Mesothelioma Influenced by Vitamin A? - Health - Cancer

Vitamin A is a very important vitamin to maintaining health. We all know it is found in foods like carrots and is important in maintaining eyesight. Now, several independent research studies over the last three decades have suggested that vitamin A could possibly have an impact on managing and preventing mesothelioma.

Vitamin A has many essential functions in the human body including: sustaining vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division, cell differentiation and helping to maintain the immune system - the body's defense against infection. Vitamin A comes from animal sources (such as liver and whole milk) and plant sources. Retinoids which are chemically related to vitamin A have been implicated as anti-carcinogenic. For example, according to an article published in a leading medical journal: "At the cellular level, the anti-leukemia and anti-cancer activity of retinoids is the result of three main actions, cell-differentiation, growth inhibition and apoptosis."1

Cruciferous vegetables and carotene may make mesothelioma less likely

In a 1988 study performed by the National Cancer Institute, the dietary patterns of mesothelioma patients were compared to those of healthy individuals.2 According to the article, mesothelioma patients ate less homegrown, cruciferous vegetables and all vegetables combined before they were diagnosed compared to healthy patients. Cruciferous vegetables, also called Brassica Vegetables, include Arugula, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Watercress, Bok Choy, Turnip Greens, Kale, and Mustard Greens. The researchers also pointed out that carotene intake was significantly lower for the mesothelioma patients. Carotene is a precursor to vitamin A.

Vitamin A or beta-carotene may decrease the risk of mesothelioma

In this 1996 study from the Division of Epidemiology of the American Health Foundation, the investigators examined the association between dietary intake and mesothelioma by studying 94 men and women with malignant mesothelioma and 64 people without cancer. They concluded that their results provided "some justification for the hypothesis that provitamin A or beta-carotene may decrease the risk of mesothelioma."3 Provitamin A is any of the carotenoids that are precursors of vitamin A and can be found in fish-liver oils, egg yolk, milk products, green-leaf or yellow vegetables, and fruits.

Retinoic Acid may make mesothelioma less likely to metastasize

In a study from 2002, researchers looked at mesothelioma cells in vitro (in test tubes or Petri dishes outside the body) and found that retinoic acid (the oxidized form of Vitamin A) "may lead to a decrease of mesothelioma cell local invasion." They interpreted this to mean that retinoic acid may modify how mesothelioma grows and spreads in the body.4 This study suggests that vitamin A levels could possibly affect the aggressiveness of mesothelioma once someone is diagnosed with the disease.

Low levels of retinol associated with increased risk of developing mesothelioma

And in 2006, Australian researchers looked at former workers and residents exposed to crocidolite (blue asbestos) in Western Australia. Their findings suggested that "people with chronically low plasma levels of retinol (the fat-soluble animal form of vitamin A found in liver and eggs) have increased risk of developing mesothelioma and lung cancer."5

Will vitamin A ever become part of a protocol to prevent or manage mesothelioma? These independent studies are very preliminary, but their conclusions are intriguing. In addition, there are anecdotal reports of long-time mesothelioma survivors using vitamin A as part of their healing regiments. But first a great deal more research is needed.

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Long Time Mesothelioma Survivors -What Do They Have in Common? - Other

Paul Kraus is one of the long-term survivors of malignant mesothelioma, there are many others and one thing they all have in common to all of them is the fact that they all focused most of their treatment on steps to improve or enhance their immune system. Some used alternative or complimentary therapies (with guidance from licensed clinicians) while others participated in clinical trials of immune therapy.

So does the immune system play a significant role in the control malignant mesothelioma? The experience of Paul Kraus and other long-term malignant mesothelioma survivors gives a lot of credit to the fact that the immune system is indeed very important in the management of malignant mesothelioma.

In quite a number of people with pleural mesothelioma that survived the cancer for a long time, their medical histories have shown that their immune system may have played a major role in their extremely long survival.

In 1986, an article appeared in a medical journal that discussed this very issue of malignant mesothelioma and immunity.(1) This research focused on the immune responses of 118 healthy people compared to 20 patients with malignant mesothelioma and 375 long-term asbestos workers who were cancer-free.

The researchers wanted to know if there were any measurable differences in the immune responses of the mesothelioma patients. Their findings demonstrated a relationship between the immune system and malignant mesothelioma. For example:

* The number of total T (T11+) and T-helper (T4+) cells were normal in asbestos workers with cancer, but were significantly reduced in patients with mesothelioma. T cells orchestrate, regulate and coordinate the overall immune response.

