, it may feel as if the options are limited. There are different schools of thought regarding the classification of alcoholism, and whether or not it is a disease. Most commonly, addicts subscribe to the belief that alcoholism is a disease that is beyond their control. Most rehab programs subscribe to the disease belief, which limits the choices for an alcoholic that seeks treatment, because a disease cannot be “cured”, it can only be “managed”. Holistic alcohol rehab is centered on the belief that alcoholism is not a disease and that a person who wishes to conquer his addiction can do so and is only limited by the barriers that he himself puts there.

Holistic alcohol treatment was developed to provide the opportunity for alcoholics to defeat their own addictions, without the crutch of claiming the inability to control their “diseases.” In traditional treatment programs that focus on the disease concept, graduates have a low chance of success because they are taught as their very first principle, that alcoholism is a disease over which they have no control. This immediately puts them on a path of apathy and despair. If they do not continue to attend meetings or receive treatment, they will be unable to control the urges and will surely relapse. At holistic alcohol treatment centers students begin their recovery with detoxification and are then taught how to understand and control their urges. Any student that chooses to attend alcohol rehab at Narconon participates in a holistic alcohol detox that removes as many residual chemicals from the body as possible, which means that the graduate is less likely to face recurrent cravings. Upon completion of holistic alcohol treatment, the former addict is equipped with the skills to successfully live an alcohol-free life.

Holistic alcohol rehab provides a powerful means for an alcoholic to overcome his addiction for good. Rather than treating alcoholism as a disease that controls the addict, holistic alcohol recovery relies on teaching clients to take responsibility for their own actions, to control their own decisions without reacting negatively to the stresses of life, and to learn to live life with hope for the future. Holistic alcohol treatment has documented success rates that far exceed the success rates of traditional disease-based alcoholism treatment. Narconon is a leader in the field of alcoholism treatment with 76% of its graduates choosing to remain off drugs and alcohol and become again happy and productive members of society.

If you are ready to conquer your alcohol addiction and to live alcohol-free for good, holistic alcohol rehab at a Narconon facility will teach you the skills you need to be successful.

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Can Holistic Addiction Treatment Work? What makes Holistic Addiction Treatment different?

It’s the same old story, yet another celebrity has entered rehab, again, or been arrested, again. Lindsey Lohan, the Olsen twins, Amy Winehouse, Brittney Spears, the list is endless. It seems a day doesn’t go by without at least one celebrity getting arrested for drug or alcohol abuse, or entering treatment for the umpteenth time. It seems addiction and entertainment have become intertwined. But you know better. You know addiction is no laughing matter and it’s more than just another headline to you. When addiction hits home, when the ugliness of drug or alcohol abuse become personal, you need real answers and real solutions, not just another empty promise.

A popular and common method of Addiction Treatment is to use drugs to combat drugs. Basically, in a medically supervised setting, clinical staff use a variety of drug therapies to combat the effects of withdrawal. But there is another approach, a more natural, highly effective approach that cleanses the system of drug residues while offering a step-by-step system for learning positive behaviors, replacing negative, addictive patterns with positive, life-changing techniques, which arm the recovering addict with the knowledge and certainty to lead a happy, addiction-free life.

The key is a holistic Drug Addiction treatment program that addresses the whole person, including the reasons, thought processes and methods of addiction, not just the chemical dependency. The Narconon program does exactly that. Through the program, the substance abuser undergoes a holistic detoxification process and learns to communicate effectively with others, defining a set of personal ethical standards to become a responsible and contributing member of the community. If that sounds like a tall order, it is. And it’s not an easy road. But the Narconon program has met with success time and again.

The program starts out with detoxification in a social setting where participants, called “students,” take part in a non-medical, drug-free program of prescribed exercise, sauna and vitamin and mineral supplements. This first step serves to remove the student from the negative environments that encourage substance abuse, discontinue use of alcohol and other drugs, and begin the process of ridding their bodies of all toxic drug and alcohol residues. Students are closely monitored throughout the process and staff members keep track of withdrawal symptoms, vital signs and even hours of sleep and food and fluid intake. The staff offers techniques to improve comfort, reduce symptoms and increase awareness. Students don’t move on to the rest of the program until they are free of physical symptoms of acute withdrawal.

