THE GOOD, BAD OF ALCOHOLISM
Labels:
effects of alcoholism,
medications for alcoholism,
symptoms of alcoholism,
what is alcoholism
US History Encyclopedia: Alcoholism
The term "alcoholism" is a noun and concept suggesting both a destructively and chronically excessive beverage alcohol consumption and a medical-style conception of the source, character, explanation, and social and medical handling of the purported condition. The word's introduction is often attributed to Swedish physician Magnus Huss in 1849. The same two broad ideas have been conveyed in a changing parade of terminology since 1800—including, for example, "dipsomania," "inebriety," "habitual drunkenness," "alcohol addiction," "problem drinker," and others. Ordinary language has many words for the excessive drinker, too—including "drunkard," "boozehound," "sot," "lush," "wino," etc.—although these do not necessarily connote medico-scientific causation. Slang words or phrases for drunkenness are most numerous of all—for example, "blitzed," "bombed," "blasted," "three sheets to the wind," "wiped out," and a great many more—one scholar counted hundreds. Beginning in the late 1970s, "alcohol dependence," or the "alcohol dependence syndrome," became the preferred medico-psychiatric terms for the condition. However, the word "alcoholism" has persisted in popular thought and common usage.
An American preoccupation with alcohol-related excess dates back to the beginnings of the republic and beyond. Dr. Benjamin Rush—a physician, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and often regarded as father to both American psychiatry and the American temperance movement—authored a treatise in 1784 titled An Inquiry into the Effects of Ardent Spirits, in which the disease character of chronic drunkenness was asserted. Establishment of an inebriate's asylum was proposed as early as 1830 in Connecticut, and such an institution given form in a widely read paper by Dr. Samuel Woodward in 1838. The Washingtonian Movement, a lay self-and mutual-help movement, gained wide fame in the 1840s and occasioned the rise of special homes for inebriates. This short-lived movement in turn gave way to the development of larger asylums in the 1850s and 1860s—the first such state-run institution opened in Binghamton, New York in 1864. Dr. Leslie Keeley opened the first of his private treatment sanatoriums in 1880, and by 1901 was reported to have thirty-nine facilities nationwide. National Prohibition (1919–1933) did little, however, to advance alcoholism treatment in the nation.
A "modern alcoholism movement," ostensibly aimed at rescuing the alcoholic from the ignorance and maltreatment of the past, had its beginnings very soon after the repeal of Prohibition on 5 December 1933. The Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) often dates its origins to a chance meeting between its two founders, "Bill W." (William G. Wilson) and "Dr. Bob" (Robert H. Smith) in May 1935. Soon afterward, the American scientific community began a push to unravel the mystery of alcoholism and other alcohol-related problems. Although the two post-Prohibition enterprises—AA and modern science—were remarkably different from each other in character and approach, a loose coalition of the two was fashioned in the mid-1940s by Marty Mann and E. M. Jellinek.
Marty Mann was the daughter of a well-to-do socialite family that fell on hard times in the Great Depression, and was herself brought low by heavy drinking in the mid-1930s. Mann was hired by E. M. Jellinek of the Yale Center on Alcohol Studies, the chief center for new alcohol science at the time, to persuade the American public that alcoholism was a disease, that the alcoholic required and deserved treatment, and that such care was a public responsibility. Mann's organization—originally named the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism (NCEA); later (and in its heyday), the National Council on Alcoholism (NCA); and eventually, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD)—was launched in October 1944. Behind the scenes, Jellinek and the leadership of Yale's alcohol science enterprise were hoping that Mann's new campaign would provide grassroots support for the expansion of alcoholism treatment and the promotion of scientific research—in much the same way that the American Cancer Society had served that function for cancer researchers. Jellinek doubtless looked forward to the expansion of AA as an ever growing source of members interested in scientific inquiry into alcoholism.
Perhaps the crowning achievement of the modern alcoholism movement was the creation of the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon on New Year's Eve, 1970. Along with the success of the modern alcoholism movement, however, came more than a few challenges and changes. New research, sponsored by NIAAA, undermined some of the tenets of the movement's traditional beliefs about alcoholism—seeming to show, for example, that some alcoholics could safely return to controlled drinking. The availability of new and significantly increased government funding for alcoholism research and treatment tended both to professionalize the field and to bring in competing conceptual models and institutions. Moreover, popular attention began to shift its focus to other alcohol-related problems: a new emphasis on fetal alcohol syndrome in the mid-1970s; the rise around 1980 of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) campaigns; and a growing concern with college and underage drinking in the 1990s. These issues tended to dilute societal attention paid to the alcoholic, though a thriving alcoholism research enterprise continued apace at NIAAA.