* Most patients with mesothelioma had a profound deficiency in Natural Killer cell (NK) activity which is suggestive of the role the immune system plays in the control of malignant mesothelioma. NK cells are a type of lethal lymphocyte that target tumor cells and protect against a wide variety of infectious microbes.

In the discussion section of the report, the researchers stated:"These findings led us to speculate that biological phenomena generally categorized as chronic immunosuppression associated with the presence of asbestos fibers in the exposed workers may have caused the eventual breakdown of the host's surveillance system and the onset of neoplasm [malignant mesothelioma]."

In other words, the researchers are suggesting that malignant mesothelioma may result from immune suppression. If this is true it would provide the biological basis for the role that the immune system and immune boosting approaches may play in the management of malignant mesothelioma.

Another example of a long time survivor of mesothelioma is James O'Connor.In October 2001, sixty-one year old James Rhio O'Connor ("Rhio") was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma caused by his exposure to asbestos when he was younger. His was given less than a year to live.

His tumor was not operable because the tumor was too close to his spinal cord chemo was also not an option because at the stage of his tumor chemo would not have been of any major help to him, it could not give any significant elongation to his life span. He was basically told to prepare for imminent death in a polite manner.

To soften this message, the doctor also recommended that Rhio take his wife on a cruise and then start hospice care upon his return. Rhio rejected the idea. He was determined to survive this cancer. Working with professional clinicians, he formulated a regimen of over 100 supplements a day, changed his diet, practiced mind-body medicine, most of these treatments were aimed at boosting the immune system, and he relied on his own discipline to see him through the difficult times ahead.

Rhio survived for 7 more years through his determination, knowledge, inexorable spirit, belief in something greater than himself, and the ability to make tough choices -qualities that spell success in any endeavor. Rhio passed away on July 11, 2009. He was 69 years old.Rhio was often asked how he was able to manage his mesothelioma or "Mr. Meso" as he called it.

To answer these questions and help and inspire others, Rhio wrote a book called "They Said Months, I Chose Years: A Mesothelioma Survivor's Story." In this book Rhio discusses what he did to live his life with "Mr. Meso" and much of the science behind his decisions. In his book he cites nearly one hundred medical articles that support the concept of using nutrition to help manage a chronic disease like cancer. Rhio's inspirational life and book reminds us that there may be other ways to manage cancer and extend life beyond the conventional methods of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

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Important Nutritional Tips For Mesothelioma Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy. - Other

Chemotherapy is one of the main treatments that cancer patients can to treat the disease. It involves the use of anticancer drugs to kill the cancer cells, however normal cells are also destroyed in the process.

This destruction of cancer cells leaves the body in a weak state. In addition, chemotherapy has a number of side effects, such as nausea. If cancer patients do not eat properly, they can become malnourished and pass away not from cancer, but from an infection or other illness in their weakened state. These are some tips to improve the nutrition of patients undergoing chemotherapy:

1-. Chemotherapy can cause anorexia{poor appetite} so choose foods that really pack a nutritional punch, so when you do eat, even if it is just a small amount, you are consuming nutritional foods high in protein and calories. Keep healthy snacks with you at all times. You should also consider adding daily multivitamin to boost your diet, but you must discuss this with your doctor before you add them.

2- Unfortunately, chemotherapy can also cause constipation and diarrhea - sometimes both in the same patient. To avoid these problems, drink plenty of fluids and avoid anything with caffeine. You may also want to cut most of the dairy out of your diet. Foods with good soluble fiber, such as mashed potatoes and bananas, can also be added to your diet to help with constipation and diarrhea.

3- One of the best ways to boost your diet during chemotherapy is to add as much protein to your diet as possible. Proteins, such as those found in meat, nuts and beans, can help you feel better during treatment, and can help fight cancer more effectively. Even if you do not care for meat or are dealing with anorexia, there are many ways to add protein to your diet. Here are some great tips for integrating protein whenever possible:

* When making pasta, add a beaten egg at the last second. As you stir, the heat will cook the egg, adding a great source of protein.

* Eat peanut butter with fruit.

* Add extra beans to soups and other dishes.

* Add powdered milk to recipes like muffins, mashed potatoes, and meatloaf.

* Prepare protein drinks and keep them with you all day, so you can get protein even just a sip at a time.

* Nuts are a great protein-enriched snack to carry with you throughout the day.