Once the detox process is complete, students move into a series of classes designed to examine the old behaviors, thought processes and lifestyle choices that led to addiction. In the process, students learn new ways of thinking and living, with a focus on personal responsibility as each student takes an active part in drafting their own recovery plan. This is not a one-size-fits-all Drug Addiction Treatment. Instead, the Narconon program is highly personal, with staff members working with students through group and individual activities. Students work through a series of “courses” which teach important life skills, and encourage the students to create their own set of values and ethics based on social “norms.”

The Drug Rehab program doesn’t stop there, since the focus is on effective and addiction-free reentry to society. The reentry plan is a therapeutic contract that specifies strategies that will be applied by the student once he returns to society. The first step of the reentry program is an assessment of the student’s participation in the detox and life course processes. Next, the focus is on involving family and loved ones, establishing healthy relationships. Third in this Dynamic Assessment is helping the student evaluate and understand the availability of drug-free individuals in their community, as well as resources for drug-free groups, further establishing healthy, addiction-free social behaviors. This is also the stage where work experience, skills and assessments of vocational abilities are done and an action plan created for seeking further training if needed, and ultimately, employment. Next, students make plans to engage in volunteer work and finally the plan addresses housing, transportation and financial needs.

When the graduate leaves the Narconon center, they are fully prepared to enter their new life, addiction free. But the care doesn’t stop there. Staff members from the Department of Success follow up on a regular basis, ensuring the graduate has continued support. Should the graduate not move successfully into their new life, the staff is there to help, addressing each situation on an individual basis. In serious cases, the graduate is encouraged to return to the center to work through the difficulties.

With the Narconon program, you aren’t going to find a cookie-cutter answer to addiction treatment. Instead you will find the most effective drug rehab program in the world, with a program that saves lives, doesn’t kick their participants out if they aren’t “cured” in 28 days, doesn’t replace one addiction with another, but instead treats the whole person, body mind and soul in a non-sectarian, non-judgmental environment. The end result? Graduates who have successfully achieved the stated goal of the Narconon program: A drug free individual contributing to society and leading a happy, drug-free life.

About the Author:

Karina Kaufman writes articles on drug addiction treatment. For more information on the Narconon program, and the New Life Detoxification program, visit www.drugrehab.net. If you plan to reproduce this article, please include the link above.

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Mesothelioma: Questions and Answers

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.

1. What is the mesothelium?
   
   The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
   
   The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.
   
   
2. What is mesothelioma?
   
   Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
   
   
3. How common is mesothelioma?
   
   Although reported incidence rates have increased in the past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relatively rare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age.
   
   
4. What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?
   
   Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of all cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos.
   
   Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos has been widely used in many industrial products, including cement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products, textiles, and insulation. If tiny asbestos particles float in the air, especially during the manufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed, and can cause serious health problems. In addition to mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lung ailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynx and kidney.
   
   Smoking does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.
   
   
5. Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?
   
   Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since the late 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II. Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risks associated with asbestos exposure were not known. However, an increased risk of developing mesothelioma was later found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
   
   The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases.
   
   There is some evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
   
   
6. What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?
   
   Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.
   
   These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctor about any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis.
   
   
7. How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
   
   Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.
   
   A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
   
   If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
   
   Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
   
   
8. How is mesothelioma treated?
   
   Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined.
   
   
   • Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it. For cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy. Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing, is also removed.
     
     
   • Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only in the treated area. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation) or from putting materials that produce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
     
     
   • Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used to treat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein (intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying the effectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly into the chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy).
     
   
   To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.
   
   
9. Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied?
   
   Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease. Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma.
   
   People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI's Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials on the Internet, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ.
   
   People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Cancer Treatment Research Studies. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCI Publications Locator Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/publications on the Internet.

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