Alcoholism, once the province of a determined post-Prohibition and post-World War II (1939–1945) movement, has become parent to a wider preoccupation with addictions. Through it all, however, AA has continued to sustain its central place in the alcoholism topic arena—despite the growth of a diffuse and vocal chorus of critics and providers of would-be alternatives. Illicit drugs—and the so-called "War on Drugs"—and tobacco have eclipsed alcohol in popular attention, and also to an extent reshaped and recontextualized alcohol as "a drug," or one among several "substance abuse" or "chemical dependency" problems.
The term "alcoholism" is a noun and concept suggesting both a destructively and chronically excessive beverage alcohol consumption and a medical-style conception of the source, character, explanation, and social and medical handling of the purported condition. The word's introduction is often attributed to Swedish physician Magnus Huss in 1849. The same two broad ideas have been conveyed in a changing parade of terminology since 1800—including, for example, "dipsomania," "inebriety," "habitual drunkenness," "alcohol addiction," "problem drinker," and others. Ordinary language has many words for the excessive drinker, too—including "drunkard," "boozehound," "sot," "lush," "wino," etc.—although these do not necessarily connote medico-scientific causation. Slang words or phrases for drunkenness are most numerous of all—for example, "blitzed," "bombed," "blasted," "three sheets to the wind," "wiped out," and a great many more—one scholar counted hundreds. Beginning in the late 1970s, "alcohol dependence," or the "alcohol dependence syndrome," became the preferred medico-psychiatric terms for the condition. However, the word "alcoholism" has persisted in popular thought and common usage.
An American preoccupation with alcohol-related excess dates back to the beginnings of the republic and beyond. Dr. Benjamin Rush—a physician, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and often regarded as father to both American psychiatry and the American temperance movement—authored a treatise in 1784 titled An Inquiry into the Effects of Ardent Spirits, in which the disease character of chronic drunkenness was asserted. Establishment of an inebriate's asylum was proposed as early as 1830 in Connecticut, and such an institution given form in a widely read paper by Dr. Samuel Woodward in 1838. The Washingtonian Movement, a lay self-and mutual-help movement, gained wide fame in the 1840s and occasioned the rise of special homes for inebriates. This short-lived movement in turn gave way to the development of larger asylums in the 1850s and 1860s—the first such state-run institution opened in Binghamton, New York in 1864. Dr. Leslie Keeley opened the first of his private treatment sanatoriums in 1880, and by 1901 was reported to have thirty-nine facilities nationwide. National Prohibition (1919–1933) did little, however, to advance alcoholism treatment in the nation.
A "modern alcoholism movement," ostensibly aimed at rescuing the alcoholic from the ignorance and maltreatment of the past, had its beginnings very soon after the repeal of Prohibition on 5 December 1933. The Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) often dates its origins to a chance meeting between its two founders, "Bill W." (William G. Wilson) and "Dr. Bob" (Robert H. Smith) in May 1935. Soon afterward, the American scientific community began a push to unravel the mystery of alcoholism and other alcohol-related problems. Although the two post-Prohibition enterprises—AA and modern science—were remarkably different from each other in character and approach, a loose coalition of the two was fashioned in the mid-1940s by Marty Mann and E. M. Jellinek.
Marty Mann was the daughter of a well-to-do socialite family that fell on hard times in the Great Depression, and was herself brought low by heavy drinking in the mid-1930s. Mann was hired by E. M. Jellinek of the Yale Center on Alcohol Studies, the chief center for new alcohol science at the time, to persuade the American public that alcoholism was a disease, that the alcoholic required and deserved treatment, and that such care was a public responsibility. Mann's organization—originally named the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism (NCEA); later (and in its heyday), the National Council on Alcoholism (NCA); and eventually, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD)—was launched in October 1944. Behind the scenes, Jellinek and the leadership of Yale's alcohol science enterprise were hoping that Mann's new campaign would provide grassroots support for the expansion of alcoholism treatment and the promotion of scientific research—in much the same way that the American Cancer Society had served that function for cancer researchers. Jellinek doubtless looked forward to the expansion of AA as an ever growing source of members interested in scientific inquiry into alcoholism.