You can talk to a dietician about more ways to add protein to your diet.

4-In addition, if you're dealing with anorexia, your should add many calories to your diet to keep up strength. Some of the best ways to do this include:

* Spread butter or margarine on crackers.

* Stir unsweetened whipped cream into mashed potatoes.

* Add honey to cereal or desserts.

* Sprinkle granola into yogurt.

* Choose dried fruits as a healthy snack, and add them to meals or baked goods when possible.

A mesothelioma patient should seek to know as much as possible about the different methods of treating the disease so that they can cooperate maximally with treatment.

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When need chemotherapy for mesothelioma patients - Health - Diseases and Conditions

The needs of chemotherapy will be decided by your doctors. Several factors involve with this treatment such as stage of the cancer, types of cancer, types of drugs you are taking, age of the tumor etc. The doctors will also think about the goal of the chemotherapy is stop the growth of the tumor or completely erase the tumor.Generally, chemotherapy treatment is administered in a cyclic manner which is defined as a period of treatment followed by a period of rest. The purpose of this cycle is to allow the cancer cells to be attacked by the drugs, and then allows the body's normal cells time to recover. Chemotherapy treatment should be a supportive effort between you and your doctor. The communication that takes place is important to your health. It will help you feel better along with address any potential problems with improper communication. For mesothelioma patients, mesothelioma cancer can be treated by the use of anti cancer drug therapies. These anti cancer drugs act by inhibiting tumor growth through the blocking of cell division and multiplication. This form of action also unfortunately affects other hurriedly replicating cells in the body, cells of the hair and the lining of the intestine are particularly vulnerable, thus leading to the common side effects of anti cancer drugs like hair loss and nausea. There are various side effect could with mesothelioma chemotherapy treatment, these are-Fever of, or greater than 101 degrees -Nausea -Diarrhea or constipation -Fatigue -Tingling or numbness in the fingers or toes -Ringing in the ears -Bruises or rashes -Sores in the mouth or throat -Reduced white blood cell count {neutropenia} making you more prone to infections. For this reason your full blood count should be monitored closely. For more information about mesothelioma chemotherapy and chemotherapy treatment please visit Newmesotheliomatreatments.com.

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Mesothelioma Patients Petitions Legislature in Indiana - Law

Mesothelioma patients and their supporters have made larger steps forward in ensuring they are able to pursue legal recourses against the companies responsible for their toxic asbestos exposure. Residents of Indiana have spoken in front of the last legislative session of the year, seeking for changes in the law that prohibits employees and former employees from filing lawsuits against asbestos companies and manufacturers, seeking damages after 10 years have passed.

The Indiana Supreme Courts law can be interpreted such that it limits the compensation exposed workers can receive if they do not file their mesothelioma lawsuits within the 10-year statute of limitations (which is basically 10 years after the exposure date). Based on the current interpretation of the Indiana law, lawsuits are filed within the 10 years, but mesothelioma can take up to 50 years after exposure before showing any symptoms. This presents a problem for many exposed workers as they are unaware of their exposure/illness until well after the statute of limitations runs. In addition to the latency period of the disease, lawyers and victims also have to take into account the time it takes to identify the place, time and amount of exposure each victim experienced.As mesothelioma can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to manifest, many victims go unaware of their mesothelioma and do not act on filing the lawsuit within the set 10-year statute enacted by the state of In diana. As mesothelioma is a serious, and often fatal, illness, many victims and their families seek financial compensation to help pay for the medical expenses they have accrued or will accrue over the time span of their treatment. Victims also seek financial recovery to help prepare their families for a time when they are no longer around to provide for their spouses and children.

All of the serious medical conditions associated with asbestos exposure are potentially terminal and can lead to death. Mesothelioma victims and their families face an uphill legal battle as time is a key factor with Indianas set statute of 10 years. Mesothelioma victims often do not know they are sick until the statute has already expired and legal recourse is no longer an option at that point for Indiana residents.

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How to Choose the Best Home Care Service For Mesothelioma Patients - Other

Much of the care that you are going to get as a mesothelioma cancer patient will be given in an outpatient setting, which includes home care. In many ways, home care for the person with cancer is no different than the home care that is given to people with other kinds of illness.

A mesothelioma patient will need help with diet and nutrition, physical therapy, home health aides, speech and respiratory therapy, personal care, emotional support, volunteer services, pharmacy, support from clergy, and other kinds of care.

