Archive for the ‘Types of Surgery’ Category

Recent Innovations in the Treatment III

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

Alternative Treatments
Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine and holistic refers to practices that are organic and spiritual in nature. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment alternatives.

Alternative Treatments
Although some alternative therapies can be helpful as an integral part of their therapy or complementary, to date there are insufficient studies to suggest that alternative therapies can replace traditional medical therapies. Always contact your doctor about these treatments before starting any.

Herbs

An herb is a plant or part of a plant that can have therapeutic properties. Herbal supplements can be a single herb or a combination thereof.

You can get herbal treatments in your area by:

  • The search for professional organizations of providers of alternative therapies with herbs at your local library, local directories or via the Information and Resource Directory online at the National Library of Medicine.
  • Consultation with the state regulatory body that brings together suppliers of herbs under license. Also, your local health department may have a listing.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves inserting needles into specific body points. Increasingly being used more and more treatments for pain caused by cancer and as a treatment for side effects such as nausea.

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Recent Innovations in the Treatment II

Friday, February 12th, 2010


Immunotherapy
This type of therapy uses the same power of the human body’s immune system. Currently studying the possibility of using immunotherapy as a treatment of mesothelioma.

Gene Therapy
In studies of gene therapy for cancer, the goal is to improve the body’s natural ability to deal directly mesothelioma, or make cancer cells more sensitive to other types of therapy.

Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is radiation therapy applied within the body, unlike that from a machine outside the body. The radioactive sources are placed inside or near the tumor, and to give strong doses of radiation exposure to the tumor while reducing exposure of surrounding healthy areas. This precision helps to minimize side effects.

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Recent Innovations in the Treatment

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Alimta
Doctors and researchers are always looking to discover new forms of treatment of mesothelioma. The following innovations in treatment, even if not a cure for mesothelioma, shows promise in the treatment of evil.

Alimta
The Alimta, when administered in conjunction with another drug called cisplatin, is a drug recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic therapy uses special drugs and a specific type of light to kill cancer cells during surgery. Days before surgery, the patient is injected intravenously, a drug that makes cancer cells more sensitive to light. During surgery, a special light is used to locate the cancer. This treatment is used in the early stages of mesothelioma.

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Support Care or Palliative Therapies

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Care or Palliative Therapies

The term palliative care refers to those procedures that relieve symptoms and help patients be more comfortable.

Pleurodesis
Pleurodesis is a procedure sometimes used to control the pleural effusion, or fluid formation between the lungs and the overlying layer. Pleurodesis causes the space between them closes and reduces the possibility of accumulation of fluids. There is a method of pleurodesis using thoracoscopy, which makes a small incision or several small incisions in the skin and inserted a thoracoscope for better observation of the pleura. After applying the sclerosing agent.

Pain Management
Pain management is another way of treating pains associated with mesothelioma.

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Radiation Therapy

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Radiation Therapy

With radiation therapy, is achieved by damaging or destroying cancer cells through intensive treatment of X-rays. Although not a cure for mesothelioma, radiation may be used at various stages of treatment of malignant mesothelioma. Often, radiation is the main treatment for patients with health problems. Radiation can also be used to eliminate small formations of cancer cells that surgery might overlook. When radiation is used in conjunction with surgery, radiation is known as adjuvant.

External Beam Radiation
The form of radiation therapy is best known external irradiation. A machine similar to X-ray focusing intense beams of light directly to the tumor, but from outside the body, thus ending the cancer cells under the skin.

Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy)
When the radiation source is placed inside the body, radiation therapy is called brachytherapy. In the case of mesothelioma, the active materials are placed directly into the chest or abdomen.

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Chemotherapy: Treatment with drugs

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer using specific chemical agents or drugs that are only destroying malignant cells and tissues. Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy exclusive of a chemical agent or a combination thereof. The exclusive one chemotherapy agent, as its name implies uses only one. Combination chemotherapy using more than one. Although not a cure for mesothelioma, chemotherapy may help reduce and slow the progression of cancer.

Alimta (Pemetrexed)
Alimta The drug can be prescribed for the treatment of patients with mesothelioma. It indicates the use of Alimta with cisplatin (see below) for the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Normally, Alimta is administered through an IV tube. (IV infusion)

Onconase (Ranpirnase)
A new drug called Onconase could help slow the spread of mesothelioma tumors.

Navelbine (Vinorelbine)
Like Alimta, in combination with other chemicals in chemotherapy, Navelbine is used to treat mesothelioma tumors. Clinical trials are still in process and have already begun testing in some patients. Generally, Navelbine administered intravenously.

Carboplatin (Paraplatin)
Carboplatin is a chemotherapy drug that interferes with the growth of cancer cells, slowing their spread in the body. Carboplatin can cause serious side effects. Generally, Carboplatin is administered intravenously.

Cisplatin (Platinol)
Cisplatin is a clear fluid, usually given in combination with other drugs to treat certain types of cancer, including mesothelioma. In the treatment of mesothelioma, cisplatin is administered in combination with Alimta. As is the case with many of the chemotherapy, side effects may occur. Generally, Cisplatin is administered intravenously.

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Mesothelioma of the Pleura

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Mesothelioma of the Pleura
Pleurodesis
Pleurodesis is a process that is sometimes used to control the pleural effusion or concentration of fluid between the lung and the overlying layer. Pleurodesis can close the spaces between the lungs and the outer layer, thereby reducing the possibility of accumulation of fluids.

There are two methods of pleurodesis. In the first, a tube inserted into the chest drain fluid. After the fluids are drained, injected a sclerosing agent (a material that causes the tissue to heal and harden), such as a sterile powder such as talc, through the chest tube into the pleural space. The sclerosing agent distributes itself over time, while the patient is asked to move to allow better distribution of the agent. Once this is accomplished, is connected to a suction tube and inserted tube. The suction causes the two pleural layers are assembled, as it happens by collapsing a plastic bag, and this allows the two layers heal together.

The second method uses a thoracoscopic pleurodesis, in which a small incision or several small incisions in the skin and a thoracoscope is inserted through the same, to get a better picture of the pleura. The sclerosing agent is then applied.

Pneumonectomy
A pneumonectomy is the removal of part or all of the lungs. The surgeon makes an incision on one side of the chest. When the lung is found, the surgeon watches the tumor and then decide how much tissue should be removed.

Extra Pleural Pneumonectomy
This surgery usually involves removal of the pleura, diaphragm, pericardium and the entire lung cancer tumor side. The surgeon might also remove some of the surrounding tissues.

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