Perhaps the crowning achievement of the modern alcoholism movement was the creation of the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon on New Year's Eve, 1970. Along with the success of the modern alcoholism movement, however, came more than a few challenges and changes. New research, sponsored by NIAAA, undermined some of the tenets of the movement's traditional beliefs about alcoholism—seeming to show, for example, that some alcoholics could safely return to controlled drinking. The availability of new and significantly increased government funding for alcoholism research and treatment tended both to professionalize the field and to bring in competing conceptual models and institutions. Moreover, popular attention began to shift its focus to other alcohol-related problems: a new emphasis on fetal alcohol syndrome in the mid-1970s; the rise around 1980 of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) campaigns; and a growing concern with college and underage drinking in the 1990s. These issues tended to dilute societal attention paid to the alcoholic, though a thriving alcoholism research enterprise continued apace at NIAAA.
Alcoholism, once the province of a determined post-Prohibition and post-World War II (1939–1945) movement, has become parent to a wider preoccupation with addictions. Through it all, however, AA has continued to sustain its central place in the alcoholism topic arena—despite the growth of a diffuse and vocal chorus of critics and providers of would-be alternatives. Illicit drugs—and the so-called "War on Drugs"—and tobacco have eclipsed alcohol in popular attention, and also to an extent reshaped and recontextualized alcohol as "a drug," or one among several "substance abuse" or "chemical dependency" problems.
Alcoholism, also known as alcohol dependence, is a disease that includes the following four symptoms:
Craving – A strong need, or urge, to drink.
Loss of control – Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.
Physical dependence – Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after stopping drinking.
Tolerance – The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get “high”.
What Alcoholism Does to You:
Liver damage (scarring of the liver) Heart disease Ulcers (due to irritation of the stomach lining by alcohol) Poor nutrition, because alcohol robs the body of some vitamins and minerals and interferes with digestion of food that is eaten "DT's"--delirium tremens--resulting from alcohol withdrawal, which shows as confusion, memory loss, and sometimes seeing or hearing things that are not there Cancer of the mouth, esophagus, or stomach Brain damage, possibly leading to insanity Damage to a developing fetus if you drink while pregnant .
What is a safe level of drinking?
Is it safe to drink during pregnancy?
Does alcohol affect older people differently?
Does alcohol affect women differently?
Is alcohol good for your heart?
When taking medications, must you stop drinking?
How can a person get help for an alcohol problem?
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism At A Glance
Is it safe to drink during pregnancy?
Does alcohol affect older people differently?
Does alcohol affect women differently?
Is alcohol good for your heart?
When taking medications, must you stop drinking?
How can a person get help for an alcohol problem?
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism At A Glance
DRUGS REHABILITATION
Drug addiction is an insidious and non discriminatory disease that takes thousands of lives every year. Drug addiction is defined as a condition characterized by compulsive drug intake, and craving and seeking drugs regardless of negative consequences associated with drug abuse. Treatment-centers.net offers a wealth of resources for drug addiction treatment. Thousands of crimes, including DUI’s, thefts, assaults, and murders have been linked to drug addiction due to the psychomimetic nature of drugs and the uncontrollability of behavior while under the influence of drug addiction. Although it is a growing problem in our society today, drug addiction is a major social dilemma that many try to ignore due to hopelessness of addiction. The fact is that drug addiction is a complicated brain disease and is treatable through hard work with the help of caring professionals in treatment centers wide spread throughout the world. Many people erroneously believe that drug addiction is a lapse in moral character, but it does not discriminate with who it affects. While it does take an individual to make a choice to first use drugs, addiction can affect anyone, of any background, social status, or age. Drug addiction is a complex disorder that can destroy virtually every aspect of an individual's stability in the family, at work, and in the community. There are many different factors to consider with drug addiction. Many drug addicts suffer from addiction because of the painful and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when drug use is stopped suddenly without medical assistance from a qualified treatment center. Drug addiction is also caused because some drugs have a higher addictive potential than others in many people due to as a result of many factors; speed of elimination from the body, biochemical make-up, level of “instant gratification” they produce, and severity of physiological and psychological withdrawal symptoms. The affects of addiction are vicious because they severely damage the brain areas that people need to think lucidly, act with good judgment and make productive decisions for themselves and their loved ones. Recovery from drug addiction is a hard, long road, spanning the rest of the drug addict’s life and more often than not requires the drug addict to attend treatment centers multiple times during their addiction. The reason drug addiction is characterized as a brain disease is because once the drug is introduced to the system, the addict’s brain adapts to the presence of that drug and make acclimates accordingly, no longer using it’s natural means to produce the same feelings that drugs induce so rapidly. Drug addiction is a challenge to overcome in large part because it takes time for the brain to be “re-trained” to function properly without the presence of the drugs it had depended on for the length of the addiction.