Also skilled nursing services involving the use of an oncology nurse specialist, who is an expert in cancer care might be available for home care treatment of the mesothelioma patient. Many of these same services are also offered as part of hospice care.

Some of the home care services that could be provided for the mesothelioma patient are:

- chemotherapy

- immunotherapy or biologic therapy (which use different parts of the body's immune system to fight cancer or lessen the side effects of some cancer treatments)

- blood products

- pain management

- antibiotic treatment

- nutritional support

- anti-emetic therapy (treatment for vomiting)

- hydration (giving of fluids, usually IV or through a feeding tube, for patients who cannot drink enough liquids). These infusion therapies can be given at home by home care agencies.

There are some points that you must consider if you want ton choose the best home agency for your care. You must first of all discuss with your health team to know the types of services you will need. Then you can find agencies that offer those services.

Find out about the accreditation, licensing, and certification of the agencies that you are considering. Also ask questions about your prospective agencies quality of cancer care, the type of experience they have with providing cancer care services, and the skills and training of staff at the agencies you are considering.

There are a number of questions you might ask when you're looking at a home care service:

Certification

Are the home care providers that you are considering Medicare-certified? Medicare-certified programs have met federal requirements for patient care and management. Home care providers are closely supervised and controlled. Medicare certifies only agencies with skilled nursing care. To find a Medicare-approved home health agency, you can visit "Home Health Compare" on the Web at This helpful tool is listed under the search tool "Compare Home Health Agencies in Your Area" on their home page. It gives you names, addresses, and phone numbers of nearby agencies. You can also look at quality measures and compare how well the home care agencies deal with common health problems.

Accreditation

Is the agency you are considering accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body, such as the Joint Commission? You can look up the agency on the Joint Commission Web site at The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization that evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs that volunteer for their review. Accreditation is an important measure in selecting quality health care services. You can ask to see the results of the home care agency's most recent Joint Commission survey.

References

How many years has the agency been serving your community? Can the agency give you references from cancer care professionals, such as an oncologist, oncology nurse, cancer center, or an oncology social worker, who have used this agency? Ask for names and phone numbers. A good agency will give these to you if you ask. Talk to these people about their experiences. You may also wish to check with your local Better Business Bureau, your local Consumer Bureau, or the State Attorney General's office. They can tell you if complaints have been filed against the agency.

Licensure

Is your prospective care provider licensed by your state?Most states require licensing of home health agencies.

Consumer information

Does the agency have written statements that list services (including cancer care services), eligibility requirements, costs and payment procedures, staff job descriptions, and malpractice and liability insurance? Ask that they send you any brochures or other information they can share about their services.

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Care for Mesothelioma Patients - Health

All of us are going to die one day. This is a universal truth. We all are ready for it. But why should we die a premature death? And moreover when we are not responsible for the cause of the death. For someone else's benefit, a particular section of the society becomes victim of some deadly diseases.

Mesothelioma cancer is one such disease that can happen to anyone both you and me. But records state the major victims come from the worker class of the asbestos companies, shipping companies and construction yards including mines where asbestos is one of the major minerals dealt with. This is primarily a lung disorder that ultimately takes the shape of fatal cancer.

Caring a Mesothelioma patient is very tough. Caring here doesn't simply mean physical care. A Mesothelioma patient has to be given equal mental and emotional support to fight with the situation. Most of the time it has been observed that the patient completely loses faith in life.

Proper knowledge and guidance

Especially the near and dear ones of the patients must have adequate knowledge about the disease and also know what type of support should be given to the patient. There are doctors to look into the case but they are not available always. It is you who will be by the side of patient in his/her needs.

Treat the patient humbly and give him medicines and food at the right hour. The pain along the chest side is sometimes acute and unbearable. You must have an S.O.S. for instant relief. For Mesothelioma patients, morphine is a very good remedy. But a misconception prevails with the use of morphine and most of us refer it to be a sedative drug with other adverse side effects. Such preconceived notions have to be taken out of mind. Both the patient and the patient's relatives should have a positive mind setup and follow the doctor's prescription in an accurate manner. Otherwise you will welcome further troubles.

Well it is known to all of us that the Mesothelioma patient won't be able to sustain life with this cancer inside the body. But they too have every right to enjoy life till they close their eyes forever. Give them hope and happiness so that they live their life to the fullest even in this short time period. Let depression and despair not make shelter in their minds to blemish the rest of the days they are alive.

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