It's characterized by compulsive--at times uncontrollable--drug craving, seeking, and use that persists even in the face of extremely negative consequences. For many people, drug addiction becomes chronic, with relapses possible even after long periods of abstinence.
The path to drug addiction begins with the act of taking drugs. Over time, a person's ability to choose not to take drugs can become compromised. Drug seeking becomes compulsive, in large part as a result of the effects of prolonged drug use on brain functioning and, thus, on behavior.
The compulsion to use drugs can take over the individual's life. Addiction often involves not only compulsive drug taking but also a wide range of dysfunctional behaviors that can interfere with normal functioning in the family, the workplace, and the broader community. Addiction also can place people at increased risk for a wide variety of other illnesses. These illnesses can be brought on by behaviors, such as poor living and health habits, that often accompany life as an addict, or because of toxic effects of the drugs themselves.
Because addiction has so many dimensions and disrupts so many aspects of an individual's life, treatment for this illness is never simple. Drug rehabs must help the individual stop using drugs and maintain a drug-free lifestyle, while achieving productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society.
The path to drug addiction begins with the act of taking drugs. Over time, a person's ability to choose not to take drugs can become compromised. Drug seeking becomes compulsive, in large part as a result of the effects of prolonged drug use on brain functioning and, thus, on behavior.
The compulsion to use drugs can take over the individual's life. Addiction often involves not only compulsive drug taking but also a wide range of dysfunctional behaviors that can interfere with normal functioning in the family, the workplace, and the broader community. Addiction also can place people at increased risk for a wide variety of other illnesses. These illnesses can be brought on by behaviors, such as poor living and health habits, that often accompany life as an addict, or because of toxic effects of the drugs themselves.
Because addiction has so many dimensions and disrupts so many aspects of an individual's life, treatment for this illness is never simple. Drug rehabs must help the individual stop using drugs and maintain a drug-free lifestyle, while achieving productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society.
Alcohol Rehab
Club Drugs
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Ecstasy
Hallucinogens
Harmful Interactions
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Heroin Treatment
Inhalants
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Oxycontin ® Abuse
Prescription Drugs
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WHAT MESOTHELIOMA IS ALL ABOUT
Labels:
mesothelioma,
treatment
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is diagnosed in approximately 3,000 people each year. The disease usually affects the thin membrane that lines the chest cavity and the lungs. This membrane is called the pleura. It also can affect the lining of the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum, and, very rarely, it affects the lining around the heart, called the pericardium.
Mesothelioma is a relatively rare cancer, that is usually associated with asbestos. Exposure to asbestos fibers can cause mesothelioma even years later.
Currently, mesothelioma is an active area of lawsuits and litigation. The area of law is not usually medical malpractice, because mesothelioma liability is usually related to the asbestos exposure, involving legal areas such as product liability, wrongful death, or other liability. However, medical malpractice for mesothelioma can occur due to failure to diagnose mesothelioma in its early stages. Such delayed diagnosis of mesothelioma worsens its prognosis. Always seek qualified legal advice about malpractice or other law, as the area is very complex.
Currently, mesothelioma is an active area of lawsuits and litigation. The area of law is not usually medical malpractice, because mesothelioma liability is usually related to the asbestos exposure, involving legal areas such as product liability, wrongful death, or other liability. However, medical malpractice for mesothelioma can occur due to failure to diagnose mesothelioma in its early stages. Such delayed diagnosis of mesothelioma worsens its prognosis. Always seek qualified legal advice about malpractice or other law, as the area is very complex.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer (malignancy) that most frequently arises from the cells lining the sacs of the chest (the pleura) or the abdomen (the peritoneum). Pleural mesothelioma is the most common form, often presenting with symptoms in the chest area. Peritoneal mesothelioma is much less common. This can effect the organs in the abdomen, and its symptoms are related to this area of the body, that is, abdominal swelling, nausea, vomiting, and bowel obstruction. The rarest form of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma, which involves the sac surrounding the heart.
There are two major cell types of mesothelioma, epithelial and sarcomatoid. Sometimes both of these cell types can be present. The sarcomatoid type is rarer and occurs in only about 15% of cases; it portends a poorer prognosis. In very rare cases, mesothelioma can originate from benign, non-malignant cells. This so-called benign mesothelioma can be cured surgically.
There are two major cell types of mesothelioma, epithelial and sarcomatoid. Sometimes both of these cell types can be present. The sarcomatoid type is rarer and occurs in only about 15% of cases; it portends a poorer prognosis. In very rare cases, mesothelioma can originate from benign, non-malignant cells. This so-called benign mesothelioma can be cured surgically.
SYMPTOMS OF
About 90% of people who are diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma have chest pain or shortness of breath as the first symptoms of the disease. These symptoms can be caused either by the cancer itself, which irritates nerve cells in nearby tissues, or by a collection of fluid between the two layers of the pleura in the chest. This collection of fluid is called a pleural effusion. People with mesothelioma that develops in the abdominal lining can have abdominal pain and swelling caused by an accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Other possible symptoms include cough, fatigue and unexplained weight loss.
Most people present with complaints of shortness of breath. They also can have complaints of chest pain. Surprisingly, this pain is often not pleuritic; that is, it does not get worse with deep breathing. This is surprising in that the pleura (outer surface of the lung) is often involved in this disease, and most other diseases involving the pleura are often associated with pleuritic pain (pain that worsens with deep breathing). Patients may also be asymptomatic, with the disease discovered by physical exam or an abnormal chest X-ray.
As the disease progresses, shortness of breath increases, and weight loss, decreased appetite, and night sweats can develop. Local invasion by the tumor can result in changing of voice, loss of function of the diaphragm, and symptoms specific to the area and involvement of adjacent structures.
As the disease progresses, shortness of breath increases, and weight loss, decreased appetite, and night sweats can develop. Local invasion by the tumor can result in changing of voice, loss of function of the diaphragm, and symptoms specific to the area and involvement of adjacent structures.
More ways to research these symptoms: To research other symptoms use the symptom center, or to research causes of more than one symptom in combination, try our multi-symptom search
TREATMENTS:Malignant mesothelioma is difficult to treat. The cancer can spread easily to nearby organs. If the tumor has spread, it is nearly impossible to remove the entire tumor surgically. In addition, it has been difficult to test the effectiveness of different treatments because there are relatively few cases of malignant mesothelioma.
The primary treatment options for malignant mesothelioma are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
SurgeryBefore any surgery is considered for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, your overall health has to be evaluated. Tests are done to make sure the cancer has not spread to distant sites and to evaluate how well your lungs and heart are functioning. Lung tests look for any signs of lung damage from tobacco or from other diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These tests determine how risky surgery would be, especially if a lung needs to be removed.
Surgery for malignant mesothelioma can be aimed at long-term control of the cancer (aggressive surgery) or relief of symptoms (palliative procedures).
Aggressive surgery — A procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy involves removal of the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium. The intent of this very aggressive, complicated surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Not all centers will do this procedure because it is so complex and because it carries a high risk of death within 30 days after surgery. This procedure typically is done only in younger patients who are in good overall health with stage I disease. Patients are evaluated carefully to determine their ability to tolerate the surgery.
Palliative procedures — When malignant mesothelioma is advanced, palliative procedures can be done to relieve or control symptoms such as breathlessness, which are caused by fluid or by the tumor pressing on the lung or other organs. These procedures do not cure the disease.
A procedure called thoracentesis can be used to treat fluid collection (effusion) in pleural mesothelioma. A needle is inserted into the chest to drain the fluid, relieving breathlessness and pain. Talc may be injected into the pleural space to try to stop fluid from accumulating there. This procedure is called talc pleurodesis. Similar procedures are used to relieve fluid collection (ascites) in peritoneal mesothelioma (paracentesis).
A procedure called pleurectomy and decortication is the surgical removal of the pleura. This procedure can be done to reduce pain caused by the tumor or to prevent the fluid from accumulating. For peritoneal mesothelioma, surgery generally is aimed at relieving symptoms.
Radiation TherapyBecause of the location of malignant mesothelioma, it is extremely difficult to deliver high enough doses of radiation to kill the tumor without damaging the surrounding organs. Lower doses of radiation can help to shrink the tumor, but it is unclear whether this helps people to survive longer than if they were not treated.
Using radiation therapy after surgery has not been shown to improve survival. However, because surgery is very unlikely to remove the entire tumor, radiation commonly is done after surgery in the hopes of killing remaining tumor cells. In addition, radiation therapy can be used to relieve the symptoms of mesothelioma, including chest pain.
ChemotherapyChemotherapy is the use of medications to treat cancer. Chemotherapy cannot cure mesothelioma. Some chemotherapy drugs have a partial effect in some patients. Combination chemotherapy (using more than one drug at the same time) may be given in an attempt to improve the patient's response to the medications. Some combinations have shown promise, and some new medications are being tried.
Like radiation therapy, chemotherapy may be administered after surgery in an attempt to kill cancer cells that could not be removed.
Treatment by StageStage I (localized) mesothelioma — If you want aggressive treatment and are fit enough to have surgery, some centers may do an extrapleural pneumonectomy. Another surgical option is pleurectomy and decortication, which is sometimes done to relieve some of the symptoms of mesothelioma. Both of these procedures may be followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Less than 5% of people with malignant mesothelioma are candidates for aggressive surgery.
Stages II, III and IV (advanced) mesothelioma — Pleurectomy and decortication may be done to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Other procedures such as thoracentesis may be done to drain fluid (pleural effusions) and prevent them from recurring. Radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy also may be administered for symptom relief.
Recurrent malignant mesothelioma — There is no standard treatment for recurrent mesothelioma. Generally, treatments are considered that were not used the first time the disease was treated.
Clinical Trials and Future TreatmentsNew treatments for malignant mesothelioma and possible preventive measures, such as a vaccine, are being evaluated in clinical trials, and the future holds some promise. Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate new treatments for safety and effectiveness. There are no guarantees that a new treatment will work, and there are some risks. However, a clinical trial is not started unless the researchers believe the treatment may have some value.
Here are some of the treatments for malignant mesothelioma that are being evaluated:
Combination chemotherapy — Different combinations of chemotherapy drugs have been tried with mixed results.
Intracavitary chemotherapy — Researchers are looking at putting chemotherapy drugs directly into the pleural or peritoneal space because of a possible advantage over traditional chemotherapy. Because the drug is placed directly into the cavity, much greater doses can be given to patients without causing severe side effects. Some studies have shown this therapy to control effusions and reduce tumor size.
Brachytherapy (intracavitary radiation therapy) — In this treatment, a radioactive substance is placed directly into the pleural or peritoneal space.
Multimodality therapy — Multimodality therapy is any combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Gene therapy — In this approach, a virus that has been genetically altered is introduced into the tumor. The virus infects the cancerous cells and makes them vulnerable to anticancer drugs.
Immunotherapy — Treatments that stimulate the body's immune system to fight cancer cells are called immunotherapy.
The primary treatment options for malignant mesothelioma are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
SurgeryBefore any surgery is considered for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, your overall health has to be evaluated. Tests are done to make sure the cancer has not spread to distant sites and to evaluate how well your lungs and heart are functioning. Lung tests look for any signs of lung damage from tobacco or from other diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These tests determine how risky surgery would be, especially if a lung needs to be removed.
Surgery for malignant mesothelioma can be aimed at long-term control of the cancer (aggressive surgery) or relief of symptoms (palliative procedures).
Aggressive surgery — A procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy involves removal of the pleura, the lung, the diaphragm and the pericardium. The intent of this very aggressive, complicated surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Not all centers will do this procedure because it is so complex and because it carries a high risk of death within 30 days after surgery. This procedure typically is done only in younger patients who are in good overall health with stage I disease. Patients are evaluated carefully to determine their ability to tolerate the surgery.
Palliative procedures — When malignant mesothelioma is advanced, palliative procedures can be done to relieve or control symptoms such as breathlessness, which are caused by fluid or by the tumor pressing on the lung or other organs. These procedures do not cure the disease.
A procedure called thoracentesis can be used to treat fluid collection (effusion) in pleural mesothelioma. A needle is inserted into the chest to drain the fluid, relieving breathlessness and pain. Talc may be injected into the pleural space to try to stop fluid from accumulating there. This procedure is called talc pleurodesis. Similar procedures are used to relieve fluid collection (ascites) in peritoneal mesothelioma (paracentesis).
A procedure called pleurectomy and decortication is the surgical removal of the pleura. This procedure can be done to reduce pain caused by the tumor or to prevent the fluid from accumulating. For peritoneal mesothelioma, surgery generally is aimed at relieving symptoms.
Radiation TherapyBecause of the location of malignant mesothelioma, it is extremely difficult to deliver high enough doses of radiation to kill the tumor without damaging the surrounding organs. Lower doses of radiation can help to shrink the tumor, but it is unclear whether this helps people to survive longer than if they were not treated.
Using radiation therapy after surgery has not been shown to improve survival. However, because surgery is very unlikely to remove the entire tumor, radiation commonly is done after surgery in the hopes of killing remaining tumor cells. In addition, radiation therapy can be used to relieve the symptoms of mesothelioma, including chest pain.
ChemotherapyChemotherapy is the use of medications to treat cancer. Chemotherapy cannot cure mesothelioma. Some chemotherapy drugs have a partial effect in some patients. Combination chemotherapy (using more than one drug at the same time) may be given in an attempt to improve the patient's response to the medications. Some combinations have shown promise, and some new medications are being tried.
Like radiation therapy, chemotherapy may be administered after surgery in an attempt to kill cancer cells that could not be removed.
Treatment by StageStage I (localized) mesothelioma — If you want aggressive treatment and are fit enough to have surgery, some centers may do an extrapleural pneumonectomy. Another surgical option is pleurectomy and decortication, which is sometimes done to relieve some of the symptoms of mesothelioma. Both of these procedures may be followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Less than 5% of people with malignant mesothelioma are candidates for aggressive surgery.
Stages II, III and IV (advanced) mesothelioma — Pleurectomy and decortication may be done to relieve symptoms in pleural mesothelioma. Other procedures such as thoracentesis may be done to drain fluid (pleural effusions) and prevent them from recurring. Radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy also may be administered for symptom relief.
Recurrent malignant mesothelioma — There is no standard treatment for recurrent mesothelioma. Generally, treatments are considered that were not used the first time the disease was treated.
Clinical Trials and Future TreatmentsNew treatments for malignant mesothelioma and possible preventive measures, such as a vaccine, are being evaluated in clinical trials, and the future holds some promise. Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate new treatments for safety and effectiveness. There are no guarantees that a new treatment will work, and there are some risks. However, a clinical trial is not started unless the researchers believe the treatment may have some value.
Here are some of the treatments for malignant mesothelioma that are being evaluated:
Combination chemotherapy — Different combinations of chemotherapy drugs have been tried with mixed results.
Intracavitary chemotherapy — Researchers are looking at putting chemotherapy drugs directly into the pleural or peritoneal space because of a possible advantage over traditional chemotherapy. Because the drug is placed directly into the cavity, much greater doses can be given to patients without causing severe side effects. Some studies have shown this therapy to control effusions and reduce tumor size.
Brachytherapy (intracavitary radiation therapy) — In this treatment, a radioactive substance is placed directly into the pleural or peritoneal space.
Multimodality therapy — Multimodality therapy is any combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Gene therapy — In this approach, a virus that has been genetically altered is introduced into the tumor. The virus infects the cancerous cells and makes them vulnerable to anticancer drugs.
Immunotherapy — Treatments that stimulate the body's immune system to fight cancer cells are called immunotherapy.
2).There are three traditional kinds of treatment for patients with malignant mesothelioma. Often two or more of these are combined in the course of treatment:
surgery (taking out the cancer),
radiation therapy (using high-dose X-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells), and
chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer).
Additional information
Surgery: There are several types of surgery used in treating mesothelioma.
A pleurectomy is the removal of part of the chest or abdomen lining and some of the tissue around it.
Depending on how far the cancer has spread, a lung also may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy.
In an extrapleural pneumonectomy, the lung is removed along with the lining and diaphragm (the muscle that helps you breathe) on the affected side. In this surgery, the lining around the heart is also removed.
Sometimes a pleurectomy/decortication is performed. In this surgery, the lining of the lung is removed along with as much of the tumor as possible.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
If fluid has collected in the chest or abdomen, your doctor may drain the fluid out of your body by putting in a needle into the chest or abdomen and using gentle suction to remove the fluid. If fluid is removed from the chest, this is called thoracentesis. If fluid is removed from the abdomen, this is called paracentesis. Your doctor may also put drugs through a tube into the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be administered by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle.
Chemotherapeutic agents can be administered either systemically (through the bloodstream) or intrapleurally (in the pleural cavity). When it is administered intrapleurally, the treatment is localized at the site of the tumor. These drugs are generally very toxic and you should discuss their use very carefully with your physician.
surgery (taking out the cancer),
radiation therapy (using high-dose X-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells), and
chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer).
Additional information
Surgery: There are several types of surgery used in treating mesothelioma.
A pleurectomy is the removal of part of the chest or abdomen lining and some of the tissue around it.
Depending on how far the cancer has spread, a lung also may be removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy.
In an extrapleural pneumonectomy, the lung is removed along with the lining and diaphragm (the muscle that helps you breathe) on the affected side. In this surgery, the lining around the heart is also removed.
Sometimes a pleurectomy/decortication is performed. In this surgery, the lining of the lung is removed along with as much of the tumor as possible.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy).
If fluid has collected in the chest or abdomen, your doctor may drain the fluid out of your body by putting in a needle into the chest or abdomen and using gentle suction to remove the fluid. If fluid is removed from the chest, this is called thoracentesis. If fluid is removed from the abdomen, this is called paracentesis. Your doctor may also put drugs through a tube into the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be administered by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle.
Chemotherapeutic agents can be administered either systemically (through the bloodstream) or intrapleurally (in the pleural cavity). When it is administered intrapleurally, the treatment is localized at the site of the tumor. These drugs are generally very toxic and you should discuss their use very carefully with your physician.
THYROID CANCER SYMPTOMS
Thyroid cancer symptoms occurs when malignant cells grow within the tissue of the thyroid gland. This important gland helps the body produce hormones and also aids in functions such as regulating metabolism. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland consisting of a left and right lobe and is found at the base of the throat in front of the trachea, or windpipe. The malignant cancer cells are what produce a swelling or lump, the most common symptom of thyroid cancer. This is often discovered during a routine medical exam or appears on another, unrelated imaging test. Thyroid cancer is one of the rarest types of cancer and also tends to occur more often in people ages 25 to 65. It is also found more often in women than men. Doctors and scientists do not yet know the reason for most cases of thyroid cancer. Learning how to recognize the symptoms of thyroid cancer is crucial for successful treatment and recovery. It is one of the most easily treatable forms of cancer with various methods available, which is why early detection is so important. Symptoms of thyroid cancer may include:
A lump or nodule in the front of the neck near the Adam’s apple
Swollen lymph nodes, particularly in the neck
Hoarseness or persistent cough that are not related to a cold
Difficulty speaking that may come and go
Difficulty swallowing or tightness in the neck
Trouble breathing or constant wheezing
Pain in the throat, neck or ears
Those who have been exposed to radiation of the head or neck as an infant or child also have an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer. These people should pay particular attention to the signs and symptoms as the disease may occur up to 20 years or more after exposure. The symptoms of thyroid cancer may not appear the same for every person. They may vary in intensity and could indicate a less serious condition as well. A benign goiter or even a minor infection could also produce signs similar to the symptoms of thyroid cancer. If you are experiencing these or similar thyroid cancer symptoms, you should seek the advice of a medical professional as soon as possible. A doctor will perform the appropriate examination and tests if necessary and then determine the best course of treatment for you.
A lump or nodule in the front of the neck near the Adam’s apple
Swollen lymph nodes, particularly in the neck
Hoarseness or persistent cough that are not related to a cold
Difficulty speaking that may come and go
Difficulty swallowing or tightness in the neck
Trouble breathing or constant wheezing
Pain in the throat, neck or ears
Those who have been exposed to radiation of the head or neck as an infant or child also have an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer. These people should pay particular attention to the signs and symptoms as the disease may occur up to 20 years or more after exposure. The symptoms of thyroid cancer may not appear the same for every person. They may vary in intensity and could indicate a less serious condition as well. A benign goiter or even a minor infection could also produce signs similar to the symptoms of thyroid cancer. If you are experiencing these or similar thyroid cancer symptoms, you should seek the advice of a medical professional as soon as possible. A doctor will perform the appropriate examination and tests if necessary and then determine the best course of treatment for you.
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